Rome’s EUR Convention Center “The Cloud” and Its Architectural Significance

The EUR Convention Center, widely known as The Cloud (Nuvola), is one of the most significant contemporary architectural projects realized in Rome in recent decades. Designed by Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, the building opened in 2016 and represents the largest new architectural intervention in the city in more than half a century.

The project is located in Rome’s EUR district, an area developed in the late 1930s as part of a planned World’s Fair. Characterized by strict geometry, monumental scale, and rationalist principles, the district includes works by architects such as Adalberto Libera and Marcello Piacentini. The Cloud positions itself within this context by engaging with the district’s proportions while introducing a contrasting architectural language.

Architectural Composition and Structure

The convention center is composed of three primary elements:

• The Theca, a large transparent glass enclosure
• The Cloud, a free-form steel and fiberglass structure suspended within the enclosure
• The Blade, a linear dark volume designed to function as a hotel

This composition establishes a clear dialogue between rigid geometry and organic form, which forms the conceptual basis of the project.

Interior Organization and Spatial Sequence

The interior is organized around a carefully designed architectural promenade. A large entrance hall connects visitors to the main functional spaces, including a flexible exhibition hall with a capacity of up to 6,000 people and an auditorium housed within the Cloud. Material choices—such as travertine, glass, fiberglass, and wood—are used deliberately to distinguish spatial zones and guide movement.

Conceptual Approach

The architects describe the project as an exploration of opposites: order and freedom, enclosure and fluidity, rationalism and expression. The Cloud introduces a sculptural presence that contrasts with the controlled urban fabric of EUR, referencing Rome’s layered architectural history from classical and baroque forms to modernist planning.

Criticism and Ongoing Discussion

Since its completion, the project has been subject to debate, particularly regarding its construction cost, extended timeline, and long-term economic viability. Questions also remain about the future use of the Blade volume. These discussions continue to shape the building’s public and professional reception.

A Contemporary Intervention in Rome

Regardless of criticism, the EUR Convention Center stands as a distinct contemporary landmark within Rome’s architectural landscape. By introducing a free-form structure into a rationalist setting, The Cloud expands the architectural narrative of the city and reflects the complexity of building contemporary architecture within a historically layered urban context.

Photography: Moreno Maggi