Villa Doria Pamphilj

Villa Doria Pamphilj is a dynamic space. The site while mostly natural, it still exhibits the same five principles that exist within man made environments. The pathways of the site direct pedestrian movement throughout the site. The majority this pedestrian activity occurs on weekends and nice afternoons. However, this space is always inhabited by one person or another. Joggers and bikers seem to be locked into the paths only straying from them to take a break from their exercise. People just out for an afternoon stroll with their dog or families often cut corners and stray from the paths into the open areas. The landmarks of the site help to orientate you while exploring. The villa is probably the most prominent landmark. It can be seen poking out of the tree tops from a distance or through the trees due to its brilliant white façade. The districts are defined by the translucent colored overlays. The purple one below the villa is the most active. There are often large groups of children playing and other people just relaxing. It is often a loud space that I personally prefer to avoid. The nodes in this area (black squares) are often occupied by parents caught up in conversation while their children play. The other active area is the open field noted with the red overlay. It is a large open fields where adults and older children can be see playing sports as well as individuals playing fetch with their dogs. The area tends to be empty during the week, however during the weekends many people inhabit the space. The grove of umbrella pines (blue overlay) is also a space that sees more action on the weekends. Many people find this to be a nice shady spot to take a break or read a book. The change in foliage from this area which is strictly umbrella pines to the other areas which are mixed creates both a visual and physical edge. Moving south from the pine grove leads you downhill into the open field. This area is my preferred region. It is quite, occupied by few people, and offers sunshine and a cool breeze. It is a great place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. While all of the districts are encircled by an edge, I have highlighted a few (red dashed line) that are prominent. These edges are more physical and define the activities that occur. They segregate the spaces and keep the activities from crossing from one district to another.