Forum / AIA Jeffrey T. Darbee Classicism and Conservation: The American Institute of Architects A Celebration of Roman Committee on Historic Resources Architecture

Rome has inspired the world’s archi- sites of preservation and archaeologi- tecture for more than two millennia, cal significance, and took up three but not just in building designs. The questions: What role does classicism city’s most important lesson is that have in an age of cutting-edge design? today’s Rome is a living, working city, How do we express our own time in a by no means frozen in time. It has historic environment without diluting reached a balance between past and the significance and integrity of that present where new and old live com- environment? Can architecture con- fortably side by side. Though Ameri- tinue to evolve—borrowing from the can cities might measure their age in past as it has done over thousands centuries rather than millennia, we of years—or must it continuously can apply Rome’s lesson at home and revolt and re-invent itself, as it often seek that same balance. does today?

Rome’s strongest characteristic is the The first session explored the rele- layering of time and the persistence vance of the classical tradition at a of the past in urban patterns and the time in which avant-garde design footprints, fabric and form of build- seeks a break with tradition and archi- ings new and old. It is a vast tecture must respond to demands of palimpsest, readable by anyone willing communication, transportation and to observe how it has been built, liter- sustainability that never influenced ally and figuratively, on the fragments, classical design. ideas and impressions of the past, yet it functions as a livable and vibrant world capital.

The AIA Historic Resources Com- The most powerful lingering image of Rome is of mittee visit to Rome last spring the layering of time and history so evident everywhere offered lectures, seminars and visits to in the city. Photos courtesy Jeffrey T. Darbee

These forum pages are produced under an agreement between Places/Design History Foundation and the American Institute of Architects. This article reports on the AIA Committee on Design’s visit to Rome, April 21-26, 2001. The conference chair was Carol Rusche Bentel, AIA, and last year’s committee chair was Wendy Evans Joseph, AIA.

For information about AIA membership and upcom- ing programs, call 800-242-3837 or visit www.e-architect.com/pia/cod.

Places 14.3 77 tria, which meant not simply a visual symmetry, but a balance of interre- lated parts. Westfall described classi- cism as striking this balance, a state of dynamic tension leading to an archi- tectural equilibrium and the classical city as an organic entity composed of interdependent parts.

Returning to the first question—what role does Classicism have in an age of cutting-edge design—it is clear that learning the lessons of classicism is essential if we are to have architecture and cities that have delight as well as firmness and commodity. Classicism is more a philosophy than a set of formal visual properties; one does not have to design Roman temples in order to practice its principles. To have real value for our cities, contem- porary design must help us to build on what has come before, enable us to respect the physical context within which new buildings are placed, and contribute only our best work to a During the Rome conference, Historic Resources Bill Westfall, chairman of the School continuing evolution of that context. Committee members were invited to participate in of Architecture at the University of a sketch competition in the Imperial Fora along with Notre Dame, defined classicism as This is where historic preservation is the Committee on Design. “the best dynamic balance between an essential component of modern the changing and the enduring.” He city-building. Preservation’s focus has In 1932 a new road, the Via dell' Impero (Via dei Fori invoked Vitruvius’s “Trilogy of Well moved far beyond an initial concern Imperiali), was constructed to connect Piazza Venezia Building,” which held that buildings for individual landmarks to a broad to the Colosseum. This thoroughfare crossed over the must possess firmness, commodity concern for quality of life, sustainable Imperial Fora and its removal is part of discussions and delight. Of these, the first two urban development and a sensitive today in order to reconnect the monuments of the were straightforward: A building must blend of old and new as our cities Fora to surrounding artifacts and to the urban fabric. be built of sound, appropriate materi- grow and change. Preservation and als and must accommodate the contemporary architectural practice Participants were charged with the creation of a new planned use. can and do work well together. entry and interpretive boundaries for the archaeologi- Preservationists embrace change cal zone of the Imperial Fora. The competition The question of delight, however, when it results in real improvement of sketches were displayed at the American Academy in moved the topic of discussion from the built environment and does not Rome and were judged by noted Italian architects mere construction into the realm of result in the loss of high-quality older Roberto Einaudi and Laura Thermes. architecture. Vitruvius defined delight structures for low-quality replace- as “reciprocity between context and ments. Rome proved an ideal labora- building” and in this phrase evoked tory for exploration of these issues. the essence of classicism: all things are part of an interrelated whole and good The project at the Ara Pacis, for James W. Rhodes, FAIA (Historic Resources architecture must connect past and example, is currently the subject of Committee) present. Vitruvius called this symme- much debate, involving both preserva-

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sary, for example, to correct structural deficiencies, accommodate modern programmatic needs or add needed new square footage. Sometimes it is required to correct physical damage and inappropriate work left over from past restorations. Such work must at the same time seek maximum preser- vation of significant historic fabric and compatibility with the design con- text that fabric has already established, he said.

Agreeing with Einaudi, Bardeschi tion of classical remains and contem- Richard Meier’s design for a replace- expressed concern over well-meaning porary urban design issues. The Ara ment building is the source of the restorations that sacrifice the layers of Pacis (“Altar of Peace”) was erected in controversy. It is clearly contempo- history that historic buildings acquire. Augustan times at an entrance to rary but also hearkens back to its 1938 He defined conservation of a structure Rome and all arriving travelers had to predecessor. Even as its construction or a building element as fixing it in leave their weapons there. By the proceeds, however, supporters and time, to “keep the historic document 1930s the surrounding area had opponents of the project, both among as it is.” He recognized that budget, declined and, under Mussolini, what the public and within the Italian gov- programmatic and other considera- was left of the original altar was ernment, are at loggerheads. Some tions must be balanced against this moved to its current site, just west of appear to bemoan the loss of a struc- aspect of preservation—sometimes the Mausoleum of Augustus along the ture that served as a document of its requiring acts of intervention—but he east bank of the Tiber, and enclosed time; others object to the creation of a still urged great care and sensitivity in a masonry, glass and metal building new building that draws little from the toward historic fabric. Bardeschi in a Socialist Deco design typical of classical landmarks of the surrounding counseled architects to avoid destruc- the period. That building had, in turn, urban fabric. tive restoration work that uses false or deteriorated (conferees saw its ill-documented assumptions and demolition in progress), the Ara Pacis Other lectures on preservation issues results in a dishonest end product. within having been carefully wrapped were given by Roberto Einaudi, prin- in protective coverings and sur- cipal of Studio Einaudi in Rome, and In answering the second question— rounded by layers of scaffolding. Marco Dezzi Bardeschi, of the how do we express our own time in a Politecnico di Milano. They dealt historic environment without diluting with current preservation philosophy the significance and integrity of that and how to achieve the appropriate environment—Einaudi firmly balance between intervention and expressed both speakers’ philosophies: conservation when dealing with his- “Time has to be in some way recog- Left: Conferees stood down at original street level toric structures. nized.” Both made it clear that inter- from Classical times as they visited the Mausoleum of vention into older buildings and Augustus. This site was close to a river landing where Using preservation of the Villa Aure- creation of new ones can complement stone for the Pantheon was unloaded from boats. lia as an example, Einaudi discussed and enhance conservation efforts but Incised into the stone paving here was a building pedi- the issues of appropriate restoration will be successful only if we keep ment design described as the "working drawings for period and the fate of alterations and intact the story of time’s passage the Pantheon." accretions that occurred after original embedded in the historic fabric. construction. The act of interven- Right: The ruins of Hadrian's Villa have been recon- tion—whether restoring historic In one of the last conference sessions, structed and stabilized in a condition that communi- fabric, removing accretions or build- Jukka Jokilehto, President of the cates the scale and grandeur of the place. ing new buildings—might be neces- International Committee on Training

Places 14.3 79 of ICOMOS (the International Com- decide what’s important to keep.” He change as its cultural and social con- mittee on Monuments and Sites), argued that most architects are trained texts change. This process is both noted that the idea of heritage, which to believe that it is their right to make destructive and creative, as new forms has an intangible, spiritual compo- such decisions; on the contrary, Stovel grow from old. We can see this in nent, has become an integral part of said, it is the culture’s right to do this towns across our country, where styles decision-making in both historic and it is the architect’s job to learn the succeeded one another all through the preservation projects and in new pertinent values before starting work. nineteenth and twentieth centuries. architecture in historic settings. Her- As they did so, however, they drew itage has become one of several com- In response to the third question— forms and elements from earlier styles ponents—the others being the built, can architecture continue to evolve and they kept one foot firmly planted the natural and the cultural environ- or must it continuously revolt and re- in the past even as they moved for- ments—that must work together in invent itself—both speakers made it ward. Today our most livable cities any site or setting. This incorporates clear that they think architecture must remember this as they grow, establish- the idea of building on what has come continue to evolve as it always has, by ing a lively balance between new and before that was such a strong theme learning and borrowing from the past. old much as Rome has done. This is throughout the conference. There is room, at the same time, for how great cities have always grown revolution and re-invention, a testing and it is how we will create them in Herb Stovel, director of the icomos of limits and assumptions, but ulti- the future. Heritage Settlements Programme, mately this work is successful only if it stated that “our job (as architects) is does not abandon its roots in the past. Jeffrey L. Darbee is a historic preserva- not to define cultural values within tion consultant with Benjamin D. Rickey which we work. We don’t get to What did the conference give us to & Co. in Columbus, Ohio. apply in American cities and towns?

By its nature, architecture is com- Site visits included current archaeological digs in the pelled to evolve continuously, because Forum, where contemporary techniques take care to it is rooted in the technology, tastes, preserve Renaissance and medieval remains as well as economics and arts of its period. As those from the Classical period. time goes on, architecture must

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