Cagliari, Public Works Authority

The building of the Public Works Authority, the current seat of the Regional Administrative Court, is part of the long and multi-decade formation of Piazza del Carmine, occupying its neighboring eastern side, and is aligned with the “Sebastiano Satta” school wedding (1899-1904).
The building, characterized by eclectic, mainly Renaissance and Mannerist motifs, was for many years the headquarters of the Public Works Authority, very active for the great works wanted by the fascist regime, which were prompted by special legislation for Sardinia (so-called “decree of the billion”).
Built to a design by the architect Augusto Valente by the Firma Costruzioni Asismiche Società Anonima “C.A.S.A.” of Reggio Calabria between 1925 and 1927, the building has two external fronts that face respectively the square with the short side, and on the side street of Via Sassari, designed to connect with the unbuilt G.M. Angioy street, with the long side.
The building has a partially basement floor on which the raised ground floor and the three upper floors are located. The lower floor is marked by balustrated windows decorated with faux ashlars, separated by overlapping projecting bands, while the three floors have symmetrical windows surmounted by progressively less rich gables and frames. The prospectus on Piazza del Carmine ends with a decorative overhang.
Inside the representative room, Filippo Figari's pictorial decoration, created between 1928 and 1929, is preserved: the subjects are “The Hague, The Church, The House, The Village”, inspired by scenes from the Sardinian tradition.

Bibliography by
F. Masala, “The neighborhood and its history”, in Cagliari Historic Districts. Stampace, Cinisello Balsamo, A. Pizzi, 1995, pp. 27, 100;
M. Pintus, “Architectures”, historic districts in Cagliari. Stampace, Cinisello Balsamo, A. Pizzi, 1995, p. 122;
G. Loddo, Cagliari. Architecture from 1900 to 1945, Cagliari, Coedisar, 1999, p. 35;
F. Masala, Architecture from the Unification of Italy to the End of the 20th Century. Nuoro, Ilisso, 2001, sheet 56.