Designed in the 1930s for a Universal Exposition which was never held, the EUR (also known as Eur or E.U.R., that stood for ‘Esposizione Universale di Roma’) is an imposing urban complex that includes several examples of monumental architecture that cohabit with modern buildings constructed in later decades.
The complex, commissioned by Benito Mussolini, was planned to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the March on Rome and the Fascist rise to power, during a lavish international World Fair. In recent years, the area has become a residential and business area, and is home to the headquarters of many important companies and public bodies. The most recent intervention was the construction of the New Congress Centre, designed by Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas.
This book, edited by Francesco Innamorati, describes the history of this district and its evolution through a reading of the original projects that were never realised: a photographic itinerary taken from the photographic archives of the company. It is the first time that a large volume provides such a complete and comprehensive analysis of the birth and development of one of the most representative and significant concepts of important architectural and urban projects on such a scale. It is also the first time that such a vast selection of images from photographic archives have been researched: composed of over 16,000 glass photo plates, the archive is an incredible heritage that bears witness to such an important historic period.
