In early 2010, Ma Yansong and his team at Beijing-based MAD won a competition for the reconstruction of the 71 Via Boncompagni apartment block in the historic center of Rome. After four years of design development and hearings, the building's renovation plan was recently approved by the government and is now moving into the next phase of implementation. This will be MAD's first project to be constructed in Europe.

The original building was a multi-story office building constructed in the 1970s with an inner courtyard, along with a small early 20th-century church preserved at the corner of the block. The main challenge of the competition was how to handle this modernist building, which was incongruent with its surrounding environment, and redesign it into a high-end residential complex.

Unlike classical architecture, modernist buildings typically use beams, columns, and slabs as their structural systems, with facades serving primarily as carriers of expression and style. MAD believes that rather than demolishing and rebuilding the existing structure, it is possible to open up the facade, retain the structural framework, and insert new living units. This approach allows for the transformation of the building's function while preserving the original structure. The "gaps" between the new functional units and the existing framework create numerous balconies and gardens. The building is opened up, the facade disappears, and the boundary between the building and the street becomes blurred.

By clearing the original structure, the building is restored to a "bookshelf" structural system. The 145 varied residential units, ranging from one-bedroom apartments to duplexes, are carefully inserted into the eight-story concrete "bookshelf" framework, complemented by prefabricated metal and glass facades. The curved floor-to-ceiling glass walls meander along the edges of each floor, while the gaps between the structure become gardens and terraces. This design allows the interior to receive more natural views and light, creating a harmonious blend of architecture and nature.

The facade facing the internal courtyard is made of semi-transparent metal cladding, allowing people to gaze through the misty surface into the inner garden. The original modernist garden has been transformed into an abstract landscape, with a large pool accompanied by tree shadows, reflecting the changing sky. The pool covers the entrance to the underground parking garage while allowing light to pass through the water's surface, illuminating the underground space.

In a city like Rome, which resembles an open-air museum, much of contemporary life is concealed beneath classical exteriors. Classical streets are composed of facades in classical styles; however, a "opened" building brings vitality and the true essence of urban life back to this traditional neighborhood.

71 Via Boncompagni
Rome, Italy
2010 - 2017

Type: Residential
Status: Detailed design in progress
Site Area: 6,268 m²
Building Area: Approx. 20,000 m²
Building Height: 28.5 m

Lead Architects: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano
Project Manager: Andrea D'Antrassi
Design Team: Zhao Wei, Achille Tortini, Gustavo van Staveren, Giannantonio Bongiorno, Jei Kim, Elin Thorisdottir

Project Coordination: Ing. Sergio Schisani
Urban Planning: Studio Busnengo
Executing Firm: I.SI. Engineer
Construction Engineering: Tecnic Consulting Engineer S.P.A.