Zaha Hadid Architects
MAXXI
Rome, Italy
The Groundbreaking and Naming Ceremony for Zaha Hadid's Contemporary Art Art Centre in Rome will take place on March 20, 2003 at 11.30am.
Image courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects
The Contemporary Art and Architecture Centre in Rome will receive a new and definitive name: the 'Museum of Art for the XXI Century', or MAXXI.
The inauguration of the new name will coincide with the start of construction, and the laying of the first stone containing a bronze sculpture designed by Ettore Sottsass.
Giuliano Urbani from the Italian Ministry for Culture, and Pietro Lunardi from the Ministry for Infrastructure and Transport have collaborated to back the scheme, and will be present at the ceremony. Also in attendance will be Zaha Hadid and Pio Baldi, the general Director for architecture and contemporary art from the Ministry for Culture.
Zaha Hadid's 26,000 square meter scheme for MAXXI was chosen through an international competition in 1998.
The program offers a flexible, interdisciplinary arena for the exhibition of contemporary art and architecture and for live events.
The ceremony also marks the opening of current exhibitions: Transparent, photography and video from Northern Europe; and work by Enzo Cucchi and Ettore Sottsass.
Completion scheduled for 2005.
MAXXI: centre for contemporary art
10 Via Guido Reni
Rome, Italy
March 17, 2003