project 01: notes on a frame

The Temple of Hercules Victor is situated in a unique location. Found at the foot of the Avetine Hill, it is in close proximity to the Tiber River while also overlooking the Piazza Bocca della Verita. Heavily accessed by both vehicular and foot traffic, the Temple of Hercules Victor differs from Rome’s monuments in the sense that it is easily seen. // While monuments such as the Pantheon and Piazza Navona are simply stumbled upon as one turns a corner, Hercules stands solitary in the Forum Boarium, simultaneously commanding attention while being tucked away from it. While this allows it to be seen, it is also at a vantage to see. // Because of the cylindrical nature of the temple, it stands with no geometric front or back. Views toward the piazza and S. Maria in Cosmedin are imminent, and although accessed from the lower streets, its height also allows visibility from (and to) the Tiber. Because of these 360-degree views, the temple is able to take advantage of its site by acting as a viewing device that encourages a more complete survey of its surroundings (as well as a piqued curiosity from streetside passerby, who only catch a peek of it behind the trees).




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Meant to be viewed as a plan perspective, the temple’s footprint lies in the center of the composition, while its columns protrude upwards and out of the page. A distorted panoramic collage lies beyond.