The Realization of the “New Architecture”. The Italian Colonial Experience in Albania During the Years 1925-1943.

Abstract

The Italian colonial architecture is a chapter yet to be completed, although in recent years there has been a keen interest in the topic, which has led to important events. The period of greatest expansion of Italian colonialism is the one between the second half of the twenties, when fascism began the arrangement of the " Terre d’Oltremare" and the important year 1936, when was made the proclamation of the Empire. The Italian colonial developments in Albania was so particular. They were expected economic agreements for the construction of public works, financial assistance to the country, and its entry into the Society of Nations.The present study was conceived with the aim of identifying a specific strand of the Italian colonial, that is what born inside of the Rationalism, and eventually the emergence of colonial and modern architecture.In 1928 were founded the National Bank of Albania, a subsidiary of the Bank of Italy, and the SVEA which guaranteed, plus a huge loan, the use of companies with Italian capital for the construction of the road network and the completion of the new capital Tirana, whose plan was entrusted to architect Armando Brasini. In the Italian colonies have worked among the best urban planners and architects of the time, each with its own training and their militancy in the various movements of the era. Finally, these great masters of architecture studied the ancient local construction systems and materials used, replugging the achievements of modern technology with the great heritage of tradition. To prepare this study researched a wide historic literature and archive resources, which tried to analyze and interpret according to the present arguments.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n9p648