The aim of this project is to counter-act the ever-growing propensity to leave untouched and misunderstood ruined structures at the center of our growing cities. These historical remains, either grossly overprotected by preservation, or simply overlooked by the force of contemporary developments, are seldom engaged with in a constructive manner, an approach that posits itself in between these two extremes. In the wish to engage with the ruins of ancient Rome, specifically the colossal Baths of Caracalla, I proposed a contemporary re-use of the ruins for public bathing, providing for a physical re-engagement with history, one which would allow us to “plunge”, as it were, into the past. The project, in which a balance was sought between preservation, re-use and new addition, played on the idea that the space between a distant past and the present could be telescoped architecturally. The “new” baths became a site in which an intimate proximity between the Roman Empire and the Western Empire could be experienced, allowing us to reflect critically upon both the illustrious and somber aspects of our own society.

CV