Dove Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere?

PROJECT UNO-

It crept up on us slowly- transforming from an innocent little site analysis to a full fledged beast that haunted your dreams and kept you up for long work hours in the dark bowles of studio. Ah, aren't architecture projects Glorious?!?

My challange, should I choose to accept it, was

Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere-

It provided me the opportunity to explore an entirely different neighborhood of Rome that would have otherwise been foreign to me. Trastevere (literally "across the Tiber") is a relatively residential corner of Rome. Its where "real" Romans live, eat and play. Living off of Piazza Navona, in the Context of Bernini and Borromini, of the ruins of circus' and the foundations of temples gives a different experience, not one is superior over the other- they are merely different.

Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere was different in the aspect that it grew up and around the Church of Santa Maria. The church had been founded as an early christian house church, before Christianity had even been leagalized by Constantine and his Edict of Milan circa 310. So pretty much were talking 200 AD ( the time line of European history always astonishes me)!!!! The fabric of the exterior of the piazza is not in the slightest regular as it, especially on the north side, is woven from a fabric of individual dwellings. There are no axis and no grids, but its unregimented character is what makes it so enjoyable. (Everyone likes a little chaos and differentiation in their lives- look at mine :P!)

The Church clock tower which is the highest structure in the Piazza alines (relatively) with a fountain that creates the central hub of the piazza. Now comes a confession I have been withholding up untill now... the fountain in the Piazza may well be one of the ugliest I have ever had the pleasure... or displeasure of viewing. It rises up on an octagonal platform and is embelished with huge SPQR shields that stand aloof while a rather weak stream of water spews from a central collinder into Baroque-Rococo-like shells. Ive seen gargoyles and gutters handle water better... more gracefully at least. :P... but asthetic arguement aside it does serve its purpose of providing an inward focus for the piazza, as well as work as a guide for pedestrian (and rare vehicular) traffic. It does provide for a nice place to sit and sketch or for the more apetite minded- enjoy a slice of pizza or panino.

The character of the piazza transformed from morning, to noon, to night- much like the outfit and mindset of a good catholic college student. In the morning ( especially on sundays) attention is focused around the church, people duck in to admire the Cosmati floors, and the random assortment of collumns ( some trace back to the baths of Caracala), some people arrive for mass or to say a prayer or two- getting on Jesus' good side. In the afternoon people drift toward the exterior- especially the north east corner- stopping to grab a bit at a cafe, or an afternoon macchiato, or simply continuing on their journey to their appartments or their grocer. At night the square puts on its party outfit. Cafe's being closed it becomes a meeting place for those heading out to their respective bars and clubs.

Overall I love Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere and so should you. :)