Nomad Interiors for the African Colonies, 1936-1943

Throughout the fascist period, Italian architects and designers concerned themselves with the furnishing of the Italian house, considering both a commonality of design features for the houses within the Italian borders and an imaginary construction shared by the young nation. This paper explores how this design and furnishing venture was challenged as it unfolded in the unstable territories of the Italian Empire in Africa, and how it was pursued for the migrating populations of the dispersing “Italian family.” I explore how the Italians’ aim at colonizing these territories was planned not only at a regional, urban, and architectural scale, but also, significantly, through the circulation of newly designed objects and domestic interiors. I consider how these objects mediated these populations’ ambition to remain rooted to the nation with the transient condition of their colonial habitations.