Un piano per Venezia (1886-1895). Conflitti e contraddizioni intorno al risanamento della città

The urban redevelopment plan for Venice started after the passing of the special law for Naples (n. 2892, 1885, 15th January): in December 1886 the town council approved the resolution outlining forty projects for the city. After many difficulties, a few years later the Plan became public knowledge and a chorus of protest and concern for the “artistic integrity” of the city and the possibility of altering the character of the city irretrievably ensued. The Minister of Education intervened in November 1890 by creating, a mixed Commission composed of ten members – five appointed by the same Minister, two from the Ministry of Public Works, the others by the Municipality, – to examine the projects “in the field”, assess their feasibility and propose any changes to the plan. Thus Boito, D’Andrade and Berchet found themselves working in the mixed Commission. The Commission’s choices made the historical-artistic importance and the character of the city prevail over hygienic reasons. Straights, guttings and demolitions were examined by the Commission, which – from time to time – redesigned the proposed interventions because often, while ostensibly proposed for hygienic reasons, they were not conducive to a healthier historic centre for Venice. The Plan, implemented only in 1895, would start the urban redevelopment operations of the city with precise, targeted interventions, though without an overall plan for the city, adapting the project, rather than the urban tissue, as necessary.