This Is Italy
The luxury fashion brand Fendi is moving into the 'Square Colosseum' (Colosseo Quadrato) in the EUR district. This district was set up by Mussolini for the World's Fair of 1942. It never took place due to the outbreak of the war.
The building – officially called 'The Palace of Italian Civilization' – is iconic for the fascist quarter just south of Rome. The building has been abandoned since World War II, except for a brief period when it served to house some government officials.
The design is a fascist interpretation of a Roman amphitheater and the original idea was that it would be an exhibition space. After decades of vacancy, it has now been refurbished for millions. Fendi also reportedly pays 240.000 euros in rent per month.
The building was empty for so long because no company or brand can relate to it fascism wanted to display. Fendi says it doesn't have that many problems with that. 'The Romans love this building because it resembles the Colosseum and because it is a masterpiece of the modernist architecture is. And besides, not a single fascist ever lived or worked here.'
400 employees from Fendi and a fur workshop will be in the office. The ground floor will be set up for visitors. They can obtain information about the building and the EUR district in a permanent exhibition.
Source: thelocal.it
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