LIMINAL TOPOGRAPHY

Waterloo Rome Studio

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2019

4th Year Final Design Project

One Month

Co-Designer

Prof. Emeritus Lorenzo Pignatti

Violeta Michailov

Celio Hill, Rome

Liminal Topography is an exploration of how to mediate between an ancient archeological site and the natural landscape. Situated in the Central Archeological Park of Rome on the flanks of the Celio Hill, our design creates a new monument by establishing view corridors to cultural icons in the Archeological Park such as the Colosseum. The site has been designed to contain parklands with deep cuts into the topography to form pathways that carefully reveals the vistas of the surrounding ancient monuments through openings in the terrain in the form of pavilions.

Along this jutting pathway, these pavilions house temporary exhibition spaces that lead visitors to viewing platforms that act as gathering spaces for both tourists and local residents. All pathways lead to the new Archeological Museum at the heart of the complex. As a center of culture and learning, this museum houses the massive Torlonia Collection of 109 classical statuary and various labs for research and restoration of ancient artifacts. A large theatre is located on the ground floor to accommodate symposiums and other cultural events.