The Papal Stables adjoining the Quirinal Palace, formerly a depot for carriages and horses, changed their function in 1938 and became a car garage. In 1997, the building was entrusted to the Municipality of Rome in order to be adapted into an exhibition space. Major renovations and restoration work recuperated a surface area of about 3000 square meters over various levels, featuring unusual scales and heights, a ramp for the coaches and stables with large doorways and stairways. On the ground floor, spaces for the exhibitions’ collateral initiatives, the reception and the bookshop can be found. The cafeteria is located on the mezzanine floor while large exhibition spaces are located on the first and second floors. A curtain system controls the entrance of daylight. A unified system of metal-framed fixtures, installed onto the collar-beams of the building, house several adjustable halogen bulbs. This visually unifies the exhibition spaces, ensures flexibility in setting up temporary exhibitions and itself becomes an integral part of the exhibition setup.
Papal Stables
museumAfter renovation and restoration interventions, the Papal Stables become home to spaces used for different functions, including exhibition space. The lighting project, although involving a large surface area, has the ability to standardize the rooms. The luminaires integrate into the architecture and guarantee the ideal light flexibility for temporary exhibitions
Year
2000
Location
Quirinal Palace, Rome – Italy
Client/Collaborator
Gae Aulenti Associates
