A Scholar's Perch for the Study of the Castel Sant'Angelo
Rome, Italy
Castel Sant’Angelo is a multi-century assemblage retrofitted time and time again by a Catholic papacy which cared little for the original Roman mausoleum, now buried deep within the heart of the structure. A ramp circles the central tower and medieval additions grow out from this axis, introducing jail cells, oil refineries, and atop the mass, papal chambers for refuge in crisis. The papacy disregarded the functions of the original building and introduced disparate programs which divided the monolithic construction into a cacophony of unreadable mazes. The uniqueness of each individual metre leaves the occupant questioning whether or not they have passed between worlds, or simply walls.
To insert a study space for a scholar into this rich, albeit hectic, history of the Castel, the only original shaft of light to emperor Hadrian’s tomb is restored to its original marbled condition. A viewer situated on the exterior of the building may simultaneously observe the forgotten heart of the monstrosity, the marble exterior as it once existed, the layered condition of the exterior wall, and the Vatican in the distance, the institution responsible for the current state of the structure.
A central axis with a hearth at its base, much like the original tower with the tomb below, sees a timber stair expand and contract around it, the aggregation of the same unit becoming floor, ceiling, and stair, providing the necessary space for living, and mirroring the Castel’s interior ramp. Marble slabs unite the various programs between floors and provide spaces for consumption, cleanse, study, and rest. These programs descend from public to private, culminating in the scholar’s arrival at the excavated shaft.
Plans
