Piazza d'Italia, Postmodern architectural structure in downtown New Orleans, United States.
Piazza d'Italia is an architectural structure in downtown New Orleans that occupies a city block behind the American Italian Cultural Center. The site displays curved colonnades, arches, and a fountain shaped like the Italian peninsula, blending classical orders with unexpected materials.
The plaza was completed in 1978 to a design by Charles Moore and Perez Architects, celebrating the Italian-American population. After years of decay, a full restoration began in 2004 that brought back many original elements.
The plaza honors the Italian-American community through references to Roman temples and amphitheaters, combined with colorful tiles and electric light. Visitors today see a mix of stone columns and shiny surfaces that recalls festivals and public gatherings.
The plaza sits at the corner of Lafayette and Commerce Streets and remains freely accessible during daytime and evening. Visitors can walk around the fountains and columns up close, with lighting effects most visible after dark.
The water jets were shaped as acanthus leaves, a botanical detail from Roman capitals. The combination of stainless steel columns and neon tubes creates an unusual dialogue between ancient forms and postwar light art.
Location: New Orleans
GPS coordinates: 29.94780,-90.06640
Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:30
Postmodern architecture emerged in the 1970s as a response to the rigid principles of modernism, reintroducing color, ornament, and historical references into contemporary building design. The movement evolved over decades, producing structures that challenge conventional forms and experiment with different materials and surfaces. These buildings demonstrate varied approaches to design, from playful facades to complex geometric constructions, showing how architects employ new technologies while engaging with historical stylistic elements. The collection includes cultural institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Casa da Música in Porto, public buildings like Seattle Central Library and Almere City Hall, and religious structures such as the Jubilee Church in Rome. Other examples include the SIS Building in London, Dancing House in Prague, and Niterói Contemporary Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro. The Louvre Pyramid in Paris and the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus show different interpretations of postmodern principles. The Piazza d'Italia in New Orleans with its colored colonnades and the Portland Building with its decorated facade represent early postmodern works in the United States.
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