The application is an integral component of a museum installation focused on "The Analogous City," a groundbreaking artwork crafted by Aldo Rossi, Eraldo Consolascio, Bruno Reichlin, and Fabio Reinhart for the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 1976. This innovative application harnesses the power of augmented reality to enhance the visitor's experience. When used in conjunction with a reproduction of The Analogous City, accessible at http://archizoom.epfl.ch, the application overlays the artwork with multiple layers that reveal complete references relevant to the collage, thereby enriching the viewer's understanding and interaction with the piece.
This application is essential for engaging with the digital installation featured in the exhibition "Aldo Rossi - The window of the poet, Prints 1973-1997," which is showcased at the Bonnefanten Museum in Maastricht, Archizoom EPFL in Lausanne, and GAMeC in Bergamo. By acquiring the reproduction of the Analogous City in map form, published by Archizoom, users can replicate the interactive museum experience at their convenience, anywhere and anytime. The printed map includes insightful texts by Aldo Rossi, Fabio Reinhart, and Dario Rodighiero, further deepening the user's connection to the artwork.
The Analogous City, or La Città Analoga, was envisioned as a legitimate urban project. It is composed of various elements, including Giovanni Battista Caporali's 1536 drawing of Vitruvius’ city, Galileo Galilei's 1610 drawing of the Pleiades Constellation, Tanzio da Varallo's circa 1625 painting of David and Goliath, Francesco Borromini's plan of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane from 1638-1641, the 1864 Dufour topographic map, Le Corbusier's 1954 general plan of the chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, and numerous architectural projects by Aldo Rossi and his collaborators.
Aldo Rossi's reflections on The Analogous City in Lotus International n. 13 in 1976 encapsulate its essence: “Between past and present, reality and imagination, the analogous city is perhaps simply the city to be designed day by day, tackling problems and overcoming them, with a reasonable certainty that things will ultimately be better.” This statement underscores the dynamic and evolving nature of the project, bridging historical references with contemporary urban design challenges.