The City of VIRTÙ

ROMAN ARCHITECTURE

A proposal for a new roman city as a part of Roman Architecture online course from Yale University NOTE: It is a work of Fiction inspired by historical events and characters

Abhinav

DESIGNING A ROMAN CITY I have designed a roman city that exists in the past.

of taxation and a census, which were used for erecting of the new city, Virtù.

CONTEXT

VIRTÙ

Caesar Augustus was one of ancient Rome’s most

The new city is constructed using the conventional

successful leaders who led the transformation

materials such as stone, timber and marble using

of Rome from a republic to an empire. During his

lime paste for mortar. I propose the city to be built

reign, Augustus restored peace and prosperity to

in proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea to the south of

the Roman state and changed nearly every aspect

Rome since it can be self-sustaining since the

of Roman life.

inhabitants can take advantage of the ocean for

2 September 31 BC

food, transport, trade making it a healthy location.

After the Battle of Actium, on his return to Rome

And the coast at few miles farther from the city

Augustus commissioned an architect to design a

will act as a recreational place. And I have used

city with a religious importance where he would

Greek order of columns in most structures which

relocate 10,000 civilians. He passed laws to renew

also acts as decorative elements apart from

religious practices. In his first year alone, he rebuilt

giving the structural stability.

or repaired 82 temples. He instituted a system

Coming to the planning of the city, a rectangular

Legend

1 - Capitol 2 - Amphitheatre

3 - Colonia 4 - Forum

5 - Piazza 6 - Temple

4

1

4

3

4

7 - Porticus

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2

5

7

6 4

3

4

VIRTÙ MASTER PLAN

form has been taken with four entry points to the

been created through the axis. This concentration

city. I have tried to identify and define the key

of the axis with the structures and piazzas were

characteristics of an ideal roman city. Which are

intended to anchor Augustus’s power for long

well organised, well ordered, symmetrical, huge

term. Either side of this axis lies the homes of the

public gathering space (public squares), aesthetic,

civilians.

pleasing, appealing. A central axis has been made so that it could accommodate all the common

CAPITOL

amenities, capitol, piazzas, temple spaces and is

The main building which is the capitol where the

easily accessible.

administration takes place has been placed in

The axis culminates in the extraordinary capitol

the most prominent area of the city, overlooking

structure with the view at one end having the

a beautiful garden upfront. Abutting which a

Capitol and the temples at the other end with an

Thermae Augustus (bath) is designed so that the

amphitheatre in the middle supplying a breath-

royal family could relax when they pay their visit.

taking spectacle. Amongst these main structures

The capitol complex also consists of Bibliotheca

exists forums(marketplaces) and a piazza (public

(a library place), Basilica alongside the forum

square). The urban parks namely Porticus have also

concordiae and an Odeon (singing place).

Legend

3 - Bascilica 4 - Bibliotheca

1 - Capitol 2 - Garden

5 - Thermae Augustus 6 - Forum Concordiae

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4

1

2

3

7 - Odeon 8 - Public square

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CAPITOL COMPLEX

**Softwares used to finish the assignment: Photoshop, sketchup, indesign