Public Photography Center of Rome
Client
Rome Capital / Rome Photography Center
Partners
Industrial Archaeology 2030 Scarl, XAL
Location
Former Testaccio Slaughterhouse, Pavilion 9D, Rome
Overview
The project is part of the regeneration plan for the former Testaccio slaughterhouse, destined to become Rome's new City of Arts. This project will create the capital's first public center entirely dedicated to photography, conceived as a hub for promotion, research, and experimentation.
Located in Pavilion 9D, the Center hosts exhibitions, meetings, and cultural activities dedicated to contemporary images. The technological and lighting intervention transforms light into a tool for architectural enhancement, preservation of artworks, and immersive experiences.
CONCEPT
Light as a curatorial device
The light serves not only an expository function, but also guides the gaze, accompanies the visitor's journey, and creates a balanced relationship between space, images, and the public. The system illuminates the industrial character of the space without interfering with the delicate photographic works.
Invisible technology, intense experience
The project aims for a precise balance: making the technology high-performance yet visually discreet. The goal is not just to illuminate, but to give the site a new technological soul, while keeping the cultural experience central.
CHALLENGE
The main challenge was to integrate contemporary lighting and multimedia solutions into a context with a strong historical identity, without altering its original charm.
Added to this was the need to ensure extremely controlled lighting conditions for the proper enjoyment and conservation of the works. The project therefore had to reconcile four key requirements:
- Perceptual quality.
- Exhibition flexibility.
- Technological sustainability.
- Asset protection.
of exhibition space
Visit levels
Solutions
The project is the result of a collaboration between Archeologia Industriale 2030 Scarl, responsible for the architectural restoration, and To Be con XAL, responsible for the lighting and multimedia design.
The intelligent lighting system was developed for:
- Enhance industrial volumes with a minimal design.
- Protect artworks using advanced LED technologies and sensors.
- Creating an immersive experience where light guides the visitor.
Results
The project gives Rome a new public space dedicated to photography, capable of combining urban memory, technological innovation, and cultural quality.
Thanks to the integration of restoration, intelligent light and multimedia tools, Pavilion 9D becomes a contemporary, accessible and distinctive space, destined to become a point of reference for photography in Rome and internationally.
