A Garden on Via Giulia Reconnecting the City, the Archeology and the Tiber

Περίληψη

The unfinished garden on Via Giulia in Rome, situated between Piazza della Moretta and Lungotevere, presents a unique and significant architectural opportunity. Although the Tiber River is nearby, it remains obscured by Lungotevere, disconnecting it from the urban landscape. Restoring this relationship, which has been severed by embankments built to protect the city from flooding—a danger now heightened by climate change—is both desirable and essential.

Many initiatives have attempted to rejuvenate the riverbank, yet they often fail to establish a true connection with the city above. To create a more meaningful and lasting connection, any development on the riverbank must resonate with the urban context above the embankment, potentially starting within the city itself and descending gradually to the river’s edge. The original design confines the garden within its boundaries, focusing solely on its character as a domestic Roman garden. However, this approach misses the opportunity to restore its relationship with the Tiber. This paper proposes to use the new urban garden on Via Giulia as a starting point for this endeavor. The garden on Via Giulia could embrace a broader vision, aiming to reconnect with the river that has profoundly influenced Rome’s history.