INHABITING THE COLOSSEUM

The veranda is located on the fifth floor of a residential building in Via Capo d’Africa, in the Celio district. Its elevated position, without overhead screening and with an open north-west exposure, leaves the space directly exposed to weather conditions and to the urban landscape, offering an uninterrupted view of the Colosseum.

The existing structure, built in wood with a flat roof, presented structural weaknesses and an unclear relationship between the interior space, the terrace, and the external perimeter band, which was irregularly occupied by planters and climbing plants. This configuration fragmented the space and weakened both visual and functional continuity between inside and outside.

The intervention is based on a measured, non-invasive approach, aimed at consolidating the structure without altering its overall morphology and at redefining the relationship between the inhabited space and the terrace. The system used to stiffen the wooden joists—designed with custom metal elements—becomes an integral part of the architectural language of the veranda.

The replacement of the existing frames with new glazed panels, set on a perimeter wall clad in travertine, reconstructs a continuous threshold between interior and exterior. This low wall defines a functional band that accommodates planters and screening elements, improving wind protection and privacy while preserving an open visual relationship with the surrounding context.

Vegetation is conceived as an active architectural element, capable of shaping space and filtering views. Evergreen Mediterranean species, selected for rooftop exposure, ensure year-round vegetative continuity and effective screening.

The terrace, directly connected to the veranda, is reinterpreted through a reorganisation of the planting layout, freeing a central visual axis oriented towards the Colosseum. This area accommodates a minimalist outdoor kitchen, free of vertical elements, restoring a direct relationship between the lived space and the archaeological landscape.

The project operates through subtraction, restoring order, continuity, and visual centrality, and transforming the veranda and terrace into a single open living system, balanced between architecture, vegetation, and the city.