What do Rome, Italian culture and Italy as a whole need at this historic moment? Why, a new building constructed within Villa Borghese, of course – the vast public park in the heart of the capital. I apologise for this ‘what about me?’ and populist outburst, but it is rather striking to see a competition notice presented with great fanfare at the Rome Order of Architects for a project to extend – by up to 3,000 square metres – the annexes of the Galleria Borghese, the splendid museum located within the villa. It is even more striking to see that the competition is being organised and funded – no doubt with the approval of the gallery’s management, the City Council and the Ministry of Culture – by a private construction company, Proger S.p.A.
Naturally, the very idea of altering the villa’s centuries-old balance has already sparked a flood of protests. The organisers counter that the expanded museum could accommodate more visitors, exhibit more works, and feature a restaurant and a bookshop worthy of the name. They point out that, whilst an extension is indeed being discussed, this does not necessarily mean a new building will be constructed; one could also envisage repurposing the existing structures within the villa. In any case, any new construction would be sustainable and in harmony with its surroundings. The winning designs will not be binding: Proger will submit them to the relevant authorities, who will decide what to do with them. And besides, as more than one architect has remarked in private, we need to put an end to this obsession with the ancient, this notion that nothing new can ever be built in Rome.
In short, we will have to wait and see; it is all still in the making and should be taken with a pinch of salt. But – as an ordinary citizen – what makes me lean towards saying ‘no’ is also a small detail, a passage from the competition guidelines highlighted in this post by the Associazione Amici di Villa Borghese. The competition notice does not state this explicitly, but it suggests that one area where the new building could be constructed – not before felling a certain number of trees, which, mind you, would be promptly replanted elsewhere – is the one located behind the Gallery. The ‘Guiding criteria for the project’ note that this open space is characterised by ‘widespread deterioration, including, for example, patchy and sparse grass cover due to heavy foot traffic’ – in short, people walk on it. “The result is an overall impression that is functionally and aesthetically inadequate for the role of a welcoming space fostering a connection with the Galleria.” The nearby square in Parco dei Daini, moreover, is – horror of horrors! – “used for playing cricket and bocce”. Heaven forbid that Romans and tourists should use a public space for free to stroll and play, when they could be paying to go there for dinner and buy souvenirs. It seems to me that Rome, Italian culture and Italy as a whole have absolutely no need for this all-too-common attitude.
From the ‘Finalmente è Venerdì’ newsletter of 23 October 2026. Click here to subscribe – it’s free