An attempt to determine and categorize modern eras of Italian infrastructure construction art, using the macroscopic urbanized area of Genova as an example. Four ages of infrastructure construction types define the past century:

1. First “new” road and railway lines, built around 1900–1920. Characteristic are pylons and arches of red bricks forming elegant viaducts, and the hexagonally shaped stones used for retaining walls (same principle as used by ancient Romans).

2. The Mussolini era in the 1930s saw the construction of the first highway linking the harbour with the flatlands in the north, passing over numerous bridges and through tunnels. For the first time, steel-reinforced concrete was used to build light bridges with very thin-looking structures. Endless railings were hand-painted in black and white, as were most walkway borders.

3. From the 1950s until 1970, more layers of highways were added; their bridges are characterized by prestressed concrete beams sitting on heavy round poles. A huge highway bridge was built across a densely urbanized valley; the thin bridge structure remembers the fine art of concrete technology of the 1920s.

4. From the end of the 1990s, infrastructure saw mostly adaptation works, to keep disintegrating concrete alive. The nearby sea and the not always wise decision not to impermeabilize bridge surfaces quickly eroded the iron beams under the surface, thus blasting away concrete pieces that once covered them. Bridges were strengthened with additional belts and anchors. The once simple and non-standardized guardrails were replaced by ultra heavy-duty systems, withstanding the ever-growing traffic weights and volumes.

To the knowing eye, all this adds up to a fascinating painting: an open history book of different work practices and technology eras…