Giuseppe Terragni died in Como, Italy when he was 39 years old, only three years after fighting on the Russian front and after only thirteen years (or so) of changing the world. Terragni was the best known Italian Rationalist, a true proponent of Modernism and Italian Fascism when both things still seemed like a good idea. His progressive designs remain exteremely influencial, one of the most studied, original and celebrated Modernists ever.

Casa del Fascio
(1936) Como, Italy

If you only knew about one Terragni building, chances are it would be the Casa del Fascio in Como, an office building that was unlinke any other. Irrespective of any widely discredited political movements, it remains an optimistic building from an optomistic time when it was thought that good, Modern architecture would truly change the world.

Click here to visit the Centro Studi Guiseppe Terragni site to experience one of those times online when you really wished your working knowledge of Italian was just a little bit better

Click here to visit the GT04 site. Guiseppe Terragni was born in 1904, a century later he is still being celebrated with exnibitions and events, not to mention a wonderfully comprehensive internet site celebrating his life, works and projects, this time in both Italian and English

Now at ArBITAT: