Post Office

The Post Office in Rome, built between 1933 and 1935, was part of the rationalist architectural period that was developed during the Benito Mussolini Fascist period in Italy. This building was part of the national plant of the dictatorship of being independent of the foreign trade by promoting a self-sufficient economy. Moreover, it was part of the decentralization of the service buildings, out of the historic centre of Rome. El Palacio Postal en Roma, construido entre 1933 y 1935, fue parte del periodo arquitectónico racionalista que se instauró durante la Italia fascista de Benito Mussolini. Este edificio fue parte del plan nacional de la dictadura de no depender del comercio exterior fomentando una economía autosuficiente, y dentro de la ciudad de Roma, de una descentralización de los servicios del centro de la ciudad. Mario Ridolfi won the first prize of the competition to design this new Post Office building with a project that was divided in three different volumes. Shortly after winning the competition, the architect modified the original project creating a compact volume that encloses Piazza Bologna with a strong symmetrical facade built with travertine marble. This material was used during the rationalist period to emphasize an abstract language and stand out the symbolism of the public buildings. Although Mario Ridolfi belonged to this period, he used a very expressive language that was close to the baroque style, both by the composition of the buildings and with the selected materials. The post office is a clear example of this expressionism. The symmetrical plan is deformed in the centre to enhance the access staircase. The sides of the building are curved creating a continuity effect that extends from the main facade to the lateral sides and back facade. The central canopy uses the same language as the roof of the last floor, continuing the formal plasticity of the building.