The commission for Enel Contemporenea called for a temporary public artwork at Rome’s largest public hospital. Set in the context of the ‘Eternal City’ and monuments of architectural history, INABA decided to test whether it would be possible to work within the established budget to realize a durable, occupiable and publicly accessible struct... read more

The commission for Enel Contemporenea called for a temporary public artwork at Rome’s largest public hospital. Set in the context of the ‘Eternal City’ and monuments of architectural history, INABA decided to test whether it would be possible to work within the established budget to realize a durable, occupiable and publicly accessible structure to serve as a waiting room for patients and visitors. Like other hospitals founded in the 19th century, Policlinico Umberto was planned in a decentralized manner with specialties housed in separate structures distributed throughout the campus. Situated in the middle of the hospital grounds, ‘The Waiting Room’ attracts patients, patients’ families and hospital staff from all parts of the facility. The mix of people, activity and stimulation aims to thwart the sense of inertia and uncertainty triggered when having to wait for diagnosis or treatment. ‘The Waiting Room’ tries to create an environment to cope with the anxiety of waiting if not through easing the irritation of having to wait, then at least through a brief distraction from it.
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