Yesterday we went to the EUR for a conference on the future building projects and planning in Rome. Keynote speakers for the day were Renzo Piano (architect), Calatrava (architect and engineer) and the coordinator of Italy's 2020 Olympic bid. It was all in Italian but with the visual aides they had behind them, I got the general idea of their talks and presentations. As I type this PM Silvio Berlusconi is speaking at the closing ceremony of the conference. (There will be people there protesting him and his embezzlement and mismanagement of funds. Security yesterday was super intrusive so I can only imagine what today will bring...) It was a lot like the AIA convention in Iowa, but way smaller and with significantly more foreign language. The council was held in an old Fascist building that now serves as a congressional meeting place and convention center originally designed by one of my favorite architects, Adabalto Libera. The whole building has a 1920's almost art deco material feel to it, but just looks more classical and serene in its construction. The Italian fascist style has a lot in common with the art deco of NYC, it is just moving in a different direction.
Brent just leaning on an exhibition hall...
Mies Vander Rohe?
Looks very classical, but at the same time it is distinctly modern.
The athlete statue of Nike, with a leaf codpiece added by the fascists.
Another Egyptian obelisk! Rome just jacked all of them when they "Came, saw and conquered."
Libera's building and home of the convention.
Model for the new Olympic bid. Also home to Rome's basketball team and an new swimming complex.
I love modernism!!!
They also had nice frescoes made in the building.
That is a lot of Italian architects and politicians and this is just part of the crowd!
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