Rome welcomes a new cultural reality: in the Ponte district, between Piazza Navona and Castel Sant’Angelo, the Ponte Art and Design District comes to life on 18 September, a permanent district that combines design, contemporary art, artistic craftsmanship and antiques. The project was conceived by the Roma Faber association, with the support of the Lazio Region and Municipio I, and under the patronage of the Department of Culture of Roma Capitale. It brings together twenty-eight leading figures from the Roman creative scene, along with universities, companies in the sector and high-end hotel operators.
The initiative aims to give visibility to local excellence but above all to create a living fabric of relationships, with events, meetings and activities capable of conveying the value and uniqueness of the area’s knowledge. ‘The idea,’ explains designer Patrizia Corvaglia, president of Roma Faber, “is to transform a historic district of Rome into a place where design, high craftsmanship, art and design innovation interact with the urban context, contributing to economic development and enhancing the identity of the area. I firmly believe that only by highlighting the value, uniqueness and complexity of creative processes can we build a new centrality for Italian manufacturing, design and artistic craftsmanship that is capable of speaking to the world in contemporary languages rooted in a living and cultured tradition“.
The district presents itself as a model of urban regeneration based on creativity and participation: a place that preserves Rome’s manufacturing heritage – handed down by artisans and designers who have been working in the neighbourhood for decades – while enriching it with the most innovative practices. An open laboratory that becomes a driving force for the local economy, an attraction for cultural tourism and an international showcase for the capital as a city of design.
The calendar of initiatives, which opens with an intense week of events from 18 to 24 September, includes workshops, talks, masterclasses and open visits, opportunities to meet goldsmiths, mosaicists, restorers, designers and art galleries. From October to July 2026, the programme will continue on a regular basis: workshops on inlaying, ceramics, mosaics and goldsmithing, round tables on the circular economy and technological innovation, live painting sessions and urban regeneration projects that will transform the district into a shared space for ideas and experimentation.
The name of the district itself recalls the rich history of the Ponte district, whose roots date back to the Middle Ages. Via dei Banchi Nuovi, once known as Via Papalis, was the road travelled by popes on the day they took possession of the city and was home to the workshops of famous Renaissance craftsmen. Benvenuto Cellini had his workshop here, and Patrizia Corvaglia now works in the same space, continuing the lost wax casting technique 500 years later. This continuity makes the connection between past and present even more evident.
The project draws on a wide network of partners, from public institutions such as Municipio I and the Lazio Region to academic institutions such as the Accademia Italiana, the Quasar Institute for Advanced Design and the Borromini Institute, as well as international collaborations with the University of Arkansas. Media partners include Hotel Domani and Platform.
The district is based on the vision of Roma Faber, an association founded in 2023 that brings together historic artisan workshops, studios, galleries and antique dealers. Led by Patrizia Corvaglia, an entrepreneur and jewellery designer with over thirty years of experience and international collaborations, the association aims to disseminate specialist techniques, create creative networks and promote urban regeneration projects that combine tradition and innovation.
Photo credits:
Francesco Marano, Eller Studio
Sign Press Agency
