PARC MURCIA ————————————————

Piranesi’s composition in his prints puts emphasis on the ancient structures of Rome, Italy, revealing a time when the river was a crucial public arena for leisure, hygiene and entertainment—a relationship that ceases to exist in contemporary Rome.

Parc Murcia reconnects the river back to the city of Rome through a network of public aquatic integrations that are sourced by the Tiber. Rome’s most iconic landmark, the Circo Massimo, is re-conceptualized as public park. Landmarks would cease to be merely spectacles, and also find a new purpose, connecting Romans and people to the River. Water can be diverted by reopening cloacas and creating new pathways. We can relieve some of the pressure in the river by extending and distributing the river’s path through the Murcia Valley.

Independent Study

Fall/Wintersession 2018

Critic: Nick DePace

This project was started during my 5-month residency in Rome, Italy. I lived in the historic center, just two blocks away from the Tiber River.

My first observation of the river was that it was swallowed by an embankment wall that reaches over 50 feet. Burying the river under the city, and causing a disconnection from life that takes place on the top.

ROME RIVER RENAISSANCE

The Tiber River in Ancient Rome has been the site of wars, engineering achievements, and international trade. However, with the integration of the aqueducts in the city the river’s importance began to wane. Many of the industries and businesses that dotted the edges of its shores began to disappear and the river soon was neglected, collecting sewage, garbage, and diseases.  The construction of the embankment walls later would cause an apparent disconnection from the river below and the life on the streets above. While the city of Rome is now protected from flooding, it is alienated from the Tiber.

HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THE WALLS DURING HEAVY RAIN?

Rome is no stranger to historic floods. Understanding the function of the embankment walls along the Tiber River was crucial to the design process. In the event of heavy rain, the city of Rome is vulnerable to flooding.

WHERE DOES THE WATER GO?

Rome has seven hills. The valleys created by the hills are prime locations for water to collect and flood. In order to divert flood water out of the city, cloacas (sewers), have been in use for hundreds of years. However, many of the cloacas are no longer in use and have been abandoned.

**Site map of historic center, documenting cloacas, landmarks, and vulnerable areas

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PROGRAM MAP