Fractal Armatures — Porta Maggiore, Rome
4A Rome Studio
December 2007
Fractal Armatures is a proposed mixed-use development just outside the Aurelian Walls at Porta Maggiore, in Rome. Here, the urban fabric unravels from San Giovanni in Laterano and Termini station to the unsavoury fringes at the edge of the site. Using new programme to complement existing cultural programme adjacent or near the site (staggering in its untapped potential: the Museum of Musical Instruments, Museum of Military History, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, the Aurelian Wall itself, and partially excavated Roman ruins, including an old amphitheatre), the project aims to create a new destination, while at the same time remaining sympathetic to the neighbourhood and its residents. Hence the concept of transcending scales, which parallels that of the fractal. Engaging, open-specific, and scalable spaces are layered with narratives—the enchanted forest, market boulevard, a new bridge that doubles as a sport pitch, the library / urban beach, and the community garden / labyrinth—foster a relationship between the city, neighbourhood, and individual.
