Once again this year, Open House Rome returns to open the doors of the most interesting and spectacular spaces in Rome. For nine days, from Saturday, April 6th to Saturday, April 14th, you can visit approximately 200 sites usually inaccessible, belonging to various epochs of history, free of charge. We have selected five that you should not miss for any reason, even though there are many more essential buildings for architecture enthusiasts.
Open House Rome: 5 must-see buildings you shouldn’t miss
From Saturday, April 6th to Sunday, April 14th, Open House Rome opens the doors to some of the city’s most unique locations.
Image courtesy of Open House Roma
Image courtesy of Open House Roma
Image courtesy of Open House Roma
Image courtesy of Open House Roma
Image courtesy of Open House Roma
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- Lucia Brandoli
- 05 April 2024
Between 1928 and 1930, Pier Luigi Nervi constructed this elegant building on Lungotevere Arnaldo da Brescia, based on the design by architect Giuseppe Capponi, following the technique of the so-called “mixed construction” in reinforced concrete that was gaining ground in Italy during those years, combined with traditional masonry. The building, which became his residence and housed his studio, is one of the most elegant examples of Roman architecture of the 1920s. The facades of the building are stripped of all decorative elements, entrusting the architectural quality to the alternation of solids and voids, concavities and convexities, through a compositional language that, albeit minimalist, refers to the Baroque style.
Designed by Gio Ponti in 1935 – in collaboration with engineer Zadra – the School of Mathematics is considered a true work of art, despite the alterations over time. The project is articulated in an original sequence of volumes, originally well distinct in both form and function, and is characterized by a skillful use of coverings, as well as spatial continuity, resolved through triple height variations and decorations.
Designed by Danish architect Kay Fisker in 1967, the Danish Academy is a unique example in the Roman architectural landscape of Scandinavian functionalism, characterized by a complex interplay of contrasts: light-shadow; horizontal-vertical; and nature-artifice. The building underwent renovation by Danish architect Bente Lange between 2014 and 2015.
Inaugurated in 1935 and designed by Antonio Valente, in collaboration with Piero Aschieri, the Experimental Center of Cinematography is an architectural complex dedicated to the Italian film school. Great attention was given to the brightness of the spaces to accommodate the school, within a rational architecture characterized by functionality but always attentive to the harmony of forms, with great balance.
Constructed by Pier Luigi Nervi between 1963 and 1971, this thrilling hall, strongly desired by Pope Paul VI, stands among Nervi’s final works. The dramatic undulating vault continuously changes shape, directing the attention of the faithful towards the papal throne. The ferrocement of the semi-cones composing the waves of the vault is crafted with white cement and brilliant fragments of Apuan marble, imparting a precious and refined effect.