Substrata. Morfologia dell'Antico oltre le rovine

Studies concerning existing city layouts have shown how an analysis of the historic layers proves to be an important resource for morphological studies. Taking the ancient Rome as an example, the essay tries to give contribution to a scientific understanding of the way in which the layered forms of history have been transmitted to modern cities. It is proposed to substitute the term ‘ruin’, as romantic as overused to the point where it has exhausted the possibility of proposing definitions useful to morphological studies, with the most appropriate term of substratum as the living basis from which new organisms can spring.
The substratum is proposed as powerful legacy of guidelines, not oriented towards imitating the past, which could support the work of contemporary architects transmitting a set of multiple, shared meanings (as in every phase of the great civil crisis) in contrast to the individualistic trend of nowadays architectural design. As in every phase of the great civil crisis.

Keywords: Substratum, architectural process, ancient city