National Centre of Contemporary Arts Rome, Italy

MAXXI Roma, Italia 2007-09 Zaha Hadid Architects MAXXI Rome Sees the Light MAXXI - National Museum of the XXI Century Arts - via Guido Reni 4a, Rome THE MINISTER FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE SANDRO BONDI THE MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE ALTERO MATTEOLI THE ARCHITECT ZAHA HADID PRESENT THE MAXXI PREVIEW TODAY 18 Nov 2009 MAXXI Photography by Roland Halbe EXTRAORDINARY OPENING OF THE NEW MUSEUM WITH A CHOREOGRAPHIC INSTALLATION BY SASHA WALTZ Rome, November 12, 2009 - MAXXI, the National Museum of the XXI Century Arts - designed by Zaha Hadid Architects - sees the light. In fact, today, Thursday, 12 November, on the occasion of the completion of the building, the presentation to the Italian and international press and the architectural preview of the new museum took place. The following personalities participated: the Minister for Cultural Heritage and Activities, Sandro Bondi, the Minister for Infrastructure, Altero Matteoli, the President of the MAXXI Foundation, Pio Baldi and the architect Zaha Hadid - the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Prize in 2004 and, few days ago, the Praemium Imperiale Prize of the Japan Art Association - who illustrated "her" revolutionary and futuristic museum. The Councillor for culture and communication policies of the Municipality of Rome Umberto Croppi, the Directors of MAXXI Arts and MAXXI Architecture, Anna Mattirolo and Margherita Guccione, were also present, as well as technicians, designers and the companies Italiana Costruzioni SpA and SAC SpA, which completed the works in the high-tech building yard. The Minister for Cultural Heritage and Activities, Sandro Bondi, stated: "Today MAXXI has reached its completion. In few months' time these extraordinary architectural premises will host a permanent collection of visual arts, exhibitions and events, which will turn this first national museum devoted to contemporary arts into a cultural centre of excellence, entrusted to a Foundation to which the best energies of the country will certainly take part and provide their contribution". Pio Baldi stated: "MAXXI will not be a museum as the others. It will not only be a place where to exhibit works of art. MAXXI will be a research workshop for comparing different contemporary languages: design, fashion, cinema and advertising will establish a dialogue with art and architecture. The museum will be a real factory of creativity. Its cultural mission will be inspired by three key words: innovation, multiculturalism and interdisciplinarity". Zaha Hadid stated: "I see the MAXXI as an immersive urban environment for the exchange of ideas, feeding the cultural vitality of the city. It's no longer just a museum, but an urban cultural centre where a dense texture of interior and exterior spaces have been intertwined and superimposed over one another. It's an intriguing mixture of galleries, irrigating a large urban field with linear display surfaces". MAXXI Photography by Roland Halbe SASHA WALTZ / DIALOGE 09 - MAXXI On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 - in line with the interdisciplinary approach and confluence of languages inherent in its DNA - the MAXXI will host a choreographic installation specifically created by Sasha Waltz. It is a tribute to Zaha Hadid's fluid and dynamic lines and forms, which will come to life in the bodies and movements of a group of dancers and musicians (co-production by the MAXXI Foundation and Sasha Waltz & Guest; project and organization by the Romaeuropa Foundation). MAXXI TOWARDS THE INAUGURATION OF 2010 Since last July MAXXI has been definitively established as a Foundation, so far fully owned by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities, but open to cooperation and integration with other public and private entities. The definitive opening of the museum is envisaged in spring 2010 and is strongly supported by Minister Sandro Bondi, as the crowning achievement of a multiannual commitment by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities. MAXXI - a campus for culture The MAXXI_Museum is the first national museum dedicated to contemporary creativity, designed as a multidisciplinary space for experimentation and innovation in arts and architecture. Designed by architect Zaha Hadid (winner of the international competition in 1999), the MAXXI is located in the Flaminio quarter of Rome, in the area of the former Montello military barracks. The complex houses two institutions: MAXXI Arte (Director Anna Mattirolo) and MAXXI Architecture (Director Margherita Guccione), aiming to promote art and architecture through collection, conservation, study and exhibition of contemporary works. As of today, over 300 works are part of the MAXXI Art collection, including those of Boetti, Clemente, Kapoor, Kentridge, Merz, Penone, Pintaldi, Richter, Warhol and many others. MAXXI Architecture includes the files of the designs of Carlo Scarpa, Aldo Rossi, Pierluigi Nervi and others, as well as the projects of contemporary authors such as Toyo Ito, Italo Rota and Giancarlo De Carlo, and photography collections of the projects Italian Atlas and Author's Site. Designed as a true multi-disciplinary and multi-purpose campus of the arts and culture, the MAXXI creates an urban complex for the city that can be enjoyed by all. The MAXXI includes - in addition to the two museums - an auditorium, library and media library, bookshop and cafeteria, spaces for temporary exhibitions, outdoor spaces, live events and commercial activities, laboratories, and places for study and leisure. The architecture of MAXXI The design by Zaha Hadid is woven into the city's fabric with an architectural arrangement based on the idea of an urban campus. In the MAXXI, the idea of a "closed" building gives way to a broader dimension, creating both indoor and outdoor spaces that become part of the surrounding city. The two museums - MAXXI Art and MAXXI Architecture - are located around a large full height space which gives access to the galleries dedicated to permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, the auditorium, reception services, cafeteria and bookshop. Outside, a pedestrian walkway follows the outline of the building, restoring an urban link that has been blocked for almost a century by the former military barracks. Materials such as glass (roof), steel (stairs) and cement (walls) give the exhibition spaces a neutral appearance, whilst mobile panels enable curatorial flexibility and variety. The fluid and sinuous shapes, the variety and interweaving of spaces and the modulated use of natural light lead to a spatial and functional framework of great complexity, offering constantly changing and unexpected views from within the building and outdoor spaces. Two principle architectural elements characterize the project: the concrete walls that define the exhibition galleries and determine the interweaving of volumes; and the transparent roof that modulates natural light. The roofing system complies with the highest standards required for museums and is composed of integrated frames and louvers with devices for filtering sunlight, artificial light and environmental control. MAXXI numbers Total site area: 29,000 m2 / Exterior spaces: 19,640 m2 / Interior spaces: 21,200 m2 / Display space: 10.000 m2 / Services (auditorium, library-video library, cafeteria, restaurant, etc.): 6,000 m2 / MAXXI Arts: 4.077 m2 / MAXXI Architecture: 1,935 m2 / Total volume: 113,000 m3 / Maximum height: 22.90 m / Demolitions of existing structures: 100,000 m3 / Structural steel: 6,000,000 kg / Steel roof trusses: 700,000 kg / Site poured structural concrete: 50,000 m3 / Formwork area: 40,000 m2 of which 20,000 m2 exposed / Area of glass skylights: 2,600 m2 / Number of people employed by the MAXXI: an average of 100 people per day (technicians and labourers) for 1,500 days / Hours of construction time: 1,250,000 / Project cost: 150 million Euro / Visitor forecast: between 200 and 400 thousand per year. THE INAUGURAL EXHIBITIONS Five exhibitions have been envisaged for the opening of the Museum in spring 2010. Spazio! by an interdisciplinary group composed of Pippo Ciorra, Alessandro D'Onofrio, Bartolomeo Pietromarchi, Gabi Scardi and the MAXXI curators. Catalogue by Stefano Chiodi and Domitilla Dardi. It is a unique pathway through the MAXXI Arts and MAXXI Architecture collections. Gino De Dominicis. 1947 - 1998, by Achille Bonito Oliva, is the first anthological exhibition devoted to the artist, accompanied by a catalogue which outlines not only the exhibition, but also his entire work. Kutlug Ataman, Mesopotamian Dramaturgies, by Cristiana Perrella. Luigi Moretti, by Bruno Reiclin and Maristella Casciato. Geografie italiane, multimedia installation by Studio Azzurro. MAXXI Rome images / information from Zaha Hadid Architects 181109 Maxxi Photographs © Adrian Welch Feb 2008 The Contemporary Art and Architecture Centre for Rome is the first national museum for contemporary art in Italy. Maxxi Images from Zaha Hadid Architects: The new Institution has been established by act of parliament and the design of the building is the first concrete step in the creation of the institution. A large urban site in the Flaminia district on the northern edge of the historic centre has been allocated for the building. The centre comprises spaces for permanent, temporary and commercial galleries, an architecture centre, a conference centre as well as a library. The concept for the project is based on the idea of 'irrigating' the large urban field with linear display surfaces, weaving a dense texture of interior and exterior spaces. The institution is thus rendered porous for the casual visitor, either providing en passe delight or enticing entry. Our design for the Contemporary Art Centre in Rome was awarded the 1st Prize in an International Design Competition in February 1999. We have been awarded the full contract for all architectural and engineering services. Construction begins in 2003, and the project is scheduled for completion in 2007. MAXXI Rome images / information from Zaha Hadid Architects 110408 Maxxi Rome architect : Zaha Hadid Italian Architects Location: north Rome National Centre of Contemporary Arts Rome - Building Information MAXXI: NATIONAL CENTRE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS [ROME, ITALY] 1997-2007 [under construction] PROGRAM: Contemporary art and architecture centre, temporary exhibition spaces CLIENT: Italian Ministry of Culture, Rome, Italy ARCHITECT: Design Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher Project Architect: Gianluca Racana [Zaha Hadid] Local Architect: ABT srl [Rome, Italy] CONSULTANTS: Structure Anthony Hunt Associates [London, UK] OK Design Group [Rome, Italy] M&E: Max Fordham and Partners [London, UK] OK Design Group [Rome, Italy] Lighting: Equation Lighting [London, UK] Acoustic: Paul Gilleron Acoustic [London, UK] SIZE/AREA : 30,000 m2