The Ierimonti Gallery [2] in New York City has recently introduced a thought-provoking showcase about contemporary Rome titled “Re-Constructivist Architecture [3].” Jacapo Costanzo and Giovanni Cozzani have co-curated the exhibition; which was highly promoted by the Scientific Technical Committee of Casa dell'Architettura [4] in collaboration with Consulta Giovani Architetti Roma [5].

“Re-Constructivist Architecture” is comprised of thirteen emerging and extremely talented international architectural firms who have embarked to portray their common ideology. Each firm selected one house found from the Roman countryside as a platform for their vision.  The final objective is to both revitalize a specific outlook that trended heavily in the 1980s and to tribute the architectural masterpiece of the homes that dwell upon Rome’s beautiful “campagna” or countryside.

In the 1980s MoMA [6] showcased an exhibition made up of drawings and short essays called “Deconstructivist Architecture [7].” This triggered two debates: architects who advocated for the idea of architectural innovation or architects who chose to continue a consistent relationship with previous design theory. 

Francesca Cigola describes the Re-Constructivist Architecture exhibition as a “design exercise meant as a typological investigation.” Overall, by bringing forth the thirteen houses in this anthropological approach, the architects are seeking to create new debates between innovation and tradition just like those of the MoMA in the 1980s.

Thus, today at the Ierimonti Gallery, the content is based around an approach that utilizes the Roman countryside to conduct a study based on the architectural subject, viewer, or user. It targets the idea of autonomy plus the overall discipline of the system of design, form, and structure in this residential project.

The up and coming architects are pushing the architectural limits and creating new debates inspired by those of the past. Looking for debates and contradictions in landscape is anything but a simple task, and this project requires historical and theoretical analyses. Stop by the Ierimonti to see the “Re-constructivist Architecture” to develop your own opinions about the ongoing debate.