M o d u l a r R i v e r s i d e

Urban Generator for the Tevere River

In collaboration with

James Fleming, B.Arch ‘18

Justin Foo, B.Arch ‘18

Aya Mears, B.Arch ‘18

Developed outside the Janiculum Walls after they were built in 1644, Rome's Porta Portese district was the location of the city's main port until the 19th century. It's location along the Tevere River and across from Testaccio's warehouses made it a district rich in potential throughout history, a potential that is being neglected by its current state. Today this district is merely the site of a seasonal flea market and impromptu repair shops. The Arsenal and city gate are the only vestiges of that bygone era of significance. Meanwhile, the Tevere accumulates litter under the cover of 20 foot tall flood walls. The challenge became developing Via Portense into an urban generator that would revitalize the district and the relationship between the city and the river.

After many group discussions on potential architectural strategies, site specifics, and historical precedents we developed a mutual and comprehensive understanding of the site and the type of urban intervention it required. A modular system of community building that provides for housing, various ancillary programs that encourage communing, and ways to engage the river in productive and playful ways.
Although critique and development of the proposal were done collaboratively, the design process was split between the built from and the landscape intervention. I contributed mostly to the development of the landscape.

Sited in Rome, Italy

Professor Henry Richardson and Davide Marchetti

Cornell University

Spring 2016