Adolfo Natalini: From Superstudio Radical to Vernacular Traditionalist

Adolfo Natalini, co-founder of the radical 1960s group Superstudio, later pivoted to vernacular architecture, blending historicist kitsch with Disneyland-like elements. His recent works, such as the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Florence, suggest a return to modernity. Rem Koolhaas has cited Superstudio as an influence, reigniting interest in the group. Critic Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi challenges this revival, echoing Manfredo Tafuri's critique of Superstudio's dual register: infantile radicalism and mercantile cunning. Puglisi contrasts Natalini's trajectory with Archigram's Peter Cook, who remained experimentally engaged. Natalini defends his populist approach, citing an 83% public vote for a Groningen project. Puglisi likens Natalini's eclecticism to Marcello Piacentini's, arguing it contributes to a Disneyland-like homogenized future.