Photographed Architecture: The case of the Villaggio Matteotti in Terni by Giancarlo De Carlo

Among the best known works of the architect Giancarlo De Carlo (1919-2005), the Villaggio Matteotti in Terni has an evident experimental character. De Carlo’s working method is expressed here in a limpid and clear way, above all for the link between social organization and urban and architectural structure. During the planning phase, the collaboration with the sociologist Domenico De Masi is accompanied by a continuous dialogue with the future inhabitants, in order to define an emblematic case of “participatory planning”. For these reasons, the representation of the new neighborhood through photography becomes extremely important, and on the other hand, architectural photographers find an ideal subject in the neighborhood. The photo shoots, both at a short distance from the completion of the dwellings and 50 years later, is particularly significant for a type of architecture conceived precisely in relation to the needs of the users. The first photographic campaign dates back to 1976, only one year after the completion of the district, and was conducted by Gabriele Basilico, one of the greatest exponents of architectural photography. But other campaigns are also conducted many years later, such as that of Emiliano and Lorenzo Zandri in 2016 and that of Mario Ferrara in 2021.