Picnictopia
Picnictopia It is the creation of a “picnic spot”: a collective space for coexistence, play and community.
Conceived as a new urban myth for Rome and the MAXXI – National museum of 21st century art – designed by Zaha Hadid–, The installation rises like an “eighth mountain,” an artificial topography that recreates the experience of nature and transforms it into a cultural setting.
An ephemeral landscape that transforms the everyday into an architectural symbol.
"An ephemeral landscape that transforms the everyday into an architectural symbol."
Strategy
The strategy is based on a Simple and universal gesture: the picnic table-bench as a base module.
Repeatable and combinable to infinity, it generates a open and flexible system which can be transformed into hills, beaches, gardens or stages.
This operation transforms collective furniture into urban topography and, at the same time, into a cultural device.
Facing the MAXXI, the installation not only dialogues with the architecture of Zaha Hadid, but amplifies it, offering a modular amphitheater capable of hosting everything from conferences to shows.
Sustainability is ensured through the “second life” of the project: each module is designed to be reused as public furniture, extending its usefulness beyond the event.
Impact
Picnictopia redefines the role of ephemeral architecture in public space: it is not limited to being a temporary installation, but becomes collective and urban laboratory performance.
The impact lies in its ability to Activate the memory of the picnic as a social gesture, multiply it in an architectural landscape and, finally, prolong its life in the city as community infrastructure.
The project transcends the temporality of the event to leave a tangible legacy of sustainability and coexistence.
"The picnic table, converted into a modular amphitheater, activates social memory."
year of construction
2016
total built volume
(adaptable to space)
total built area
500 m² approx.
customer
MAXXI /
National museum of 21st century art
location
Rome (Italy)
situation
Contest ended
typology
Ephemeral
Art
Innovation
Culture
City
Social
Sustainable
disciplines
Ephemeral Architecture
Pavilions & Exhibitions
Urban intervention
Experiential design
Comprehensive Management
Specialized consulting
impacts
Differentiating concept
Institutional prestige
Lower environmental impact
Greater social value
Precision and innovation
Constructive excellence
