New headquarters of the Roma Tre Rectorate (photo 2025)

Project by MCA, Mario Cucinella Architects - Rome (2021)

La new headquarters of the Rectorate of Roma Tre It is located in Via Ostiense, between the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls , Pyramid of CestiusThe intervention, designed by Mario Cucinella Architects, is part of the consolidation process of the widespread university hub developed by the university in the south-west area of the capital.
The complex houses management functions, offices and spaces intended for the university's institutional activities.

The new headquarters of the Roma Tre Rectorate designed by Mario Cucinella Architects

The project is part of an urban context characterized by progressive transformations, linked to the redevelopment of abandoned industrial areas. The Rector's Office defines a new academic hub within the Ostiense neighborhood, already home to other Roma Tre campuses and educational facilities.

History and development of the project

The project for the new rector's office is part of the broader development of the university's urban campus, initiated in previous years through the recovery and redevelopment of industrial buildings and abandoned areas.

Comparison between satellite photos of the urban area of the rectorate taken in 2015 (left) and 2025 (right); move the vertical bar to gradually switch from one to the other

The project's implementation responds to the need to concentrate the university's main institutional activities in a single building and fosters greater openness to the surrounding urban space. The development process has been integrated with the infrastructural transformations of the Ostiense neighborhood, consolidating the university's role as a central player in the area's regeneration.

Architectural features and relationship with the context

We wanted the university to be projected towards the city, not a closed place but a clear representation of continuity and openness towards the outside.

Mario Cucinella – Architect and founder of MCA

The most recognizable element of the new headquarters of the Roma Tre Rectorate are the three elliptical towers that emerge from a large covered square open to the city. The shapes deliberately recall the great gasometer of Ostiense, a historical presence that characterizes the industrial landscape of the neighborhood.

The complex is divided into distinct volumes that connect with the public space through plazas and pedestrian walkways. The overall layout defines a system of connections between the interior and exterior, with passageways and rest areas that facilitate accessibility.

The project by Mario Cucinella's studio interprets the relationship with the context through a composition that dialogues with the pre-existing structures of the Ostiense neighborhood.
The presence of converted industrial buildings and urban infrastructures contributes to defining a heterogeneous landscape.
The new complex fits into this context as an element of mediation between public and university functions.

The system of open spaces and the relationship with urban circulation strengthen the role of Roma Tre University as an institutional hub and connection point between the campus and the city.

Environmental choices also influenced the shape of the building. The towers have an elliptical plan oriented towards limit direct radiation on the east and west elevations, reducing glare and overheating in summer. Overhanging terraces, deciduous trees, and gardens distributed at different levels contribute to improving the microclimate and comfort of both interior and exterior spaces. Offices are arranged along the perimeter to promote natural lighting and ventilation.

Summary of the work

Work name:	New Rectorate Headquarters of Roma Tre University
Year of creation:	2021
Designer:	MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects
Location:	Ostiense District, Rome

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Photographs taken in May 2025

See also the gallery with the photos taken in May 2022