Tiber River Museum
Healing the ecology of a historic river
Healing the ecology of a historic river
"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise." -Aldo Leopold
The task of this project was to create a museum dedicated to the history and importance of this island, ecologically and culturally, to the city of Rome. Yet, this project strives to do something more, by going beyond just dusty exhibits, and attempting to restore the entirety of the Tiber River to its former ecologically glory from centuries ago. Originally, the river was the benefactor to various creatures, many of which are endangered today. By expanding the scope to the entire river, a river restoration project can occur, which builds up to the site, the Tiber Island, where a pivotal building can be constructed in dedication to the purifaction and healing of the river’s ecology. This revival of the river will allow for a more seamless interaction between humans and non-humans, and encourage the care-taking and appreciation of ecological systems in an urban context.
Tiber Island, shown above, is the site of our project, existing at a pivotal intersection of culture, history, and ecology. Existing at the heart of the Tiber River, the location of the museum plays a key role in this project. By positioning the museum at the peak of the island, on the left, it is able to take advantage of being the key area that splits the river in two around the island.
The Tiber River was once home to various animals, ranging from now endangered frogs, to fishes and birds.
A sliver of the river (below) is used to show the details of the strategy. Essentially, the river will be divided in two – one side primarily for humans, and the other for non-humans. At key points, there will be bridges for pedestrians to cross over and interact with the ecological habitats, and at each of these bridges, a weir to filter and cleanse the river will be established. The formation of eddies will also help slow down the speed of the river, allowing for habitats to more easily thrive. By creating a continuous bank of ecological interactive habitats, the Tiber River has the potential to be a green vein that courses through Rome, leading to Tiber Island, which can become the new “green lung” of Rome.
A sliver of the river (below) is used to show the details of the strategy. Essentially, the river will be divided in two – one side primarily for humans, and the other for non-humans. At key points, there will be bridges for pedestrians to cross over and interact with the ecological habitats, and at each of these bridges, a weir to filter and cleanse the river will be established. The formation of eddies will also help slow down the speed of the river, allowing for habitats to more easily thrive. By creating a continuous bank of ecological interactive habitats, the Tiber River has the potential to be a green vein that courses through Rome, leading to Tiber Island, which can become the new “green lung” of Rome.
The weirs are simple, fish friendly solutions to the flooding and pollution problems plaguing the Tiber River. Instead of attempting to heal the river all at once in one location, dividing up the work of solving the problem amongst several smaller weirs and bridges creates a way to simplify the problem and solve it with multiple interventions.
Sketches (below) of what the finished river will look like, with pedestrian bridges, habitats, and small pockets of open space for people to inhabit made up of permeable pavers. The water will be slow moving, instead of a rushing tide of water that floods frequently. And there will be fishes, birds, and frogs for people to see.
The building inhabits the southern tip of the island, and takes on the form of a traditional Roman tower, maximizing the surface area exposed to the rain, preferencing form over complexity of spatial functions. As a result, the tower itself becomes a vary simple organizational diagram (left), each floor taking on a single exhibit, with a large atrium cutting through the center of the structure. The form is advantageous for cleansing rain water, utilizing the thickness of the structure as a potential to contain gravity sand filters, catching rain that hits the surface and filtering it through multiple layers of sand to cleanse it, until it becomes potable, drinkable water at the basement. Here, the river health exhibit takes place, allowing people to learn about water cleansing, and to make the connection between how to cleanse water, and actually drinking water that fell from the sky.
The various perspective views showing the project as you approach and then move into the building where it is initially darker and more temple like. Afterwards, you ascend up into the light filled top of the tower, where you can look down the grand atrium. Outside, when you look up you can see the form of the tower against the sky
