The Politics of the Piazza

Eamonn Canniffe is a lecturer at the Manchester School of Architecture, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

Contents: Introduction; Part I The Roots of Italian Urban Form: Rome: the centre of the city as axis mundi; Christianity: the development of new urban forms; The Middle Ages: from the city of God to the city of man. Part II The Early Modern City: Early Renaissance: perspective, representation and the ideal; High Renaissance: the modern city all'antica; Mannerism: the theatre of the city; Baroque: scale form and meaning. Part III The City and National Consciousness: Neo-classicism: style and political ideology; Risorgimento: the formation of a national urban space; Fascism: the urban language of authoritarianism. Part IV Urban Expression In An Age of Uncertainty: Neo-realism: urban form and la dolce vita; Neo-rationalism: Aldo Rossi and the rediscovery of typology; Labyrinths: the city of 'the years of lead'; The piazza and the politics of the present; Bibliography; Index.