2024 - Dance of the Joyful Shadows of Light and Dust-Reconstruction of the Hot Springs Site

Project Background:
In ancient Rome, body care and personal hygiene practices were widespread and performed daily as a social and public activity. The buildings used for these functions, known as thermae and balneae, were numerous, surpassing any other type of public building, as every city had more than one. With the maximum expansion of the Roman Empire, the Italian model of Roman cities spread everywhere, and bath complexes were distributed over vast areas. Thus, baths became one of the symbols of the Romanization phenomenon, reflecting the profound identification of conquered peoples with the hegemonic culture. The Acconia Baths in Curinga, considered part of a large commemorative villa belonging to a very influential family, are located near the Via Popilia leading to Reggio Calabria and represent the only example in Italy of the use of Roman African construction techniques. An ancient catastrophic event affected this bath complex, as evidenced by a large-scale structural and protective restoration project characterized by the adoption of a new construction technique. This masonry consists of horizontal stone elements alternating with possibly reused brick blocks. Another restoration in the 3rd-4th century aimed to strengthen the rear wall of the caldarium on the east side, which was replaced by a curved wall. Between the mid-4th and early 5th centuries, the bath complex was abandoned and lost its original function.
Design Concept:
Ruins showcase the intersection of creation and destruction, revealing the parts separated from the whole, their techniques, and secrets. They provide a genuine representation, focusing on the surface rather than the center. By unveiling past architectural craftsmanship and cultural connotations, ruins allow us to re-examine history. In this design, we transform the site into a space for people to explore. The dissolution of matter often occurs imperceptibly, just as history repeats itself, and we cannot return to the past. By wrapping transparent lines around historical ruins, we visualize the process of material dissolution in the natural environment. On-site, the interplay of wind and light intertwines these lines, creating a poetic space. The entwined lines symbolize the passage of time and the disappearance of matter. They are like an unspoken poem, telling the story of the ruins. Through these lines, we glimpse the process of material dissolution and feel the power of time. Under the influence of wind and light, the lines dance as if conversing with the ruins, narrating the forgotten histories.