2. Garden of Sacredness: A Complex of Chapels
-
Grids as a Framework for Sacred Urban Renewal
- Le Corbusier
"Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light."
This project transforms the historic Villa Aldobrandini in Rome into a "garden of chapels," blending sacred spaces with nature and history. Inspired by the act of reading architectural facades as grids and translating them into volumetric forms, the design weaves together the site's rooftop garden with the rhythms of surrounding building facades. These intersecting grids generate 16 chapels, each with a rooftop garden connected by bridges, forming a continuous green loop—a harmonious dialogue between the sacred and the natural.
By grounding the design in Rome's architectural heritage and urban fabric, this project demonstrates how historical analysis and reinterpretation can serve as tools for city renovation. The blurred boundaries of the chapels—open, semi-enclosed, and fully enclosed—create a layered experience of public and private spaces. This approach not only preserves but revitalizes the site, offering a model for reimagining abandoned structures as vibrant, multifunctional spaces that honor their past while serving the needs of contemporary cities.