Grande MAXXI: Rome Museum Launches International Competition for New Building

The MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome has announced an international ideas competition for a new building and green corridor, part of the Grande MAXXI expansion plan. The project, funded with €15 million from the Grandi Progetti Beni Culturali strategic plan (total €200 million for 38 recovery projects and 3 new acquisitions), aims to create a multifunctional hub and urban green space on the museum's northern lot. The competition, open to multidisciplinary teams, will select a winner by June 10, 2022, with construction expected to start in 2023 and finish by 2026. The new building will feature a rooftop garden, host research and restoration centers, and integrate digital technology. The existing museum will undergo energy efficiency upgrades, including photovoltaic panels on 3,000 sqm of roofing. A collaboration with the Ministry of Defense will transfer adjacent spaces to the foundation and establish an energy community. The total cost is €42 million, with €37.5 million already secured from various sources. MAXXI president Giovanna Melandri emphasized the project's alignment with the New European Bauhaus initiative and sustainability goals. Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri announced the city's entry into the foundation. The new structures will not be designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, who designed the original museum.