museums | meier in the context of rome by peter osborne
context branding controversy protection antiquity
beautiful box meier’s ara pacis museum
On October 18, 1997 the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao opened marking the beginning of the global economy’s influence on architecture. This individual building’s influence has been so great it has spawned the term ‘the Bilbao effect’, in reference to the perceived ability of a singular act of architecture to rejuvenate and invigorate a local culture and economy. The Bilbao effect combined with the power of branding in a global marketplace has allowed many star international architects to define and shape their own brand of architecture. Their branded architecture can be sold to cities and corporations alike. In 1998, in the wake of Bilbao, the City of Rome commissioned Richard Meier, without competition, to design the first modern building to be constructed in the historic city centre since the 1930’s: a new home for the Ara Pacis Augustae or Altar of Augustan Peace. The Ara Pacis stands today as one of finest examples of Augustan sculpture in Italy. It was constructed in 13 BC on the northern outskirts of Rome to honour the triumphant return of the Roman Emperor Augustus. It was lost for a time, rediscovered in 1859
only to be moved, in 1938 by Mussolini, close to the Mausoleum of Augustus on the bank of the Tiber River. He commissioned a new neo-classical building, part of his masterplan for the ancient Roman city centre, to enclose and protect this work of art. 1 Meier had to demolish the old neo-classical building to construct his new building around the Ara Pacis which remained undisturbed during construction. The program of the building is simple: a main hall to house the altar, a secondary temporary exhibit space (a Valentino exhibit was on during my visit), a lobby and a gift shop. The Ara Pacis is the only permanent piece of art in the museum. However, controversy plagued Meier throughout the design and construction of the project, and the backlash has become so strong that the current Mayor of Rome has promised to tear down the building. 2 Much of the backlash revolves around Meier’s perceived or real anti-contextual attitude towards the city. Like most Meier buildings the Ara Pacis Museum relies on clean white Euclidian geometries and elegant, naturally lit interiors that are simple and modern.
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