Densifying an Urban Context

Creating a New Urban Site Through Addition

This project is based at the site of The Portico of Octavia and Theater Marcellus in Rome, Italy. The goal of the project was to densify the surrounding site, while also bringing programs to the area that include: studio spaces, housing for students, art gallery, theater space, and a green space. This was achieved through creating context buildings and repurposing the ruins of Theater Marcellus. Theater Marcellus keeps its foundations through this design and uses them as guides for the design of the gallery, studio spaces, and housing.

Preliminary Sketches

The following drawings are sketches that tackled densifying the site surrounding the Portico of Octavia and Theater Marcellus. The idea is to create slots, terminating slots, and plazas to allow gathering and green spaces throughout the site.

Final Design

The final design uses the foundations and the old arcade from Theater Marcellus to inform that design. The dorms are situated between the fins on the plan, and the arcade remains to preserve the facade of the Theater. The wings of the Theater act as the gallery and the inner courtyard is the studio spaces for the students.

Final Design

These views show the plaza created by a collonade starting in the plaza of Theater Marcellus and extended to the theater building further south on the site. This technique of combined courtyards across a walkway is used to create a cohesive design between buildings.