Rome Concrete Poetry Hall

Third place is awarded to a project that aspires to create an existential narrative through the layering of context, material, and space. This layering is achieved through the poetic lens of metamorphosis; transcribing history, material, and experience through spatial sequencing from a Piazza to a Poetry Hall.

Sited on an existing Piazza and transit stop, the project keenly connects the Poetry Hall to the larger cultural context of Rome; recognizing the site’s importance in relation to both the civic and monumental archetypes of the city. Preserving the typology of Piazza above ground, the project takes advantage of the connection to the layered history of Rome, through building underground. The cultural and historical layering of the city is stratified in the Poetry Hall through the inherent rhythm created through concrete construction. The repetitive process of pouring and drying creates a layering of time within the walls of the architecture. The material layering structures a spatial sequence for the project. Taking the individual on a journey as they descend from the known above ground of public transit hub and cafe, to the surreal realm of an underground Poetry Hall. The visitor is allowed time to pause and reflect on their journey, within individual and small gathering spaces placed along the metamorphic path, culminating at the monumental hall.