An Academy for Urban Studies

In the heart of Ancient and later Renaissance Rome, the Via Giulia is a prominent street which was once home to numerous cardinals and members of the noble class.Consequently, the street is bounded by several palazzi, including the rear facade of Palazzo Farnese as well as the site where Raphael considered building his own palazzo. When living in Rome I walked its streets daily and found there to be a significant homeless population.I sought to address this issue through both urbanism and ministry.On the site of my project I inserted a church, called S.Martina, which shares the garden space with the academy building.Next door is a homeless shelter overseen by the Sant’Egidio homeless ministry who I had the pleasure of meeting in Rome, as well as a residence for a congregation of monks who tend the adjacent produce garden.The homeless population, the academicians, scholars, and other neighborhood residents all have access to the gardens during daylight hours.