Visiting Rome for the second time only served to show me exactly how little of the city I have actually seen. Yes, I’ve visited most of the main attractions, but there are always more places to explore. I could probably live in the city for a year and still not see all of it.
As it happens, this trip was all about seeing the modern side of Rome. Being the eternal city, it makes sense that there would be a few architects fighting to design buildings here. Among these buildings are the Church of the Jubilee by Richard Meier (left), the National Museum of the XXI Century Arts (A.K.A. the MAXXI) by Zaha Hadid (right), and the Parco della Musica by Renzo Piano (bottom).
The Problem with Starchitects
Now, considering that most of you are not architects, those names probably mean nothing to you. But, to those versed in the world of design, they’re a big deal. They are what we like to call “Starchitects.” They’re the celebrities of the design world. The Pritzker Prize winners.
Prtizkers are our Emmys. Our Pulitzers. The architects who win them are literally defining our era. Their buildings are the ones that will be preserved for centuries and displayed as museums later. So naturally, we have a love-hate relationship with the work.
Now obviously this doesn’t apply to every single one, but most starchitects are “stars” for a reason. They have filled every architectural stereotype perfectly by becoming unflinchingly egotistical megalomaniacs. They design structures that are bold and innovative, but often at the price of fitting into the surrounding context or actually functioning correctly. Many of their structures are simply created for the shock and awe factor, which contradicts much of what we’ve learned in school.
In school, we learn to create buildings that respect context, emphasize the public arena, and run efficiently and effectively. Yet, in an effort to be unique and individual, many buildings by starchitects do none of these things. The structures may ignore surrounding context all together, as exemplified through this church by Richard Meier: walls snub the neighboring structures and a large fence wraps around the complex to separate it. Yes, there may be symbolic and purposeful reasons for it, but it still doesn't change the fact that the church makes no effort to reference its surroundings.
Or the surrounding area may simply be seen as a background to the buildings. Increasingly fantastical structures overpower the spaces around them as if to say, “Don’t look at them, look at me! Look how cool I am!” Yet to be cool, a building has to be new and unique and shiny. Often, this means that not all the little kinks have been figured out. Zaha Hadid Architects produces complex, organic forms that constantly push the limits of what we imagine architecture being able to do. They’re also notorious for creating buildings that require constant maintenance and have been known to have major mishaps, like windows falling from the ceiling.
Yet even though these buildings break a lot of rules, they still keep winning all the awards. If there is one thing I have learned from my time at K-State, it is this. Sensible and realistic doesn’t win architectural competitions. Flashy and unique wins architectural competitions. On the other hand, their buildings truly do inspire innovation and creativity. And sometimes to move forward, you have to make mistakes and you have to follow your own instincts and believe you’re the best. So who am I to judge?
Surprisingly, I believe this has still taught me the right lessons. By seeing these buildings in real life and observing the flaws behind the pretty facades, it has only cemented my desire to be a good architect, even if that means I will never become a great architect. No, my structures may not be the most progressive or daring, but they work correctly, they’re comfortable, and they put the client first. That’s all I want.
Luckily, we’re in Italy. So weaknesses we find in modern architecture, are compensated by historical architecture. Obviously, each age had its downfalls, but put together, we can assemble an overall picture of what good architecture can and should be.
Back to the Past
Consider the Colosseum. The structure is undeniably prominent and monumental, yet it also fits purposefully and legibly into the culture and area around it. It was not unprecedented or foreign, as amphitheaters such as this existed all over the Roman Empire. And it is placed logically next to the Roman Forum and Capitoline Hill. Thus, it took an area of symbolic, social, and political prominence and balanced it with entertainment.
Yet it wasn’t just built to make a statement. It was built to host people and public events. And it was built intelligently. The fact that it still stands today, speaks to the craft and mastery put into its construction. The care put into its engineering is legendary. Besides this, it was centuries ahead of its time in managing the flow of people. Between handling the spectators or handling the animals and gladiators, the building’s purpose was essentially directing people. And the Romans created such an efficient system for this that we still use it today. Consider any sports stadium you have ever been in. It’s just a modern Colosseum.
The Romans knew anything and everything about the structures they were building and as such, they designed them to within an inch of perfection. Obviously, we can’t do this in today’s society. It would be too expensive, too time consuming. And I believe this is the tragedy of our age. Society today, with infinitely more tools and knowledge at our finger tips, may never equal the authenticity and care of our ancestors 2,000 years ago.
History Lessons
So, while the architect in me marveled at the Colosseum, the history nerd and tourist in me marveled at the forum. This is simply one of those things you have to go into. First trip to Rome, we walked by it and I was wholly unimpressed. From the street, it’s a field with half preserved columns in it. But from inside, it was a treasure trove of history in front of you. It was almost as impactful as Pompeii.
There was so much to see here, from the Capitoline hill to the forum itself. You witnessed how much culture, power, economy, and community was fostered here and you began to understand how this once stood at the center of one of the greatest empires in history.
More than a Symbol
Being able to actually enter the Colosseum and the roman forum this trip brought an entirely new perspective to the city. Yes, the roman forum was amazing in its own right, but I believe the Colosseum is one of the most important things to see here. At least for Christians. Yes, it is a very important architectural and cultural icon. But more importantly, it is a reminder of the great blessing we possess to practice our faith freely.
Sometimes it’s easy to hear about the sacrifices of others and dissociate yourself from their stories. It’s so easy to take everything you have for granted. But that can only get you so far. It’s important to understand your past in order to appreciate your future. Some people can simply hear about it and empathize. Some people have to go to the front lines themselves.
For me, all it finally clicked when I saw that cross. When I see it as a symbol on churches or hillsides, it’s a beacon of hope. A reminder that Jesus died so I could live. But here it wasn’t a symbol. Here it was a cross. A reminder that that Jesus died so I could live.
Nothing is more humbling than to remember that countless numbers gave their lives to uphold this faith. That countless others are still giving their lives. It’s something I don’t believe I would have ever been able to fully understand back in America.
The visit to the catacombs the next day served to drive the point home. It was in a stadium full of life, that some of the earliest Christians met their ends. And it was here, in tunnels of the dead, that some of the earliest Christians began their new lives.
Now, either through divine providence or sheer dumb luck, I traveled to the catacombs of Rome on the single best day of the year to visit. On that day, the city of Rome was throwing a festival called the “Giornata delle Catacombe” (Day of the Catacombs). That meant that every site was free to visit and all sites were open. In the southern part of Rome there are five different catacombs. Two are open regularly, but the other three are smaller and usually available only to archaeologists.
The picture above, shows one of the catacombs open regularly to tourists. It is the largest of the catacombs in Rome, and displays the tunnels of common people. Additionally, four or five of the first popes of Christianity used to lay here. The picture below shows a catacomb that hadn’t been open to the public for the past three years, and even though it was smaller, it was equally beautiful. Here, the upper classes were buried and we were able to see more lavish and better preserved tunnels.
This allowed me to get a better understanding of the catacombs and to realize that they hold so much more symbolism than I originally realized. Early Christians were able to meet and worship here, because it was tradition to pay respects to your ancestors on Sundays in that era. Many people didn’t uphold the tradition, but new Christians were able to use that as an excuse for descending into the caves every week. This is one reason why Christians meet on Sundays, even though Saturday is historically the Sabbath day.
More importantly, it was because of the dead, that early believes were able to find new life. Sound familiar?
Even the literal symbols they used, held multiple meanings. The fish was commonly used to symbolize Jesus as a fisher of men, but also had a literal meaning. The fish in Greek was called ΙΧΘΥΣ (ichthys) and was used as an acronym or acrostic for "Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ" (Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr), which translates into English as 'Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour'.
Seeing these original carvings rounded out the truly impactful day. I honestly wasn’t expecting it, and I think that was the best thing that could have happened to me. When I think of the bible and the beginning of Christianity, I think of Israel and forget how rapidly it spread. But coming to Rome and seeing all of this when I wasn’t prepared, made it all the more impactful.
This trip brought many revelations that reminded me of the power and hope that lies in my faith. It reminded me that there is just as much good in people as there is evil and weakness. But I also realize that it wasn’t symbols that brought me closer to my Lord. I grow closer to him every day. Because his glory is all around me. And it is something I am indescribably thankful for.
I am not saying this in an effort to push my belief or convert anyone. I am simply saying that I have found peace, comfort, and contentment in my faith. Most importantly, I have found happiness. And in the end, I want nothing more than to spread that happiness to others. If it’s through my faith that’s wonderful. But even if it’s not, and I can only make someone smile through the buildings I design or the things I write, then at least I have helped to make the world one smile brighter. And in my opinion, that’s one smile better.
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