24 Oct

In front of the San Ignazio church is a group of apartment buildings which are shaped as if they were “hugging” Piazza San Ignazio. Instead of large palazzi containing many apartments within, commonly seen in Rome, these buildings are small separate flats. They were built in 1727, and designed by Filippo Raguzzini, who arranged them to resemble the stage of a theater. I consider these apartments to be a good translation of an ancient roman theater, because the nature of the theater to house a performance is still preserved in the piazza. The curving of the buildings enclose the space, and direct your view to the center stage. When standing in this Piazza you can actually feel as if you were the focus of attention. The buildings become the backdrop of the theater, the people who interact in the piazza become the actors, and everyday activity becomes the spectacle.