POP-UP_WoRkShop Fragments of Rome

Exploring Urban Layers of Traces, Colour, Materials, and People

Dates: February 18–20, 2025

Location: Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Architecture, Valle Giulia, Classrooms V15 and V18 – Via Antonio Gramsci n.53, Rome

Overview

Fragments of Rome is a three-day, immersive workshop that gathers students from four Balkan universities—University of Sarajevo, University of Banja Luka, University of Mostar, and University of Montenegro—alongside students from Sapienza University of Rome, offering a unique opportunity to study and interpret the complex urban layers along the historic route between Campo de’ Fiori and Teatro Marcello. This path, which links a bustling Roman square with an inhabited ancient theatre, offers a vibrant cross-section of Rome’s sensory, material, and social fabric. From the lively marketplace of Campo de’ Fiori to the stately presence of Teatro Marcello, the workshop invites students to explore how traces, colour, materials, and human interaction shape this dynamic stretch of Rome’s cityscape.

Workshop Objectives

The main objective of the workshop is for participants to understand the sensations, elements, and dynamics that the study area evokes within them, associating their experiences with the workshop’s core themes—traces, colour, material, and people. By examining these elements, participants will explore the significance of each topic in pre-design considerations and how it informs architectural and urban design at different scales, as well as how spatial characteristics impact the ways people use and interact with the space.

Traces. Investigate the concept of traces, encompassing both physical markers and intangible elements, such as sounds that linger in urban spaces.

Colour. Investigate how colour variations, from the vibrant tones of the market stalls to the tones of ancient stone, help define the character of each space.

Materials. Explore the rich materiality of the route, noting shifts from cobblestones and historic brick in the square to the monumental travertine and limestone of Teatro Marcello.

People. Observe how people use and interact with these spaces at different times of the day, documenting the transitions from market activities to evening gatherings.

Key Activities

• Lectures: Expert-led sessions on urban traces, colour theory, material analysis in historical architecture, and human interaction in urban spaces.
• Site Visit: A detailed exploration of the area between Campo de’ Fiori and Teatro Marcello.
• Practical Workshops: Hands-on sessions where students will synthesize their field observations. Activities will include creating trace maps, colour palettes, and material samples to represent the neighbourhood’s unique character.
• Final Presentation: Students will present their findings focusing on one of the four analytical perspectives into a representation of the route’s urban identity.

Target Audience

This workshop is tailored for architecture students, in their third to fifth year, interested in the multisensory aspects of urban environments, heritage preservation, and the interaction between architectural spaces and social dynamics.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of Fragments of Rome, participants will acquire practical skills in sensory mapping, spatial observation, and material analysis, enhancing their approach to architectural design. They will gain a deeper understanding of how non-visual elements like sound and sensory shifts influence urban experience. The workshop aims to inspire participants to integrate these layers into future projects, promoting an approach that honours both the historic and human dimensions of urban spaces.