A STUDY ON THE URBAN TRANSFORMATIONS OF LIDO OF VENICE IN THE EARLY 20^TH CENTURY

Focused on the construction of hotels and housing development

Abstract

 The present paper aims to clarify the territorial transformations occurred during the first half of the 20th century at the Lido in Venice.
 The Lido, island facing the Adriatic Sea, had preserved a rural atmosphere, to be altered gradually by the opening of the public sea baths on 1857 and the consequent touristic developments. The end of the 19th century saw paved roads, lodges, inns and villas occupy vast areas of the island. The creation of the international film festival on 1932 further increased the number of both domestic and international visitors, consummating the transformation of the landscape. Still nowadays numerous film lovers and creators flock to the island by the end of August to attend the cinematic event.
 In the aftermath of the collapse of the Venetian republic, with its economy shattered, the prospect of creating a modern tourist base at the Lido was well received. Its development became a symbol of regeneration and modernization of Venice. This study emphasizes the analysis of urban transformations occurred at the island during this period from a chronological point of view.
 The Lido brimmed with new, modern life styles with the arrival of tourism. Wealthy patrons, during their long stays, thrived at majestic hotels lining up broad planted avenues. Initially the development efforts lied on private initiatives, without much public funding. It was thanks to the likes of Nicolò Spada and ‘Società Bagni di Lido’ that the Lido saw its first big transformation.
 By the mid 1920's the government finally realized the potential of development in the Lido area and heavily invested in the promotion of cultural activities, essentially through close collaboration with Volpi and his C. I. G. A. Society. They were responsible of the consolidation of Venice as a major international touristic destination during the interwar period, sustaining the construction of the airport and the implementation of the vapporetto lines. Furthermore, the Commune and C. I. G. A. played a fundamental role in the accomplishment of the città-giardino, a new living environment.
 Lido, a suburb of Venice, transformed into a touristic resort albeit preserving many of its natural features. In this respect, its development greatly differs from those of the Terraferma municipalities of Marghera and Mestre. At a time in which expansion of rail network and economic prosperity after the war enhanced touristic developments all over Europe, Lido stood out as a very special place, due to its significant cultural value and its peculiar approach: visitors descended the train on the main island and could not but sail a boat through the Laguna in order to reach their final destination.