New Imperial Forum promenade coming soon: Labics wins international competition

The design for the new archaeological promenade of the Imperial Forums that will change the face of Via dei Fori Imperiali was presented this morning in Rome . Winning the international competition launched in the fall by Roma Capitale, about which there has been much discussion, was the Roman studio Labics of Francesco Isidori and Maria Claudia Clemente responsible, among others, for the arrangement of the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara. The new promenade includes footbridges that will penetrate above the archaeological area, wider sidewalks that will form new pedestrian islands in certain places, green spaces and balconies, and bicycle paths, all to make up a large pedestrian ring that will connect the Forums, Colosseum, Caelian, Palatine, Baths of Caracalla, Circus Maximus and Capitoline Hill, and takes up the idea of the promenade envisioned in the late 19th century by then-Minister Guido Baccelli.

Labics’ project prevailed over 23 proposals, and was presented this morning in the presence of Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Capitoline Superintendent Claudio Parisi Presicce.

“We are very happy,” Francesco Isidori told Agenzia Dire. "This is a very important occasion for Rome, we have been waiting for it for 50 years. We hope it is the right time to rethink the layout of such a complex area and reappropriate these places invaded by tourists. Instead, our project is based on an idea of civitas of the city of Rome. Red thread has been to make these places better understood for the understanding of a palimpsest that in two thousand years has seen different epochs overlapping. We wanted to hold all these signs together and give this place back to the city."

“The winning project of the international competition,” explained Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, “succeeds in restoring comprehensibility without distorting, but enhancing this stratification. It is a complex challenge and this project succeeds in this feat. For us it is a great satisfaction, one of the pieces of a large body of interventions that we are carrying out. There is a very beautiful and dutiful ferment, finally Italy is working to make the most of the most important concentration of history, archaeology and art in the world. Doing it is very complex, and there was a lot of initial work also to get out of disputes that this project helps to consider part of a single history. I think it succeeds in enhancing both the street and the Forums, which are the two aspects. The street becomes not only a beautiful perspective, but a place where it will be pleasant to be. A street not to go from one place to another, but where to stay and from which to see the Forums. From those overlook terraces with wooden steps you can enjoy the beauty of the Forums. I’m glad we brought a lot of quality, and the international competition is a nice mode. We are happy that it was won by a Roman firm, it is a great satisfaction.”

Labics’ project was chosen as the best according to five criteria: compatibility with the strategic objectives of the public administration, quality between the space subject of the competition and the surrounding urban fabric, creativity and originality of the proposal, innovative quality of the choice of materials and technological solutions, and consistency with the guidelines established by the competition. The work, worth nearly 20 million euros, will begin around September, but the total pedestrianization of the Imperial Fora, the first citizen made known, will begin, due to the complex road system in this area of Rome, when the new Venezia subway station, currently under construction, is opened.

New Imperial Forum promenade coming soon: Labics wins international competition

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