FIELDSTUDIES in Rome and on our Trips

Week 13: Three Contemporary Churches

In response to the Jubilee Year 2000, the diocese of Rome initiated a program to build 50 new churches in the outlying neighborhoods of Rome as community centers. As a class we visited three of the more architecturally significant churches.

The first church we visited was the Jubilee Church by Richard Meier and Partners. Like all Meier buildings, it makes and extensive use of the color white, and uses three concentric shells to represent the trinity and to reflect light into the nave.  

The second church we visited was San Carlo Borromeo, by Monestiroli Achitetti Associati. This church made more use of natural materials, and a massive bell tower brought light into the space occupied by the altar. The church also had side chapels, a feature rarely seen on contemporary churches.

Our final church was San Pio da Pietrelcina by Alessandro Anselmi. The organic and dynamic exterior leads into a very regular, light filled space on the inside.
posted by Daniel Gilheney + Leith Almashal

Trajan's Markets & EUR

During week twelve, we visited Trajan's Markets to do a sketching project, which would take up two days of sketching details, and generating ideas for temporary instillations. Sketching was done on site for two days, and during the weekend, schemes were generated based on inspiration from sketches done by students. During the week, we also paid a visit to the E.U.R. Exposizione Universale Roma which was an example of fascist architecture, and planning done on a new site which was to be used for the 1942 world's fair. Construction would be halted due to the second world war. We also went to the Museo Della Civilta Romana were we saw the history of Roman civilization and a full scale model of the ancient city of Rome.

Posted by Brandon Perez + Brian Norte

Trajan's Markets Workshop

Week 9: Conclave and MACRO Museum

This week in Rome, a new pope was elected! For many of us, it was our first visit to piazza di San Pietro during conclave, and sure enough we saw the white smoke climbing from the Sistine chapel, and Papa Francesco dubbed pope. Furthermore, our sketching assignment brought us to Rome's Macro Museum. Situated on the site of an existing Peroni factory, French architect Odile Decq's museum became a source of study in contemporary interventions in Rome. 
posted by Tom Soldiviero +Adam Schroth