Communicating the Welfare Architecture for Woman and Child in Fascist Italy

Abstract

La contribución pretende investigar las formas en que se promovió la Arquitectura Asistencial para la mujer y el niño durante los años del fascismo en Italia. El análisis realizado a través del estudio de publicaciones periódicas de arquitectura (Architettura, Casabella, Rassegna di architettura, Edilizia moderna, y otras), parte de la consideración de que la asistencia social fue un instrumento propagandístico fundamental para gestionar el consenso popular. No sólo hospitales y sanatorios, sino también clínicas, colonias y “Case della Madre e del Bambino” realizadas por la Opera Nazionale Maternità e Infanzia (ONMI). En particular, para estas últimas, la revista Maternità e Infanzia desempeñó un papel fundamental. Durante el fascismo, el cuidado del cuerpo y la “salud de la raza” se consideraban uno de los principales objetivos sociales y políticos. En este sentido, la publicación periódica, como órgano oficial de la ONMI, constituye una fuente excepcional para comprender el uso de estas tipologías arquitectónicas como instrumento de persuasión y propaganda.

The purpose of this study is to explore how Welfare Architecture for Women and Children was promoted during the years of fascism in Italy. The analysis was conducted by studying architecture periodicals such as Architettura, Casabella, Rassegna di architettura, Edilizia moderna, and others. The investigation starts with the premise that social assistance served as a crucial propaganda tool for shaping public opinion. This encompassed not only hospitals and sanatoriums but also clinics, colonies, and “Case della Madre e del Bambino” (Mother and Child Houses) established by the Opera Nazionale Maternità e Infanzia (ONMI). Particularly, the magazine Maternità e Infanzia played a pivotal role in this regard. During the fascist era, the well-being of individuals and the “health of the race” were regarded as key social and political objectives. The aforementioned periodical, being the official publication of the ONMI, emerges as an invaluable resource for comprehending how these architectural forms were employed as tools of persuasion and propaganda.