Rome is returning to its citizens (and visitors) a piece of the Colosseum that remained "in the shadows" for centuries. With a new enhancement and redevelopment project, the southern ambulatories of the Flavian Amphitheater—on the south side—are being transformed into an accessible public space, designed by star architect Stefano Boeri's studio.
A simple idea: to make the monument's "true extension" perceived again
The heart of the project, explained by Boeri himself on the sidelines of the presentation in Rome, is to give everyone the opportunity to better understand the original size and proportions of the Colosseum on the southern side.
This is not just an aesthetic operation: the stated objective is to physically "feel" the monument's grandeur, providing a more complete understanding of its actual extension and the relationship between solids, voids, and paths.
From inside to outside: a space to rest in contact with history
One of the most interesting aspects is the transformation in use: what was once an interior is now an exterior, but retains—in proportions, dimensions, and materials—the imprint of the original Colosseum.
The designer envisions this new space as a resting place: a place to stop after a visit, wait for entry, and rest. A concrete idea of a "public space" within one of the world's most iconic archaeological sites, where proximity to the monument becomes part of the experience.
Archaeology and architecture "arm in arm"
Boeri also emphasized the working method: continuous collaboration with archaeologists from the Colosseum Archaeological Park. While the excavations progressed, the project team drew the monument's original perimeter; the archaeologists verified measurements and layouts, confirming (or correcting) their hypotheses.
A shared design process that brings together diverse skills and—in the architect's words—becomes a successful example of collaboration between archaeology and contemporary architecture.
A new way to experience the Colosseum
The new layout on the southern side doesn't aim to "rewrite" the Colosseum, but to make it more accessible and more accessible. It's a project that seeks to combine protection and enjoyment: enhancing without spectacularizing, opening without trivializing.
And above all, it brings the Flavian Amphitheater back to a more everyday dimension: not just an icon to photograph, but a space to walk through and inhabit—even just for a break—with the rare sensation of being, literally, just steps away from history.
