La costruzione metallica in Calabria: uno studio per la conoscenza e la valorizzazione del patrimonio industrializzato del secondo Novecento

In Italy, metal construction and, more generally, light prefabrication, are affected by the hegemony of concrete processes. Nevertheless, from the 1930s, experimentation with steel architecture developed in Italy, especially in the northern areas. In the south of the country, there were fewer achievements and developments were slower. In Calabria, such buildings are still little known. This paper, part of a research project on the deve lopments of light prefabrication in Calabria and Lazio in the second half of the twentieth century, aims to examine construction in Calabria. In particular, the focus is on the histories of the Nuovo Pignone factory in Vibo Valentia (1961-62), of the Sant’Eufemia airport passenger terminal (1971-76), of two of ce complexes in Catanzaro and Cosenza (1960-1985), highlighting their role in the regional framework. The knowledge and enhancement of this industrialized built heritage are becoming increasingly interesting in the history of Italian construction studies and connect the topics of urban and social regeneration. These objectives can be supported by tools for the dissemination of this construction history such as the CALAXXI digital repertoire, which collects the results of the survey conducted in Calabria and Lazio, proposing a sample experience that can be replicated in other contexts.