MAXXI NXT Pavilion
Premio italiano di Architettura 2024 Under 35
Quintessenza is an installation that combines theatrical architecture with the Aristotelian concept of quintessence, according to which a fifth element, ethereal, pure, and incorruptible, constituting the celestial sphere, was added to the traditional four elements.
The installation, conceived as an abstract sculptural volume, is a sequence of vertical screens made of galvanized corrugated sheets that create a scenography, an iridescent lunar device to be explored and discovered. The installation directly relates to the volumes of the MAXXI and the urban axes of the neighborhood. A metal skin forms the perimeter of the pavilion and encloses a protected courtyard. On the outside, the predominant character is the one of theatrical representation. The space is made of pure volumes, with three main vertical screens used as stage devices and projections surfaces. The stage, intended to host the summer events of the MAXXI, is nestled against this backdrop. Two gates, carved into the thickness of the double skin of the enclosure, lead to the internal space. Here a microcosm dedicated to play, relaxation and the senses opens up to the visitor. The reflections of the sheet metal are emphasized by the presence of a water basin with fountains for bathing and playing. The shape of the pavilion itself provides shading, while the canopies of the existing poplars trees frame the internal area. Metal stools allow different configurations of resting and sharing, while the metal surfaces amplify the sounds.
In addition to the lower views of the project, there is also the view from above; from here, the scaffolding structure that supports the facades is revealed and the ephemeral nature of the building is shown. Exterior, interior, and above are therefore manifestations of the same object, vibrant and changeable, abstract and essential, but precisely for this reason, a field of experimentation where play and representation find new possibilities of expression.
