1st PRIZE AWARD / YOUNG ARCHITECTS COMPETITION / E. KARAOLI, C. LAZOU, A. RACHIOTI, E. ZIOVA

Rome is the setting of the contest. In partnership with La Sapienza University and Progetto Forti, Rome municipality undisclosed a debate over one of its precious treasures: Forte Portuense.

How to transform a former military architecture into a leisure time and cultural focal point? That was the question for the designers to respond, with a multi-scale approach.

The fort is located at the gates of Rome between Tiber River and Via Portuense. It is surrounded by thick vegetation and a dry fosse. 

The given site consists of two areas:

Area 1 (surrounding area): any intervention is allowed (even the removal of existing buildings) with a maximum construction area of 4200m²,including the redesign of the existing functions of a kindergarten, a senior and a community centre.

Area 2 (the fort): protected by strong restrictions. It is forbidden to demolish or alter any built structure in this area. However, it is allowed to insert only ephemeral elements.

 

 

The main intention is to redefine the connection between Forte Portuense and the urban fabric. The creation of an urban oasis is achieved by the reconstruction of the hill’s natural landscape and the integration of social, leisure, cultural and wellness facilities.

The design concept is summarized in four main points:

 

1: Placing the main building area underground in order to reveal the landscape and the fort.

 

2: Designing a network of strict paths by using existing city tracings and specific orientation points. This network allows and forms the access to the fort in all different levels (the level of the main yard, the embankment and the dry fosse).  At the same time it forms the entrance areas and yards to the fort and the buildings or areas on the hill to host a wide range of activities.  The orientation points link visually the visitor with the fort.

 

3: Redrawing the boundary of the study area with the main road (Via Portuense) by placing an arcade that indicates the entrance. At the same time the largest square is placed in front of the existing main entrance in order to reveal and highlight it. Τhis way the visitor is led to the heart of the fort.

 

4: Intervening gently to the fort, by focusing mainly on the arrangement of new functions on the inside. At the same time, the existing embankment routes are revealed and combined with the new ones. 

Having in mind the fort’s sustainable design, the underground building mass combined with mainly southern exposure and ventilation contribute in the overall sustainability. The light structures can bear solar panels that enhance the energy consumption. 

Our design was continuously revitalized by all those traces on, inside and around the fort, which we gradually detected and reinvented and led to the final proposal.

 

Project title: Rome Community Hill

team: pyrphoros

team members: Karaoli Eirini (Architect Engineer N.T.U.A), Lazou Christina (Architect Engineer N.T.U.A), Rachioti Angeliki (Architect Engineer N.T.U.A), Ziova Eleni (Architect Engineer N.T.U.A)

consultant: Mantziou Lena (Ass. Professor, School of Architectural Engineering N.T.U.A)

date: March 2015