Ara Pacis

The lighting concept is based on the ideas of Fisher Marantz Stone, New York, and was realised by ERCO Italy in close cooperation with the architect, Richard Meier.

Mayor Walter Veltroni opened the new Museo dell'Ara Pacis on 21 April, the traditional "anniversary of the city of Rome". The building had been designed by Richard Meier to house the Ara Pacis Augustae, an altar of peace erected in 13BC, thus enclosing and protecting one of the most important ancient monuments in the city. It is the first modern building in the historic centre of Rome for many decades and has provoked scores of heated debates.

Many parts of the museum are still under construction and only partly accessible to the public - the final completion is scheduled for autumn 2006.

The building is entered through a low, deliberately shadowed atrium. The long walls of the hall containing the altar are made of glass and thus offer a view of the city. The altar itself, embellished with marble reliefs, is illuminated by natural roof lights and a number of Parscan spotlights for low-voltage halogen lamps installed in the niches of the concrete grid ceiling.

The spotlights and downlights in the exhibition sections can be dimmed. An Area Net lighting control system regulates the illuminance depending on the daylight and the use of the museum.

Museo dell'Ara Pacis
Lungotevere in Augusta - 00100 Roma

Project partners

Architect:
Richard Meier + Partners, New York
www.richardmeier.com/

Lighting design (concept):
Fisher Marantz Stone, New York
www.fmsp.com/