I palazzi di città in Sicilia e Sardegna. Un'analogia possibile?

In the aftermath of the Unification of Italy, Sicily and Sardinia, despite being united by their insular nature and a strong claim for autonomy, presented themselves as very different territories: Sicily characterized by the presence of numerous and populous cities, Sardinia with a more fragile and sparse urban fabric. These aspects are reflected in the construction and transformation operations of municipal buildings from 1861 to the early years of the twentieth century. The essay reconstructs a picture that involves both the operations of large cities (Palermo, Cagliari, Messina) and those of medium or small towns, where – through competitions and direct assignments – great architects of the national scene, local professionals, and municipal technical offices confront each other. The urban location, the architectural language, the functions to be hosted in the building, the construction choices and the materials are some of the areas through which different visions of the future of the cities take shape.