The spatial relationships within Piazza di Spagna allow it to not only function as a large public venue, but also situate itself within the context of the city of Rome in order to present a positive urban environment. The piazza, like so many similar public places, inspires one to sit and stay because of properly oriented and situated elements. These allows the said perceived environment to welcome one to sit, stay, and wholeheartedly experience a place once meant to pass through.
The piazza, as a part of the fabric of Rome, is sited as an endpoint to the Via del Bambuino, and is an important part of the three main avenues (Corso, Ripetta, and the aforementioned) established by Pope Alexander VII. It bears proximity to many important parts of Rome, as well as possessing ideas of spatial radiance or emineity within its surrounding area. The Spanish Steps themselves serve not only as a physical connection to the Pinician Hill, but also an important landmark, serving as the off-center focal point of the square. There is a well-placed fountain at the foot of the steps (Fontana della Barcaccia), which helps give more visual presence to the stairs, as well as helping to transition the space of the stairs onto the street.
These few off-center and space defining elements break the otherwise repetitive elements of the piazza. It is very much so part of the texture of the city, and the non-descript buildings of the piazza help to obviously introduce varying elements of the piazza easily, while making them discernable from the other landmarks of the city. There is certainly continuity within the city of Rome that allows repetitive elements like the surrounding buildings to make up the context of the piazza.
In addition, the presences of these simple elements do not overcrowd or overcomplicate the piazza. They offer significant views to surrounding elements, as well as bring the rest of the city into perspective quite literally. The piazza seems to be well balanced, in its triangular plan, with significant elements balanced against a large open space. It also brings to attention that these larger elements such as the steps and the stars are not overly complicated in their design, and offer to the piazza a complete relationship between both figure and ground.
As these larger elements work together, they offer the relationship between both figure and ground to make the space read more as a fluid partnership rather than a confusion of overly-scaled landmarks. Because no tall elements are present, and there is no real non-traversable path through the piazza, its open plan makes for the easiest access to the steps, and offers people the chance to have an intimate experience with their surroundings, whilst engrained in masses of people.
Consequently, the proportions of the piazza play well to the scale of the city as well as the scale of the human body. The Spanish steps are the widest set of stairs in Europe, and offer many people the availability to sit and take in the scenery and the goings on of others. Their width breaths a large vista of the Villa Medici, as well as the Trinità dei Monti, and the rise/run of the steps somehow always seems better suited for sitting than walking.
It is of much note that the piazza, through well-proportioned means is able to accommodate the human body, allow one to rest, as well as offering a broken rhythm of landings that allow the occasional tourist to stop and take pictures of the gorgeous surroundings. If we consider the steps to be an extension of the piazza, then it also begins to break the rhythm of the public squares of Rome, offering a large public seating area not associated with local business.
But beyond its functional availabilities, the piazza becomes delightful when considering the uses of ornament, light, and texture/color. Because travertine, as a local material, ties the steps materially to the context of the city, and of course offers the softness of stone unavailable in other materials. The cobblestones of the piazza allow it to blend with the other streets of the city, and the familiar smells of gypsy chestnuts and the sound of running water from the fountain give much presence to the piazza as a public space.
Often, people feel compelled to stop and sit on the hill. It is in man’s nature to want to sit, rest, and overlook from above the world he inhabits. The steps, facing the afternoon sun, make the piazza an enjoyable and very successful urban area – one that the Romans have been proud to cherish for as long as they have had it.
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