For Italian architects after the war, urban planning became a priority in the development of public housing, while adhering to the Roman context.  This was a response the disappointing attempts by Futurists like Antonio Sant'Elia to implement a modern architectural language before the war.  The intention now was to preserve Italy’s architectural identity in what is known as Contextualism.  Designing the new housing projects in areas such as the Roman suburb of Garbatella then presented a challenge in maintaining a harmony between the historical architectural context and the new building techniques presented by reinforced concrete, especially in terms of proportion.  This approach of balancing urban planning with relatively abstract geometric forms was rare in the Modernist movement.

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