at Roma Tre University
2021
w/ Jakub Cibula

Our fundamental impetus for the design was our fascination with the Pigneto neighbourhood in which the plot is located. It is a strongly diverse and vibrant urban area, where cozy, grown-up architecture and hard-planned architecture (and everything in between) come together. Our idea was to analyse these strong features - the feeling of Pigneto - and to translate it into more built-in and simplified forms, adapted to contemporary living. The aim is "ROMANCE".

The main connecting element of the neighbourhood is Via del Pigneto, which originates in the location of our plot. We have called it a "wild river" (see video attached), its profile and atmosphere knows no boundaries. Within the district, it also forms a very popular and lively promenade full of restaurants and bars.

In addition to the context of the neighbourhood, the position within the infrastructure is also crucial for the plot. The site is partly surrounded by the so-called 'Roman highway'. The incredible loop of bridges hovering overhead, almost reminiscent of cyber-punk science fiction, also becomes a strong subtext. As the arm that runs into Via del Pigneto proves to be expendable to traffic over time, the question of "what to do with it?" arises. In our opinion, it has its formal and functional qualities - potential. Our proposal, therefore, is to preserve the arm and transform it into a hybrid element that serves as an attractive floating street, which, together with the extension of the arterial street to include a pedestrian zone, creates a connecting element with the neighbouring neighbourhood (across the railway line), which is partially moribund and awaiting revival. This creates a regeneration of the bloodstream - the ring road. This includes the urban idea of mass along the arterial road, but this is already beyond the boundary of the study area.