Marcus Aurelius in the digital age

In the heart of the Capitoline Museums, the Marcus Aurelius Exedra designed by Carlo Aymonino – one of the first examples in Rome of contemporary architecture integrated into ancient surroundings – also acted as a workshop where memory and design, history and technology came face to face. This book tells the story of the monument’s long journey – relocations, restorations and placements – as well as the birth of its digital twin: a voice that records data and environmental conditions, turning the statue and the space where it stands into a sentient organism.
Points clouds, numerical models, sensors and algorithms are not mere exercises in style, but tools for care: they prevent risk, improve energy management, and provide more informed approaches to conservation and fruition. Engineers, architects, art historians and restorers have created a collective narrative by weaving together diverse fields of knowledge.
Their aim? To demonstrate how ancient heritage can become a vehicle of knowledge, paving the way for a future capable of preserving and passing on our precious historical legacy.