oliver astrologo photographs the ruins of rome’s casa sperimentale

oliver astrologo photographs the ruins of rome’s casa sperimentale
all images by oliver astrologo

just outside his native city of rome in the historic town of fregene, italian photographer and digital designer oliver astrologo sought out a hidden architectural relic. in the late 1960s, architect giuseppe perugini built ‘casa sperimentale’ (experimental house) on a wooded plot near the coast. the home is an extraordinary and eclectic mix of shapes and geometries, materials, mass and volume. a spherical compound sits within a frame of concrete beams boxes, while inside a series of transparent window boxes multiplies throughout the space.

the remnants of ‘casa sperimentale’ in rome 

since the architect’s death in 1995, the building has fallen into abandonment and disrepair — a forgotten landmark from a distant past. astrologo, drawn to vacant and sometimes vandalized architectural spaces, retells the house’s story through this photographic series. 

a spherical structure sits on site, with stairs leading up to a circular portal 

oliver astrologo has photographed people within the context of the scene, interrupting the architectural landscape 

the house features stacked concrete boxes interspersed with cubed windows 

from the inside, an unusual system of windows and walls surrounds visitors 

a figure is perched on the concrete roof of the building sited just outside of rome 

a red staircase and window frames interrupts the concrete mass 

more transparent windows feature inside the monumental dwelling 

the property has been vandalized inside and has fallen into disrepair 

the bathroom can be seen through a large circular window 

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