The MAXXI Museum (Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo), located in the Flaminio district of Rome, is Italy’s first national museum dedicated entirely to contemporary art and architecture. The concept for MAXXI was born in the late 1990s, with the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage launching an international competition to design the museum. In 1998, Zaha Hadid’s visionary project was selected. Construction began in 2003, and the museum was completed and opened to the public in 2010.
The building features extensive use of reinforced concrete, glass, and steel, giving it a sleek, modern aesthetic. The museum’s external piazza, with its minimalist landscaping, serves as a public gathering space.
MAXXI - facade
MAXXI - facade
MAXXI - piazza
curvilinear forms
The central atrium is a striking feature, with staircases and bridges crisscrossing the space. Natural light enters through large windows and skylights, enhancing the sense of openness and emphasizing the interplay of light and shadow.
central atrium
exhibition space
exhibition space
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