Francis Peleggi

Thesis in Architectural Design

Design of the Science Museum in Via Guido Reni

Thesis by Francesco Peleggi
Email: francescopeleggi@yahoo.it
Degree Course: Five-year single-cycle degree in EU Architecture
University of Rome “La Sapienza” / Faculty of Architecture “Valle Giulia”
Speaker: Prof. Arch. Rosario Gigli
Academic Year 2014 - 2015

The project for the Science Museum in Via Guido Reni is part of an area of ​​the 2nd municipality of Rome, the Flaminio district near the Olympic Village.
The intervention area, occupied by the area of ​​the former barracks, is central to the trident generated by Viale Pinturicchio, Via Guido Reni and Via Del Vignola and marginally borders on the MAXXI by Zaha Hadid. At the road and urban level, the axis of Via Guido Reni connects the project site, on one side with the Foro Italico complex through the Ponte della Musica, on the other with the auditorium Parco della Musica by Renzo Piano, passing transversally to the road system of Via Flaminia and marginally touching the small complex of the sports hall by Annibale Vitellozzi and Pier Luigi Nervi.
Starting from the general lines, traced by the Capitoline assemblies, for the redevelopment project of the area the surrounding area was analyzed at a typological, road and polarity level, then analyzing in more detail the possible routes of potential visitors to the area.
Having identified the main flows and respecting the general guidelines mentioned above, at the masterplan level the existing barracks were maintained and used for offices, hospitality and commercial purposes, with the completion of an area intended for residences and social housing and the area in direct communication with the MAXXI courtyard being used for the Museum project.
The front of the Museum has been set back from the road profile, providing a permeable green backdrop towards the traffic of via Guido Reni and towards the MAXXI park. The main access square to the complex has therefore been delimited with a fully glazed head volume containing all the museum service areas, subsequently installing a second annular volume on this intended to host the exhibition route.
The articulation of the overall volume has allowed the creation of an internal courtyard within the building and a tripartite division of the accesses on the ground floor, two directly to the main volume via the square and the courtyard and one to the conference room area which thus maintains its total functional autonomy.
The permanent exhibition route develops along a concentric ring path, with successions of full and empty spaces, terraced areas and full-height classrooms in the semicircular area of ​​the building's volume and is divided into 3 levels that make up the complex with the exit positioned on the third level of the head volume.
From the exit of the exhibition route in the head volume on the third floor, visitors can access relaxation areas with multimedia stations located on the terrace projecting from the center of the volume, going down to the second floor there are classrooms for workshops and access to the terrace for events and temporary exhibitions, going down again to the first floor there is finally a wing for temporary exhibitions and a planetarium. The last flight of stairs from said terrace takes visitors to the end of the visit and to the ground floor of the head volume where, in addition to the ticket offices, access to the permanent exhibition and its ground floor wing, there is an audiovisual room, a bar, the bookshop as well as toilets and a large foyer with a relaxation area.
On the upper floors of the aforementioned terraced head volume, mirroring the terraces listed above and corresponding to the area overlooking the main square, on the various floors we have offices, a library and a panoramic restaurant on the third floor.
The structure, by virtue of its spans, heights and projections, features pre-stressed reinforced concrete beams and pillars, a continuous façade along the entire volume, with the exception of the rear elevation which is opaque, covered in stone material installed on a metal substructure, with long ribbon windows.
From a lighting perspective, to control natural lighting, the exhibition area features a structure on uprights and beams, placed in front of the continuous facade, with alternating ribbed and micro-perforated metal slats. This expedient, in addition to creating a material score of the volume, allows for the diffusion of natural light and its effective integration with the artificial lighting of the exhibition.