Experiencing the City
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| Rome City Plan Diagram |
The city of Rome owes much of the Baroque planning ideas of monuments set along lines of vistas. In this city witn no regular planning grid, its monuments, meeting places, major streets and river serve as the elements that allow people to locate themselves in the city. These elements Kevin Lynch calls paths, edges, nodes and landmarks.
Living along the street of the Pantheon, it became the most sought after landmark when searching for the way home. The monument to Victor Emmanuel, a huge white object in a city of earthen tones stands out like a sore thumb, but also serves as an excellent point of reference. Near by places such as the Campadoglio, Campo de Fiore and Piazza Navona also serves as places to regain orientation as well as meeting places.
One major path which is situated rather central to city is the Via de Corso. Althought it has an unmistakable commercial nature, so do many other streets in Rome. The distinguishing feature of this street is that it commects the Piazza del Popolo with the Monument to Victor Emannuel. The long view to the obelisk at the Popolo and the monument make this street very particular.
The Via Condotti is also a distinguishable street in the city. Its exclusive shops are one reason, but an even greater reason is its termination in the Piazza Spagna.
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| Via Condotti view to Piazza Spagna |
The one path in the city which is very much like a major artery in Los Angeles is the Via Victor Emmannuel. The heavy traffic of the street is accountable because it is the major connection to Trestavery and St Peters.
Along with the landmarks and paths, meeting places (piazzas) became some of the best known places in the city. Life in the piazzas varied, many of the lesser piazzas served merely as parking lots. The Campo de Fiore has a very short daily life, but an active and exciting one. Its richness is derived from its temporary structures, the color of the fruits and vegetables, the sweet scent of fruits and the reek of fish and the sound of Italian sales pitches.
The Campadoglio is a space which is used mostly in special events. When such events occur the sight is spectacular. Concerts are delightful events, but the real treat was to witness the masses of people exit the piazza down the stepped ramp.
Along with the landmarks and paths, meeting places (piazzas) became some of the best known places in the city. Life in the piazzas varied, many of the lesser piazzas served merely as parking lots. The Campo de Fiore has a very short daily life, but an active and exciting one. Its richness is derived from its temporary structures, the color of the fruits and vegetables, the sweet scent of fruits and the reek of fish and the sound of Italian sales pitches.
The Campadoglio is a space which is used mostly in special events. When such events occur the sight is spectacular. Concerts are delightful events, but the real treat was to witness the masses of people exit the piazza down the stepped ramp.
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| Stair to Campadoglio |
Some Piazzas such as Piazza Navona, Piazza Rotunda, Piazza Spagna and the Trevi Fountain serves as full time gathering places. During the day, these places are busy, but rather quiet. Merchants are open for business, with tourists out sight seeing making up the majority of the crowd. As evening comes along the piazza gains a second life. In Piazza Navona, merchants slowly move in laying out blankets to reserve their floor area as street performers set up props to claim their stages. The “locals” as well as the tourists fill the space to meet people, and view others. Bars and cafes spill tables and chairs out into the space to provide refreshements for the “audience”, while musicians, dancers, magicians and ordinary people take center stage. The old cliché, “the street as a stage for life” seems to be an appropriate summary for the piazzas. Together these piazzas (nodes), paths, landmarks and edges (the Tiber and City gates) give an orientation to the city, known places which one could look for orientation.
Although being able to find the way around the city is necessary, in a city like Rome, getting lost can be an enjoyable experience. It is these times that one is able to discover small streets with collages and layers of generations past. Roman ruins sandwiched between medieval and Renaissance structures. Walls composed of brick, stone and plaster a palemcest of changing fenestration. It was also on these streets one see the real life of the Romans as it has probably existed for generations. And it was here that one escaped the tourist menus and feasted on the true cuisine of Rome.
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| Sketch - "Life in the Piazzas" - Bertram Wong 1982 |
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| "Relaxing" On the Trevi Fountain |
Reprinted from
Bertram Wong
7 September 1982
USC Summer Program in Rome
(all sketches copyright Bertram Wong, no reproduction without permission)
See
(all sketches copyright Bertram Wong, no reproduction without permission)
See
Part 1 - Experiencing the City
Part 2 - Windows
Part 3 - Construction of Walls and Openings
Part 4 - Rooms
Part 5 - Courtyards
Part 6 - Piazzas
Part 7 - Porticos
Part 8 - Conclusions
Rome - The greatest living classroom for Architecture and Urban Design, see the lessons it taught me...an 8 part series this month.......
ReplyDelete• Yes, I grew up in Rome so I totally agree, what a privilege! although not much to learn from contemporary / modern developments (in terms of urban design at least...)
ReplyDeleteNatalia Trossero
(from Linkedin Urban Design Network discussion)
• Dear Berttram. Wonderful idea: It seems the appropiate space to instigate the " Modern" - "Traditional" debate...
ReplyDeletePedro Buraglia
(from Linkedin Urban Design Network discussion)
• dear bertram, I can understand your excitement for ROME as a historic city in many ways. you are rigth: we can learn a lot. BUT: romanticism and admiration for the historical cities is NOT enough to solve todays urban problems. would you like to look behind the curtain in ROME? transport system? metro? public against private? sustainable/intelligent urban planning? energy? social housing? infrastructure? modern life? survival for the young? safety at night? did you only look at the historical beauties or did you also investigate at the suburban areas? did you go south of rome? the center of rome is covered by a belljar "no change" - the suburbs are "wild and caotic": I was expulsed from university as a guest lecturer because I dared to propose a program to "eliminate the worst building and replace by the best" - choice by the student. this was considered as not enough respect for the past! ROME is kind of coming to its own cultural end: the new does hardly exist. contemporean architecture is not existent anymore. there is no modern "architectural scene" - rome is becoming a living museum - but will not become a modern city. compare the capability to keep up with the future when you look at cities like BARCELONA; ZURICH; VIENNA; BERLIN;.....they try to cope and deal with the past in a more rational way which allows them to survive.....sorry for destroying your first excitement - which I understand. maybe the second time you will look behind the scenes...
ReplyDeletePeter Lorenz
(from Linkedin Urban Design Network discussion)
Peter no criticism can destroy the excitement of a city like Rome! My study was limited and targeted on the physical design aspects which of course is very limited. All your issues raised are quite valid. With all the historic city has to offer in my 6 weeks there, I had little time to venture to the suburbs because of so much of the historic city to see and study. The "living museum" status seems like an appropriated model for them to follow.You apparently have a much more indepth knowledge of the city then my short study, appreciate you insight and views, further for all to study and learn from!
Delete• Being a Monticiano ( rione I Monti ) allow me to forward you a link to one of the best web sites on my beloved city. You will find information on the architecture, history and culture of Roma. It is a work of love by Mr. Roberto Piperno. Please enjoy !
ReplyDeletehttp://www.romeartlover.it/
Tommaso de Cord
(from Linkedin US / China Architecture, Development & Design discussion)
• Bertram,
ReplyDeleteyou may be interested in the book 'The Genius in the Design' by Jake Morrison and published by Harper Collins 2005. It tells of the rivalry between Romes two great architects of the time, Bernini and Borromini, and gives an insight of the thinking and debates of the patrons and critics of their projects. Perhaps the lesson we can learn from Rome is that strong leaders intent on creating beautiful places are needed for such places to transform from inception to reality.
James Jenkison
(from Linkedin Urban Design Network discussion)
• this is quite an interesting discussion - the debates between borromini and bernini do show the value of architecture and sculpture in this historical society - for example the fountains of bernini have been first built in wood - the new, baroque, sensual, erotic and expressive shapes have been totally provocative/too new for the public.but in those days ROME risked to introduce the provocative new!! only when these fountains have become roted/decayed the public - in the meantime becoming used to the new baroque message - have asked that this material has to be changed into stone. TODAY it seems that ROME as the "eternal city" has reached the peak or the end of its development - it looks rather much the same today as I visited it as a child. the belljar over the centre has been suffocating every kind of new development, architecture, even art. no future visible. the future in the suburbs is dramatic and terrible. THIS is my critic or maybe only an analysis of the situation.I can totally appreciate the outstanding beauty and the spatial diversity of the historical city - but the city rejects the contemporanean world, denies any debate with today demands (UNLIKE the debates between borromini and bernini), "hates" todays architecture and gives no hope for young people to work, to learn, to be competitive, to survive - it is decadent in its beauty. we can learn from ROME - but we should do it with a critical mind.
DeletePeter Lorenz
(from Linkedin Urban Design Network discussion)
• I took a paper on modern Italian architecture at university in the early 1990's and had to build a model of the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana located in the EUR district of Rome. Notwithstanding the politics of its inception I think the EUR concept provides an innovative example of preserving the historic city centre and building a modern business district of tall office buildings somewhere else in the city. It may or may not be a great success in terms of its location, urban design or architecture, but the EUR (and La defence district in Paris) does show an alternative to what has happened in many places where historic areas in or near the city centre have been almost obliterated to make way for modern development.
ReplyDeleteJames Jenkison
(from Linkedin Urban Design Network discussion)
James, I did get out to EUR once, but did not focus much on the development. My focus was on the historic city which has so much to see in such a short time for me (6 weeks). As far as modern developments in conjunction with historic areas, guess there is a lot that can be learned?
Delete• dear james, it is most important to READ the cities and its architecture in its historical, political context: the "Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana" has been called also the "modern colosseo quadrato" and is a neoclassical building of the fascist regime of MUSSOLINI, built at the beginning of the world war II. OK - it might be an "innovative example of preserving the historic city of the late thirties..." of the last century and shows some arogant selfconfidence compared to the "NO MODERN ALLOWED IN THE CITY"-policy in ITALY - but it is NOT a valid contribution to " modern business districts".
Deleteyou can read on the arcades: "UN POPOLO DI POETI DI ARTISTI DI EROI DI SANTI DI PENSATORI DI SCIENZIATI DI NAVIGATORI DI TRASMIGRATORI"...... in the meantime we have passed 70 years of a quite vivid history and I do NOT see how this building/piazza could or should become a serious alternative of a MODERN development. MODERNITY is something totally different if not opposite to the neoclassical approach. dont get carried away by aesthetics - read what is behind.
Posted by Peter Lorenz
(from Linkedin Urban Design Network discussion)
• thanks for the link, . .truly interesting. .. viewpoint. .
ReplyDeleteMarissa Castillo
(from Linkedin Urban Design Network discussion)
• Having grown up in Rome and studied architecture there, I must say that it is rather simplistic to say that the belljar approach doesn't work and is stifling the development of the city.
ReplyDeleteEqually dangerous, in my view, is to overcriticize the fascist EUR development because of its political references (which I most certainly do not support). Nonetheless, it remains most certainly the most successful attempt in the last 100 years to bring development and growth to the city through a coherent plan and producing high quality landmarks (again, albeit the political references). Post-war development hasn't produced anything as valuable in terms of placemaking.
On the other hand, other fascist plans included the creation of a major road going straight to the Pantheon (luckily never executed) which would have destroyed a huge portion of historic fabric and regrettably it would have destroyed the amazing setting of the Pantheon itself. The mausoleum of Augustus is another example of this wreckless type of development (this one executed, regrettably) which has destroyed a building full of historical stratifications to produce a ruin and a park which today are only used for dog-walking and homeless people (regardless of the new Ara Pacis by Meyer which has brought some - not much - new activity to this area).
The belljar approach doesn't cater for today's needs: it is extremely difficult to get around in Rome for instance, and there's a lack of public transport and opportunities to provide additional underground facilities, but in light of the deplorable developments that have threatened the centre, it is reasonable to understand how the belljar approach has been favoured.
The historic town centre does offer an amazing, incredible array of architecture and urban design examples to follow, it is remarkable the variety of public spaces that Rome provides and which cater for a corresponding variety of outdoor social interaction, from the private to the semi-private to the more public and the grand and monumental. I think the focus of development certainly shouldn't be around the centre but rather on the outskirts of the city, where these incredible placemaking lessons haven't been learned and put into practice, and, crucially, into providing sustainable modes of transport that can deter the high volume of through-traffic going through the city currently (trams have been very good in providing this).
I love Rome, certainly my view is biased by my fascination with the eternal city, I do think there's lots and lots to learn from it. It's definitely a very challenging city to manage and plan for, not least due to difficult political environment which hasn't provided a transparent arena for debate, this also must be mentioned... oops it got quite long apologies, I guess everytime I start talking about Rome, I get carried away...
Natalia Trossero
(from Linkedin Urban Design Network discussion)
Thanks to everyone for their thoughful views and further insight. The more I read the more I recall the wonderful experiences of the city and its places. Historic areas are always filled with the challange of what not to disturb, and in a place like Rome even more so. But historically for the city to evolve to where it is, there was constant tranformation and I am sure it was not without controversy! Keeping it with no change is the safe bet, but also no risk, no further reward!
ReplyDelete