Breach

Landscape
Rome

After Italy declared itself a nation in 1861, large embankment walls were built on the Tiber River to protect Rome from seasonal flooding. This public park breaches those walls, to reconnect the city with its river. The terrain spills out over the water like a crumbling jetty. Submersible platforms are stacked along the waterfront in the shape of a hillside theater, and performances take place on the central platform. Three existing structures provide access to new below-grade academic spaces, which pivot in multiple directions for river views.