Roman Architecture, Beyond the Colosseum

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For people who love contemporary architecture, trying to find striking new buildings in the historic center of Rome is about as easy as trying to go gluten-free there. But if you move a little farther out — or a lot — there are stunning treasures to find, from museums to stadiums to churches, not to mention animated new neighborhoods that you probably would have never explored in the first place.

I undertook a breakneck tour of these newly completed structures, in widely varying districts, last summer with two on-call critics: my septuagenarian parents, self-professed architecture lovers who are not shy about their opinions. We traveled the streets of Rome largely by car, a method of transportation that brought out the, let’s say, raw side of the Roman population. Luckily, the buildings were as dramatic as the drive, but much less stressful. ….