Estetica del Riuso
International conferences and workshops on material reuse, held between the Ex Mattatoio in Testaccio and the Real Academia de España en Roma
About Estetica del Riuso
A biennial project on reuse in the heart of Rome
Estetica del Riuso is no ordinary festival: it is a collective project designed to spark a cultural shift regarding the reuse of salvaged construction materials. It originates from the urban context of Rome, within the Municipality of Roma Capitale and the Lazio region, with the stated goal of creating replicable tools on a larger scale: a shared glossary, a digital map of reuse practices, catalogs, and regulatory references.
The project is promoted by Roma Capitale - Department of Culture and is one of the winners of the Roma Creativa 365. Cultura Tutto l'Anno public call, through which the city has chosen to distribute cultural programming throughout the entire year rather than just during the summer months. It was conceived by New Generations and VIC - Vivero de Iniciativas Ciudadanas, in collaboration with Zètema Progetto Cultura.
An international network of partners
The project's structure is explicitly international, which makes it particularly compelling for visitors to Rome. Alongside the two founding organizations, the project involves the Department of Architecture of Roma Tre University, the Real Academia de España en Roma, and HEAT - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Italy. Public meetings have featured leading figures in the European debate on reuse, such as the Belgian studio Rotor, Spanish architect and researcher Manuel Bouzas, and Dutch designer Jan Jongert.
How it is organized: open conferences and limited-enrollment workshops
The format is divided into two complementary levels:
- Public conferences, free and open to everyone upon mandatory reservation, usually held in the evening, featuring an academic introduction followed by a talk from an international guest and a public debate;
- Intensive workshops lasting three days, with limited enrollment (maximum 25 participants), aimed at students, recent graduates, and professionals from all disciplines, resulting in concrete outcomes—from a shared vocabulary to prototypes made from waste materials;
- Digital activities: a series of video interviews with the experts involved (the so-called digital academy) and a digital map of reuse;
- A final exhibition that collects and presents the results of the program to the public.
Two venues, two faces of the city
The Ex Mattatoio in Testaccio (Largo Giovanni Battista Marzi 10, with access also from via Aldo Manuzio) is a manifesto of the theme itself: a massive late-19th-century industrial complex converted into a hub for research and artistic production, now shared between Roma Tre University and the city's cultural activities. The Real Academia de España en Roma, located at Piazza di San Pietro in Montorio 3, hosts the more public-facing meetings on one of the most beautiful terraces on the Janiculum Hill.
Who it is for
Architects, engineers, designers, students, and the simply curious: the conferences do not require technical expertise and are designed as educational outreach events. The workshops, however, are operational and require an application. Those visiting Rome in autumn can include an evening in Testaccio or on the Janiculum Hill as part of an itinerary that, in just a few steps, touches the Monte dei Cocci, the Testaccio Market, and the Pyramid of Cestius—a neighborhood that has made reuse and stratification its identity.
Estetica del Riuso — edition 2026
Estetica del Riuso 2026: the 'Material and Supply Chains' cycle
In 2026, the biennial project promoted by Roma Capitale enters its second phase and remains scheduled until October 2, distributed between the two historic venues of the initiative: the Ex Mattatoio in Testaccio and the Real Academia de España en Roma.
The theme for this year is Material and Supply Chains: moving beyond just the vocabulary of reuse to the concrete chains that turn waste material back into a resource. The practical workshop led by PARC and New Generations at the Mattatoio, which concluded on July 3, led participants to build a prototype of an installation made entirely from salvaged materials; registrations were sold out.
On July 10, the Real Academia de España hosted the conference Material and Supply Chains: Architecture, Ecology, and Material Culture with Manuel Bouzas, a Spanish architect, researcher, and curator whose work explores the relationships between architecture, ecology, and material culture, with a particular focus on the environmental impact of construction processes.
The calendar is completed by the project's digital activities—video interviews with the experts involved and a digital map of reuse practices—and the final presentation of results. Conferences are free with mandatory reservation and limited seating; workshops remain limited-enrollment.
Programme Estetica del Riuso 2026
Material and Supply Chains Cycle - Rome, 2026
- Until July 3, 2026 - Material and Supply Chains Workshop, Ex Mattatoio di Testaccio: practical activity led by PARC and New Generations to build a prototype of an installation using waste materials. Limited enrollment, registrations closed.
- Friday, July 10, 2026, at 6:00 PM - Conference Material and Supply Chains: Architecture, Ecology, and Material Culture, Real Academia de España en Roma (Piazza di San Pietro in Montorio 3), with architect Manuel Bouzas. Free admission with mandatory reservation.
- Until October 2, 2026 - Continuation of the program between the Mattatoio and the Real Academia: meetings with international experts, digital activities (digital academy and reuse mapping), and public presentation of results. The detailed calendar is published progressively on culture.roma.it and on New Generations' channels.
Highlights Estetica del Riuso 2026
- The prototyping workshop at the Mattatoio: actually building an installation with construction waste.
- The meeting with Manuel Bouzas at the Real Academia de España, on the Janiculum Hill, in one of Rome's most evocative cultural venues.
- The network of international partners: Roma Tre, Real Academia de España, HEAT - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, with the support of the Embassy of the Netherlands.
- The digital map of reuse, a tool designed to remain available beyond the project's duration.
Prices Estetica del Riuso 2026
Practical information — Estetica del Riuso
Where
Ex Mattatoio di Testaccio, Largo Giovanni Battista Marzi 10 (entrance also from via Aldo Manuzio 68L), 00153 Rome; Real Academia de España en Roma, Piazza di San Pietro in Montorio 3, 00153 Rome.
How to get there
For the Mattatoio: Metro line B, Piramide stop, then a 10-minute walk; tram 3 and 8, bus 83 and 170. For the Real Academia: bus 115 from Trastevere or walk up from via Garibaldi. Those arriving by train should get off at Roma Ostiense or Roma Termini; Fiumicino Airport is connected to Ostiense by the Leonardo Express and the FL1 regional train.
Admission
Public conferences are free until capacity is reached, with mandatory online booking. Workshops have limited enrollment (maximum 25 participants) and require an application. The venues are accessible to people with disabilities.
Information
New Generations - tel. +39 06 57339710, [email protected], www.newgenerationsweb.com, Instagram @newgens. Updated program at culture.roma.it.
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Where does it take place — Estetica del Riuso
Ex Mattatoio di Testaccio
Largo Giovanni Battista Marzi 10, 00153 Roma