Maxxi – Pushing Contemporary Design in Rome In to the 21st century

The city of Rome is not the ancient, cultural hub of the Roman Empire it once was. Well, this would be the case, were its main appeal not still its remnants of the ancient, cultural legacy of the Roman Empire. But alongside the 2,000 years of vibrant history, The Colosseum, the Sistine chapel, the Pantheon, and the Vatican, now stands a building boldly attempting to rejuvenate and modernise the Italian capital by introducing contemporary design in Rome. This is no mean feat in a city already crammed with Renaissance art and happy to continue to look to the past rather than the future.

Into the Future

MAXXI (short for Museum of Art for the 21st century) has had a tough start to life since its grand opening in 2010, which was met with a smattering of jubilation in the art world but largely indifference from the people of city and the many hundreds of thousands of tourists who pour onto the cobbled streets each year. Beautifully curving, intersecting tubes comprise the museum, which was built as the first in the country dedicated to modern art, taking 10 years to complete from its conception in 1998.

Designed by British architect Zaha Hadid (who won an International design award for his efforts), Maxxi has had to live predominantly in the shadows of more staple Roman tourist attractions and those who may look down on this intrusion of modern art as a meddling infant, while also struggling to cope with ever shrinking budgets in a world where art-funding is almost non-existent. But this hasn’t deterred the museum from displaying the best contemporary design in Rome, with the curators’ positive attitudes and determination to exhibit the finest Italian artists being just one reason to visit.

From your accommodation in the delightful Trastevere district, you can follow the snaking stretch of Fiume Tevere at your leisure all the way to the museum’s location, a former barracks near Via Flaminia. From the outside you’ll notice how self-consciously low the building is, so as not to “spoil” the view of the glorious ancient skyline from the Janiculum. This way the traditional and contemporary design in Rome can, in theory, live contentedly side-by-side.

Inside the Maxxi, you’ll find a winding road of modern art in bright and spacious environs. There is a variety of thought-provoking, obscure and colourful installations, both permanent fixtures and temporary exhibits. Recently, Maxxi held a competition for emerging architects of contemporary design in Rome to attract many more visitors to the open space used for summer events. Upcoming events include an exhibition opening mid-October by Daniele Puppi, called Happy Moms, and an experimental delve into sound and video using regressive, minimalist techniques, as part of Digital Life, an annual event now in its 3rd year.

Looking for a great hotel in Rome? Roberta Stuart is the Travel Manager for Worldhotels, a company offering top class accommodation in the Worldhotel Ripa Roma, a classic example of contemporary design in Rome. Worldhotels also offers a selection of unique four and five star hotels around the world.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.