MAXXI Roma Unveils New Green Piazza After Depaving

The MAXXI museum in Rome has completed the transformation of Piazza Alighiero Boetti into a green public space, just in time for summer 2026. Designed by landscape architect Bas Smets, the project removed sections of concrete pavement to reveal soil and planted trees, shrubs, and groundcover to lower temperatures through shade and evapotranspiration. The piazza, originally designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, was previously a heat island. The inauguration on June 18, 2026, will feature a public talk with Smets, MAXXI President Maria Emanuela Bruni, Ales S.p.A. CEO Fabio Tagliaferri, scientific director Margherita Guccione, and EU Climate Ambassador Alan Cappelli. The greening is part of the Grande MAXXI masterplan, which also includes a future park on Via Masaccio and the MAXXI Hub building. The new piazza features Mediterranean species including maples, Judas trees, holm oaks, myrtles, and arbutus, creating an agora for events and performances.