Guiding Architects, tour: Rationalist Rome: EUR (Fig. 1)

Guiding Architects, tour: Rationalist Rome: EUR (Fig. 2)

Guiding Architects, tour: Rationalist Rome: EUR (Fig. 3)

Guiding Architects, tour: Rationalist Rome: EUR (Fig. 4)

Guiding Architects, tour: Rationalist Rome: EUR (Fig. 5)

Guiding Architects, tour: Rationalist Rome: EUR (Fig. 6)

Tour in Rome:
Rationalist Rome: EUR

Originally conceived as the grand stage for the cancelled 1942 Universal Exposition, EUR was designed to be a city unto itself: monumental, self-sufficient, and ideologically driven. While construction was rooted in Fascist ambition, the project was interrupted by World War II and only completed in later decades. Throughout its development, EUR was also envisioned as a city-park, where green space played an essential structural role. Trees, shrubs, and bursts of color were carefully planned to offset the severity of the district’s white stone architecture. Planned by architect Marcello Piacentini, EUR’s urban layout follows a striking pentagonal design, organized around monumental axes where the district’s most iconic buildings are positioned. As we walk these broad, symbolic boulevards, we will explore key landmarks like the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, Palazzo dei Congressi, Palazzo dello Sport and La Nuvola.