A decade of designing hypothesis for Rome: 1980-1990. Themes and methods.

The study I propose concerns some projects developed but not builded in Rome between 1980 and 1990. These projects allow us to develop a reflection on themes and methods used in contemporary design in the historical center. In them the functional distinction and design definition of the architects may identify some ways of architectural design in a stratified context such as the historical center of Rome. This projects are the one for archaeological site of the Imperial Forums designed by Leonardo Benevolo and Vittorio Gregotti in 1984; the project called “The modification of Rome” by Alberto Samonà and others, 1985; the design presented at the XVII Triennale in Milan coordinated by Franco Purini and others, in 1987, and at last, a project-manifesto for Roma developed in 1991 by Franco Purini. In these projects, very different one from the other, we may identify a sort of “beginning” or “foregoing” to which they are directly or indirectly referred, and especially a designing process by which we can deduct different lines of development and interpretation of the design approach to existing city. City means all the material and imaginary dimension that defines the cityscape.