Exhibition: A collective reflection upon the Eternal City

Rome is an off-centre metropolis, out of an orthodox perception of time, where every single past becomes present in a continuous state of monumental contemporariness.

Continuity and crisis share the same space: ancient brick walls are flanked by the anonymous 'palazzine' complex of the latest years and among these the everyday madness of the city: ceaseless traffic, tourists blinded by the scorching sun, the pink roman dust settling on monuments. And again: traditions, languages, researches, cultures and avant-gardes, compose a living postcard with an inimitable capacity for self-renewal.

Is there a language to rebuild? A tradition to rethread? In an age of multiplication of images and sources of inspiration, is there something still to explore in the Roman landscape? Are the postcards from Rome still able to produce emotion, to inspire a future action? Through the work of several young practices, When in Rome expores this possibility: an architecture born from a deep reflection on tradition which is still able to produce something new. An architecture that counteracts this “loss of identity” by showing a profound interest in architectural theory and research coming from a generation of architects born in the ‘80s: a counter-trend that tries to recover a debate lost years ago and obstructed by a cumbersome star system.

Their theoretical, critical and historical approach attempts to rediscover a thoughtful dimension behind the architectural subject.