Crossing the Rubicon: Tevere Cavo, an Urban Project for Rome

Abstract

We believe that the new frontiers of Information Technology have to deal with the central role of Infrastructures in the existing city. Indeed, this new generation of infrastructures will allow the 'redirection' of the development. To arrest developments in "Green fields" and direct devel-opments towards "brown areas" in the existing cities we need infrastructures of new generation. In this historical moment, a development phase has to focus on the use of urban voids in the existing city to stop the endless urban sprawl. 'Crossing the Rubicon' was an expression I used years ago - in the preface of Kas Oosterhuis's book "Towards new Architecture"- to underline the role of a generation of architects that put Information Technology at the heart of a new de-velopment phase for architecture. I am using the same expression now to highlight the role that Information Technology has to play to shape new infrastructures. As an example, here I present and discuss the urban project "Tevere Cavo" in Rome.