The project for the Rehearsal Theatre of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is centered on the investigation of the intrinsic qualities of the surrounding context, namely the Via Prenestina axis and the neighborhoods structured along its route. This is a socio-cultural and urban context that embodies an important characteristic of the city of Rome: its ability to generate culture not only within institutional frameworks, but also through informal and independent initiatives. The design concept for the New Prenestino Service Center and the Rehearsal theatre of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is based on the recognition of these intrinsic qualities of the site. It introduces a permeable and porous building that engages in dialogue with the urban context, reinterprets the existing forces, and generates new forms of use capable of reactivating the surrounding area.

We divided the construction program of the Rehearsal hall of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma into two macro-areas, taking into account their different performance, technological, and functional requirements: On one side, the “Technical Boxes”, consisting of rehearsal room, technical spaces, and administrative and service areas, which require specific acoustic, dimensional, spatial, and distributive performances; On the other side, the “Urban Stage” , consisting of spaces for meeting, socializing, and interaction— such as the foyer, bar, restaurant, and exhibition and educational routes—which do not require specific technical performances. To distinguish the Technical Boxes from the Urban Stage, we adopted different architectural languages:

The “Technical Boxes” 

They include the parts of the project that relate directly to the main traffic axes. For this reason, they take the form of symbolic, representative, and iconic volumes.

The façades — some featuring a few large, tall windows, others almost completely blind — engage in dialogue with this part of the city, characterized by major road arteries and compact, closed building volumes typical of shopping centers.

The reflective surface that envelops them (polished, mirror-finished corrugated metal cladding) gives the volumes a technical character while simultaneously making them recognizable, distinctive, and iconic landmarks within the neighborhood.

The “Urban Stage”
It includes the areas dedicated to hospitality, dining, and circulation functions, generating a new urban space that previously did not exist. It is conceived as a place for events, leisure, social interaction, and spontaneous creativity.

The volumes housing these activities are constructed using an exposed structural grid of beams, columns,and metal floor slabs. They appear as large scaffolding structures or temporary, versatile metal stages, characterized by freer and more improvised expressive forms.