Post and Telegraph Building, Giuseppe Vaccaro, 1933-36

The Post Office in Naples, inaugurated on September 30, 1936, is one of the masterpieces of Fascist architecture from the early 20th century.
The Post Office remains a landmark of Neapolitan architecture
for its futuristic aesthetic, cutting-edge technology, and modern design, conceived by architect Giuseppe Vaccaro and his colleague Gino Franzi.
The project was born as part of the neighborhood redevelopment plan conceived in the late 19th century and implemented in the 1930s, following a series of demolitions and demolitions of old, dilapidated houses.
For its construction, a competition was held in 1928, resulting in the selection of five designs. A second competition, in 1930, saw Giuseppe Vaccaro's design win, later joined by architect Gino Franzi. It was during the executive phase that the project came to life, freeing the building's façade of all ornamentation.
The Post Office is integrated into the building by clinging to a loggia dating back to the Renaissance. This integration places the Post Office in continuity with Italian history.
Its monumentality is evident in the titanic dimensions of the entrance and the height of the ceilings. The Post Office was originally proposed for the competition with truly remarkable decorations on the main façade; these were removed, leaving its monumentality instead entrusted to the purity of its lines and harmonious volumes.
It is also a technologically cutting-edge building, thanks to the materials used, in addition to marble and granite, such as glassrolux, reinforced concrete, and linoleum. It is innovative in the postal systems and services it houses, such as pneumatic post and telegraphs.
The building as a whole resembles a gigantic piece of industrial design. All the furnishings were custom-designed: from the inkwells to the clocks, from the panels and glass brick partitions to the red marble tables, with a maniacal pursuit of perfection.