Trama Sospesa
Trama Sospesa is one of four installations created as part of the Micro Architecture Festival FE.M, an initiative aimed at enhancing the potential of places through architecture.
Located in the "Campo della Pieve" area of Sant'Angelo in Vado (Urbino, Italy), the ancient Tifernum Mataurense houses the remains of the "Domus del Mito," a Roman house built towards the end of the 1st century, notable for its lavish display of figurative mosaics. This residence is part of a larger archaeological area that has only been partially explored. Here, Trama Sospesa stands as a micro-architecture that aims to reconstruct and evoke the history of the site through the unveiling and reinterpretation of the signs imprinted in the landscape.
Trama Sospesa originates from the intent to create a structure that reconnects to the site's history while prompting reflection on the coverage and enhancement of the archaeological area. The tesserae pattern serves as a modern evocation of ancient mosaic weavings; triangular and square elements are arranged to form a catenary that signals the presence of mosaics from a distance while also protecting, screening, and providing a resting place for visitors. The cover consists of tesserae linked together, creating a true woven fabric. This results in a soft surface, curved by gravity, in a solid yet flexible composition of rope and wood. The aim was to experiment with a different use of materials, celebrating the tolerances of construction through a simple and delicate technique that is strongly artisanal. It is through this "sewn wood" that human sensitivity for an “imperfect” aesthetic emerges, reintroducing tolerance as a fundamental element of creativity, capable of generating surprise and wonder, while simultaneously blending into the natural and historical context surrounding the micro-architecture.
The supporting structure is rigorous and reduced to the bare essentials, even in the load-bearing sections. It defines a modular space where light and shadow interact, creating an almost inverted peristyle where uncovered space becomes covered, and the floor becomes the ceiling. This choice maintains continuity with the landscape and the disappearance of ancient buildings: what was once constructed is now open space.
Thus, an approach to ancient remains is proposed, not only from a conservation perspective but also a perceptive one. Following this principle, the certain, albeit undefined, existence of remaining Roman structures is evoked. The pavilion fits into a maze of "green walls" formed by simply cutting the grass along lines that recall known ancient structures, providing an imaginary version of those still buried.
The abstraction of the wall pattern, achieved through ground drawing, emphasizes and highlights the aesthetic aspect of the collapsed walls, generating unexpected textures in the landscape.
Trama Sospesa is an invitation to assess archaeological remains not only for their undeniable historical value but also for their prominent role as aesthetic entities that contribute to the identity of the territory. Experiencing the history of a place as a shared richness can lead to a narrative that allows for the rediscovery of the weaves of individual significant entities of a place, architecture, or landscape. Thus, the cover aims to tell a story suspended between past, present, and future.
