VERTICAL SPA, Rome 2010
Trajan’s dream. An ‘anti-monument’ for Rome
This proposal for a vertical spa facing the Coliseum introduces three different lines of research as necessary and co-existing.
The archetype
Because of the ‘head to head’ with the Coliseum – a symbol which can be considered an archetype – the project has recourse to an archetypal solution in shaping its form and geometry. It evokes a ‘coclide column’ into being compact and basic shaped.
The gradient
In addition to its inarticulate and compact body, the building makes use of an ascending gradient of reiterated functions: 10 minispas occupy floors 4th through 13th which are visually concatenated by a 48-meters high cross sectional cavity, producing a sense of vertiginous hypnosis as well as the typical internal stairwell of the roman columns. There is also a visual gradient, due to the wrapped around filigree-skin that allows a full field of vision from the interior towards the spectacular surrounding urban areas and, at the same time, it guarantees the privacy of the interior spaces.
The denial of an idea of ‘monument’
This is expressed by the asymmetrical design of the building but it is also improved by a canope that dematerializes its base. Finally, the tower misses its celebrative role thanks to the ironical epigraph that is repeated in the same way of a pattern of a brocade fabric.
VERTICAL SPA, Rome 2010
CREDITS
architect: Roberto Ianigro, Valentina Ricciuti
project team: Valeria Prignani, Alessandro Franceschini
construction: 2010
rendering: Alessandro Franceschini