Function versus Form. The Dancing Venue La Bussola and the Challenges of Conserving Modern Architecture

The dancing venue La Bussola, built in Marina di Pietrasanta between 1946 and 1948 by Baroni, Tempestini, and Porcinai, is an emblematic case of post-war leisure architecture. Originally conceived as a seaside facility, it quickly became a symbol of Italy’s entertainment society under Sergio Bernardini, gaining immediate cultural and social recognition. Architecturally, however, the building underwent radical transformations that compromised its original layout, allowing function to prevail over form and preventing an effective process of heritagization. Through archival research, this paper reconstructs the design phases and highlights the modernity of the original project, while underlining the paradox of its progressive alteration. The case demonstrates how historical knowledge remains a necessary condition for safeguarding the twentieth-century heritage.