Architecture and archaeology : the common meaning of past and future built forms

In the recent debate on the relationship between architecture and archaeology (Capozzi, Fusco, and Visconti 2019) (Mariniello 2016), the prevailing thesis is that contemporary design should take shape within the archaeological site, figuratively affirming its contemporaneity. This assertion characterizes much of recent Italian design experimentation in archaeological contexts (Basso Peressut and Caliari 2014) (Cellini et al. 2009), but above all, it fuels the controversy that often sees architects standing against conservation organizations, making their projects life extremely difficult. This contribution questions the necessity of such a figurative affirmation.