From May 22 to September 29, 2024, Villa Medici is hosting the third edition of the Festival des Cabanes.
Every summer beginning in 2022, Villa Medici, the French Academy here in Rome, assembles an extraordinary opportunity for artists, researchers, and architects to become residents and to ‘take possession’ of the historic gardens of the site, designed by Ferdinando de’ Medici at the end of the 16th century.
The occupants design and create cabanes (cabins) infused with artistic expression and purpose. The exhibition includes six different constructed installations within the historic gardens and invites guests to come explore the work that’s been created with passion and purpose.
With the objective of creating sustainable and non-invasive architectural arrangements, all projects provide a unique encounter with Villa Medici and its graceful scenery, offering breathtaking views of Rome.
The cabins
Cabin Il tempietto was designed by ane architecture, and influenced by the architecture found in the Roman building Tempietto del Bramante. The structure featured in the gardens of Villa Medici embraces the relationship between humans and nature. Under the caring shade trees, the cabin allows for a visitor to take a seat inside and be embraced in peace, escaping the bustling city that’s only steps away. The cabin is enclosed only by yellow polyester drapes, allowing the guest to feel the breeze dancing through the garden.
The structure titled The Cabane 7L and Librairie 7L X Villa Medici acts as an observation deck, revealing a breathtaking view of the city of Rome and beyond. Spanish architect Manuel Bouzas designed the formation to enable the pleasure of both the city horizon and the esteemed gardens found on the ground level. At the top of the project, visitors will find various reading material and seating, yielding the ultimate reading haven with otherworldly views.
Cabin Studiolo was designed by CAMPO and Diploma 20 Architectural Association. Studiolos were used in the 15th and 16th-century Italian palaces as personal, private study rooms that allowed the owner to escape their high societal expectations and work or study. The cabin is designed with the intention of transforming this historic model into a relationship between the intimate interior world established inside the structure, and the outside world of nature that is found on the exterior. During the day, the structure acts as shelter from the outside world, while at night, the wooden sanctuary allows the infiltration of light and glows “like a lantern.”
Camille Blanc and HUTTOPIA’s collaborative work, Cabin La cahutte, materializes the ultimate fantasy of nature enthusiasts. The cabin provides the ultimate camping experience. Perched on stilts, the structure is made of interlocking logs and topped with a mansard roof which emulates the appearance of a tent. This cabin provides the woodsy outdoor experience with nature, while allowing the epitome of comfort simultaneously. Not only does the open-air structure permit the connection with nature through the character of its design, but also with the stunning view of Rome that awaits on its terrace.
Fleximob is a cabin that has the ability to collapse and fold. The cabin is the work of French manufacturers at LAMÉCOL, with the intention to address modern difficulties consisting of “lack of space, the question of time, and the need for adaptability.” The foldable structure is an experimental project that is capable of eco-friendly transportation and flexibility for societal demands. Inside of the cabin, there is a television that showcases the possibilities and background information of the concept.
Heavily based in traditional Roman architecture, Cabin Le Forum des vestiges, resembles a space that functions as a forum. Forums serve the purpose of presenting a space for public discussion and debate, and the cabin promotes this context with designs that include both private and public meeting areas. The cabin designed by pratique architecture and fanum architecture, celebrates the culture upon which Rome was built.
22 May – 29 September 2024
Address:
Villa Medici
Viale della Trinità dei Monti, 1, Roma
Opening times:
Mon – Sun (closed on Tuesdays): 10am-7pm
Last entry at 6:30pm
Tickets:
Full Price €8
Reduced Price €6
