MUSEO DELL’ARA PACIS
Today we had another tour with guide Liz from yesterday and concentrated on examples of contemporary architecture in Rome. Rome as a city is not always open to contemporary architecture, and it is even hard for Italian architects like Renzo Piano, to get their projects funded and then built. Many building projects take years and years as funding is available, then dries up and construction is halted, and then started up again in fits and starts until completion.
One of the first buildings we viewed this morning was the Museo dell’Ara Pacis designed by American architect Richard Meier. This white mostly unadorned structure was built around an earlier building that houses the Ara Pacis, a sacred altar built to celebrate the return of Emperor Augustus from Spain and Gaul in 7 BCE. Meier’s very contemporary building stands out midst more classical architecture and was unpopular with some for this jarring juxtaposition. It opened in 2006.
AUDITORIUM
We were eager to see Renzo Piano’s work here. The music auditorium (Auditorium Parco Della Musica Ennio Morricone) designed by him opened about 20 years ago. It’s the largest performance space in Europe (or was) and it includes a cafe, a large bookstore, and three raised auditoriums, each of a different size. Their exterior shells are black and look insect-like; they have been called scarabs by some.
The building is of reddish brick using thin bricks as were used in ancient times. We were able to see some of the interior and walk the exterior promenades while admiring the use of columns, staircases, glass, and open space.
MAXXI
Of equal interest was Zaha Hadid’s curved and angular building, MAXXI, Museum of Art and Architecture. Hadid was a noted British-Iraqi female architect born in Baghdad who practiced around the world. MAXXI is the first Italian public museum of this type incorporating not only gallery space for exhibits, but also a research “hothouse” for dialogue between design, fashion, cinema, art and architecture.
Its periscope like protrusion from the top front has a screen reflecting neighboring buildings. Inside are a variety of curved staircases layering and crisscrossing one another.
The information desk is curved, some public seating is curved couches, and there are also stretches of glass broken up by metal strands. It was all very striking and to me, most appealing.
MUSIC BRIDGE
Lastly, we visited the Music Bridge which was built to someday accommodate trams. It was designed in 1999 by Armando Travajoli. Today it was just a quiet pedestrian bridge crossing the Tiber to a sports stadium. No teenagers were in sight skateboarding in the park underneath. I found its simplicity most attractive.
Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
Zaha Hadid has done some of the most wonderful buildings. I only know the ones in London but her contribution through out her short life was amazing.