Renzo Piano Appeals for Preservation of Rome’s Cinemas Amid Closure Crisis

Rome: Starchitect Renzo Piano on Thursday made a passionate appeal to preserve Rome’s cinemas, emphasizing their role as vital community spaces in the face of an ongoing closure crisis. Piano, known for his designs such as the Pompidou Centre and The Shard, highlighted the cultural significance of these venues in an interview with la Repubblica daily.

According to Ansa News Agency, the 87-year-old architect stressed the importance of maintaining cinemas within the urban landscape of cities, particularly in Rome. He expressed concern over the ongoing debate regarding the protection of Roman and Parisian movie theaters, which he sees as pivotal for urban renewal. Piano emphasized that these spaces, whether operational or abandoned, serve as essential “lungs of oxygen” for cities increasingly dominated by cars, shopping centers, hotels, and vacation homes.

Piano warned against the potential conversion of cinema spaces into profit-driven ventures, arguing that such transformations would ultimately lead to the decline of cultural venues. He illustrated this with financial comparisons, noting that while a Parisian movie theater might yield 900,000 euros in rent over 15 years, converting the space could increase its value to over 10 million euros. “I believe the same calculation also applies to Rome,” he added.

Drawing parallels to the historical preservation of Roman forums, Piano underscored the enduring importance of cultural spaces in European capitals. He criticized political perspectives that view these venues solely as cinemas, neglecting their broader potential as multi-use cultural centers. Piano cited the Piccolo America initiative, which saved the old Cinema America from conversion, as an example of how such spaces can serve as hubs of urbanity and civic value.

Piano’s appeal comes amid reports that the value of former cinema sites has significantly increased following a new administrative rule allowing their conversion. He expressed concern that this financial allure could lead property owners to terminate cultural activity contracts, further jeopardizing these community-centric spaces.