The idea of equality in the architecture and in the urban planning. From the analysis of the in equalities generated in urban contexts to the project for the new city of Florence 1 by Massimo Fagioli
Context
Is it possible to say that making architecture and designing cities implies aspecific thought about the nature of human beings? Over the centuries, the development and growth of cities have communicated the essence of a civilization, even to the point of implying aspecific or representative political ideology of the governing state in a particular place. In the development of urban history, there have been different models of cities, from the first informal camps, to the urban revolutions that led to the birth of modern cities; the communist city tried to pursue the ideal of equality in the buildings by sacrificing the human dimension, the identity of the individual and beauty. Theories about urban spaces have failed to stem the rise of social and economic inequalities in terms of spatial justice. Today, the condition of townships and suburbs has made clear the existence of models of differentiated spaces that categorize human beings into rich and poor, privileged and unfortunate, residents and foreigners, and so on.
Research idea
The art of building has always been a human need, and it is linked to the original need of living; primitive man coming out of the cave and leaving the natural, comfortable and protected space in search of space he created is among the very first manifestations of human making. What lies beneath this need? In prehistoric times the need to make images through matter and the relationship with space has led to the fusion of the individual and collective dimensions: the private space and the common space. Some researchers say that humans began to create the first agglomerations of houses not for utility or calculation, but for an original need that drove them toward sociality. Is it possible that at some point this spatial harmony was lost? Today the separation between the house, as a private space, and the city, as a public space and meeting place appears clear. What if the challenge for architecture and urban planning is to recompose this split? Is it possible to say that the nineties project of Massimo Fagioli and a group of architects for the new city of Florence is not only still relevant today but is an unattained model of city image? The images of these courageous and identitary architectures give a feeling of well-being, individual buildings appear in their distinctiveness and strength, public space is presented as a dimension of a new collectivity, the city appears open and suggests the possibility of undefended sociality. These images speak of our internal image, they resonate with us. Massimo Fagioli had in mind the reality of human beings, he thought an architecture fused with interest in the other, starting with the dimension of living.
Research method
This research idea was stimulated by a relationship, the particular one developed in the Architecture sub-area of the Art and Languages Lab of Massimo Fagioli Foundation, between those of us who “came later” and those who “have always been there.” While at first I was guided by my personal interests and my activism and work as an architect-urban regenerator working in contexts of social marginality, at a later stage. I felt the need to get answers from some of the architects who attended the seminars of Analisi Collettiva and participated in the development of Massimo Fagioli’s highly original projects.
Originality of research
In Fagioli’s architecture we can identify some of the cardinal principles ofhis thought: equality and diversity and the individual and the collective, as overcoming the Aristotelian principle of non-contradiction, that is, the possibility that two apparently opposite ideas can stand together. Fagioli’s architectures are rich in ever-changing views, multiple points of view, unusual and highly original forms that don’t imitate anything. They do not have a single point of view, but they amplify the space and they increase the points of view overcoming Baroque excess and Cubist fragmentation: the views are always different, each point in the space of the project is different from the other, one cannot get lost. Is it possible to make a connection with human specificity? On the one hand, inclusive architecture refers to the equality at birth; on the other hand, this compositional originality refers to the diversity of identity.
Relationship to modernity
In the face of the current crisis about the identity of the profession of architect, a new way of thinking about architecture is beginning to emerge: the architect today has a social responsibility, he cannot avoid dealing with systemic issues that are associated with the consequences of a space designed in a certain way. “Architecture is a direct consequence of social and political structure.”2 No longer building, but transforming the existing. It’s necessary to conceive the transformation of space as a process and not as an outcome, made up of different figures interacting with the place: sociologists,psychologists, anthropologists, architects, and lawyers interface withexisting communities to bring their professionality to the service of a yet unexpressed need. The results are collective and unexpected, notpredictable in advance; architecture is the outcome of a relationship; it cannot be separated from the affective and human dimension.
Conclusions
Which relationship do we need to have with human beings in order to design a city that meets their needs? A cultural revolution is needed: it’s necessary to think about the city in its complexity as a common good, as a set of relationships that refers to the sane image of collectivity, overcoming the Freudian idea of the chaotic and aggressive mass. A new architecture is possible, Fagioli shows us, if we do not make the image of the valid and healthy interhuman relationship disappear: a social architecture that becomes political praxis fused with the affections. His beautiful quote referring to collectivity can also be applied to a new image of collective space:”The omnipotent annulling and paralyzing power of certain institutions draws its strength from the death instinct, and man is unable to rebel. Only the group, the collective, the hero as a group of men, the mass, that is, the relationship, can give hope to hope.” 3
Notes:
1 Projects published in “Il coraggio delle immagini”, Massimo Fagioli et al., Nuove Edizioni Romane,1994.
2 Quote taken from the article by Arch. Fiammetta Nante and Arch. Giancarlo Leonelli entitled“Bohigas, architetto sociale”, published on Left in 14.01.22, pages 50-55.
3 Quote taken from La marionetta e il burattino, Massimo Fagioli, L’asino d’oro edizioni, 2012.
The current research idea is only intended to generate points of reflection and stimulation and does not claim to give definite answers to the questions asked here.
For practical reasons, the masculine singular or plural has been used in its meaning ofneutrality in the Italian language, implying also the use of the feminine gender andgenerally being in favor of the evolution of the Italian language in terms of inclusiveness.
Drawings: “Il papiro” by Massimo Fagioli.
BIBLIOGRAPHY (in updating):
- AA.VV., Firenze, la nuova città, project presentation booklet, Firenze, giugno 1996.
- AA.VV., Il coraggio delle immagini, Nuove Edizioni Romane, 1994.
- AA.VV., Il senso umano delle cose, L’asino d’oro edizioni, 2021.
- FAGIOLI M., Bambino donna e trasformazione dell’uomo, L’asino d’oro edizioni, 2013.
- FAGIOLI M., Istinto di morte e conoscenza, L’asino d’oro edizioni, 2017.
- FAGIOLI M., La marionetta e il burattino, L’asino d’oro edizioni, 2012.
- CELLAMARE C., Abitare le periferie, Bordeaux Edizioni, 2020.
- LELO K., MONNI S. e TOMASSI F., Le mappe della disuguaglianza. Una geografia sociale metropolitana, Donzelli Editore, 2019.
- NIEMEYER O., Il mondo è ingiusto, Mondadori, 2012.
- OSTANEL E., Spazi fuori dal comune. Rigenerare, includere, innovare, Franco Angeli, 2017.
- TONIETTI U., Firenze: gli occhi sulla città, Professione: architetto, periodico degli architetti toscani, Firenze, journal n.°2, pages 62-63, 1993.
- WARD C., Il bambino e la città, L’ancora del Mediterraneo, 1999.
SITOGRAPHY: (in updating)
- https://associazioneamorepsiche.org/video/il-palazzetto-bianco-incontro-in-libreria-con-massimo-fagioli/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZzwiJZN8Dk
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybCm36ygsc8&t=712s
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn4o-D4U-wM
