FIESOLE RUINS
Project Team
REUSE THE RUIN 2025
Florence Architecture Workshop
Christopher Mancia | Sayyoung Chang | Sujeoung Koo | Riccardo Beccaro | Iuliia Popova
The project aims to enrich the visitor experience of the archaeological site by establishing new connections between its key elements—both existing and newly introduced. This concept of connection is rooted in the local community’s call for dialogue, communication, and engagement with the history of the site.
As part of the Reuse the Ruin Workshop, members of the ARCNOMA team worked on a proposal to reuse the Ruins of Fiesole, Italy. The Workshop brief included the development of a new roof and stage for the Roman Theater and a new Museum. This weeklong workshop focused on the connection to the history and community surrounding the site.
At the core of the design is the dialogue between the museum and the roof. These two new elements are conceived within a rectangular plan and mirror each other in form and alignment, yet occupy different vertical planes—the roof elevated above ground, and the museum embedded below. This duality embodies the idea of a structural and symbolic bridge between past and present, concealment and revelation.
Connection unfolds on multiple levels: between the ancient ruins and the new structures, between the various elevations of the site, and between architecture and landscape.
The color palette of the new interventions subtly mirrors that of the ancient ruins, creating harmony between old and new without imitation. Together, the system of ramps, wooden trails, and natural paths creates a unique spatial narrative—a journey that unfolds slowly.
Material choices reinforce the overarching theme of connection. The museum, embedded in the earth, is constructed in concrete, providing a sense of permanence and grounding. The pathways are made of wood, offering warmth and tactility while visually integrating with the surrounding trees. Above, the steel structure of the roof becomes lighter and more transparent, allowing light to filter through and preserving open views of the landscape and sky.