Broken Sites: Piazzas of the Tiber/Roman Facade

The Tiber River cuts a serpentine path through Rome that spatially and experientially divides the city. Due to seasonal flooding, a long vertical drop from street level to the water, as well the Lungotevere closely edging against the floodwall with only a sliver of sidewalk in-between, the shores of the Tiber have become derelict. By horizontally extending the urban edge beyond the floodwall, a continuous elevated river promenade is introduced at the center of the city. Supported by a colonnade, the promenade becomes a new river façade, resonating with the architectural language of its context, particularly Piazza San Pietro. Each existing portion of the Tiber, as defined by a rhythm of bridges, is loosely programmed relative to a reading of the adjacent urban fabric through history, use patterns, and physical characteristics. Interior program is situated at street level while pools, terraces, outdoor galleries, and so on may exist at lower levels and are allowed to flood when necessary. The existing raised banks at the base of the flood walls are removed to increase the available volume within the void for flood water to pass. The river facades, piazzas and programmatic opportunities of this proposal offer an optimistic solution to the problem of a stagnating historic city that lacks informal spaces of recreation for both resident and tourist, breathing new life into everyday experience, while continuing to value the city’s multivalent relationship to its water.

Volume Editors

ISBN
978-1-944214-30-2