An Unusual Museum in Rome - MAXXI

Hello friends. Today I want to talk about my visit to the MAXXI Museum, Italy’s first national contemporary art museum located in the Flaminio district in Rome. I came here to experience this striking structure designed and built by one of our favorite architects, Zaha Hadid. Let me tell you a bit about the museum. First of all, why is it named MAXXI? MAXXI is an acronym for Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo, meaning National Museum of 21st Century Arts. This combination of letters and numbers turned out really well. In the 90s the decision was made to establish the first national contemporary art museum, which would later transform into the museum of the coming century. Zaha Hadid won the competition in 1998 and began the design process. The design was completed in 2003 and then construction started.

The construction process took quite a long time. The building was delivered in 2009 and only opened its doors to the public in 2010. This is Zaha Hadid’s first museum project in Europe. Before this, also by winning the competition in 1998, she had built the museum in Cincinnati. In those times, Hadid had earned the reputation of a paper architect because the number of projects she had brought to life until the end of the 90s was not very high. I think the most famous one was the fire station at the Vitra Campus.

The Flaminio district was chosen for the museum construction. This was a rather gloomy area in need of renewal, where military barracks from the early 20th century were formerly located. It became a very good location for a contemporary art museum. Hadid’s goal was not just to erect a futuristic and parametric new building here, but to integrate it with the surrounding landscape. Therefore part of the old barracks buildings was preserved. Indeed, the new building merges with one of the historical structures, which curently houses a cafe and a bookstore.

When I look at the most prominent part of Hadid’s project, I instantly recognize her early period style. Parametricism, complex geometric forms and above all, exposed concrete. The Italians defined the form of this structure as pasta with a great sense of humor. Indeed those intersecting flowing lines resemble a plate of spaghetti. Metallic columns also support this perception. There is almost no straight wall in the building. Not only in terms of curves, but vertically as well, the walls are generally inclined. The same goes for the floors. Here again, we see Hadid’s early period techniques: Different ramps, complex transitions and slopes. Even though all of these look visually captivating, these sloped walls and floors sometimes drive the curators organizing exhibitions in the museum crazy.

As with all of Hadid’s projects, this project had its own unique challenges. Due to bureaucratic hurdles and funding cuts, construction stopped repeatedly. When the museum opened in 2012, it experienced a severe financial crisis and came to the brink of bankruptcy. However the situation was saved by establishing a private MAXXI foundation. There is almost no Zaha Hadid project that does not require repairs. Here as well, water stains on concrete or leaks in roof skylights can cause problems from time to time. Still, overall, the building is in quite good condition and maintains its captivating atmosphere.

I want to talk about the exhibitions. There are three important ongoing exhibitions at the museum that should not be missed. The first focuses on the development of Italian architecture from the post-war period to the present day. We can see works by classic mid-20th-century masters such as Franco Albini, Carlo Scarpa, Aldo Rossi and Gae Aulenti. At the entrance modern masters like Massimiliano Fuksas, Renzo Piano and Stefano Boeri welcome you.

The second is a comprehensive exhibition dedicated to ironic art titled Tragicomedy. It features works by world-renowned names such as Maurizio Cattelan. There are thoughtprovoking pieces that make you laugh at our own plight.

The third is the exhibition dedicated to the 70th birthday of illustrator Andrea Pazienza. This one is the most successful in terms of spatial arrangement because the curator had to work with these sloped and curved spaces and achieved this through a great use of color. This exhibition is located on the top floor, in that flamboyant tower section that draws attention with its mirrored glass when viewed from below the building.

I hope you enjoyed my brief tour of this extraordinary work by Zaha Hadid. See you on the next trip.