future.lab Blog
Fakultät für Architektur
und Raumplanung
der TU Wien 
When talking about “conflicting culture” I automatically thought about the Roman district Pigneto. In this area I found a lot of potential for a conflict to happen, but surprisingly I did not whiteness any. Pigneto is a district with a very strong local history and even few decades ago was considered to be one of the most authentic ones. Its almost rural character of the village on the borders of […]
After two rainy but productive weeks in Berlin I'm taking a plane to Rome. My hands are still covered by yellow paint we used in a workshop and my head is full of German bureaucracy that turns the life of its newcomers into one big struggle. My flight is two hours delayed, I have a lot of time to think. I finally arrive to Rome. There is a table soccer […]
Rain might be the nightmare of field researchers. I have to admit I welcome it gladly. I need one day to get my thoughts together, to wash all my clothes and to test some of my newly purchased equipment. In the meantime i create a map of Rome with all the traditional markets to help me orientate myself in between them. When you will see it you'll understand why there […]
This day starts at night. I get up at 5 AM to take a tram to Trastevere. At the tram stop there are only tourists rushing for their early flights and people like me - those who are going to a morning market. Roman famously dysfunctional public transport is much bearable in the morning. I arrive to Porta Portese - the biggest flea market of Rome. There are numerous songs […]
After an exhausting morning at the flea market of Porta Portese i head to Pigneto, the quarter i will try to put my main focus to in the next days. The atmosphere is very calm, amazingly peaceful in fact. The scale of the pedestrian area is welcoming, little bars have their terraces outside. I see mainly young families enjoying their afternoon with their friends and kids. I notice some preparation […]
In order to map the differences of nighttime and daytime I decided to spent this day in Necci. It's a famous place loved by the locals, many of them come here for breakfast, to swap few words and to read the morning news. I am sitting, writing, observing and taking pictures. Breakfast hours turn fluently into lunch time. Clients come and go. I can distinguish foreign languages, some people are […]
I dedicate this day to see parts of Pigneto that I don't know yet. I don't ride my bike the quickest or the nicest way, I try to get intentionally lost. I am observing the urban structure, village looking low rise houses mix with mid rise mass housing. I never know what to expect turning in one of the hundreds one-way streets. Very soon I find a market which existence […]
This morning my direction is clear. I want to map the atmosphere in the “pedestrian island” of Pigneto. Market is already open, people go to their well known vendors and buy fruit and vegetable. Quality is great and prices are convenient. Those who already made their shopping can sit calmly and enjoy their sweet breakfast. Retired residents, students but also those who start at work later, the morning coffee is […]
In the afternoon I hurry up for my arranged interview with Jaime. Originally from Mexico, after numerous travels, he settled down in Rome. He works in a Greek bistro that is tightly connected to the character of Pigneto and that has gained its fame through years mostly by a spread word. We have a lot of time to talk because it is siesta time. Jaime, tell me about the opening hours. […]
Today I will focus mainly to the older residents of Pigneto. I've already heard different opinions, some people believe that the residents somehow dealt with the vivid nighttime and they don't mind it anymore. Soon I discovered that it is far from being truth. I interview a group of five older women that don't hide their complaints: “Basically we cannot leave the windows open at night, we hear everything! After […]
Today I need a break from Pigneto. In order to clear my head I choose to observe another reference place - Campo dei fiori. The day-to-night transformation is perfect there. Morning market gets substituted for restaurant tables, flowers and fruit for drinks. But still this place is nothing like Pigneto, no vendor knows your name. Campo dei fiori is located in the city centre and is one of the favourite […]
My stay in Rome is slowly coming to an end so I will spend this day by interviewing as many people as possible to collect various points of view. I begin in the market that is closing. "Mondays there are only two of us, other days you find maybe 5 stands… The market used to be much bigger before, but nobody's doing it anymore… It's a tough job! You have to pack all […]