By Ricky Burdett & Izabela Anna Moren

How does Rome compare to other world cities? Is it larger or smaller, more cohesive or more fragmented than Paris, London or Istanbul? What impact does an ageing population have on the everyday dynamics when compared to the exponential growth and young age profile of African or Asian metropolises, such as Cairo, Lagos or Mumbai? — Ricky Burdett

Contradictory and complex urban ecosystem and, at the same time, a historical–architectural unicum without equal in the world, Rome stands as a point of reference in the evolution of cities on a global scale. Despite this, its connection with other cities around the world — today evolving at a very rapid pace — remains little documented and even less understood.

The exhibition catalogue recounts the investigation carried out to create the exhibition and to portray the essence of Rome through two complementary perspectives: the objective analysis of its urban reality and the cultural and subjective resonance it exerts in the world’s imagination.

It is enriched by texts by Keti Lelo, Paola Viganò, and Jack Self, as well as infographic plates, thematic maps, and an unpublished photographic section by Marina Caneve.