Architects Gino Cancellotti, Eugenio Montuori, Luigi Piccinato, and Alfredo Scalpelli were responsible for the town plan and many of the buildings after winning a competition for the design of Sabaudia, sponsored by Mussolini. Work commenced on the town's construction on 5 August 1933 and was completed 253 days later. The city itself is based a Roman grid road layout and rationalist architecture.