Design Your Own Roman City

Yale University Roman Architecture Class

I am taking an online Roman Architecture class at Yale University through coursera. I have thouroughly enjoyed learning about ancient Rome and the evolution of architecture through these times. One project we worked on was to design your own Roman city and I wanted to share my design.

Proposal for the Fruor Velit Amphitheatrum in Dēstinātiō, United Kingdom

An outdoor amphitheater that accommodates visitors from far and wide with bath houses and hotel space in the newly founded city of Dēstinātiō, United Kingdom.

In the following proposal you will find the design and construction overview for the newly founded Roman city of Dēstinātiō which will have 10,000 inhabitants and will also feature the Fruor Velit Amphitheatrum as a cornerstone of the city. This amphitheater will attract a lot of people, and these visitors will be of great economic benefit to the city.

This project will be managed by Lingerfelt Inc., which is a firm that has been in business for 4 generations and specializes in new development including personally managing the process from conception to completion. Lingerfelt Inc. also specializes in managing the buildings we design and build once operational if that is so desired. The management service includes ensuring the right staff is hired to run the facility as well as clean and maintain the facility. This staff will not only need to be customer centric but also speak the local language of Latin. Lingerfelt Inc is uniquely qualified in putting ourselves in the end users shoes to ensure a unique and enjoyable experience.

Next, this proposal will address some specific details about this city. Some roman cities have names that represent a function of the place itself. Therefore, the name of this proposed city is Dēstinātiō (meaning destination in English) which represents a place that people will want to make a special trip to see or a place people will even decide to relocate to due to its strong desirable reputation. It is located near the center of the United Kingdom, between Manchester and Birmingham but on the western coast. Therefore, it is near the water and has a great water source to supply the city. The Romans occupied Britain starting in 43 AD, and this city was founded recently in 100AD.

Amphitheaters, during these roman times, are used for events such as gladiator combats, chariot races, animal slaying and even executions which draw huge crowds. This proposed Fruor Velit Amphitheatrum will not only host these events but will have additional features to accommodate visitors and make them feel welcomed and at home. Specifically, this amphitheater will be able to hold 25,000 spectators and there will be guest quarters and a bath house weaved into the design so those who have traveled from another city (spectators and those participating in events) can take care of themselves. “Fruor” means enjoyment because everyone will have fun when they are at the Fruor outdoor amphitheater. Picture a strong male gladiator entering the city of Dēstinātiō in a horse drawn carriage to participate in a battle. He is happy to have guest quarters to prepare for and rest before his great battle, which calms his nerves and mentally prepares him for his fight. After his battle he is excited that he doesn’t have to leave town to head back home in a very long carriage ride. Instead, he can clean up in the bath house, change his clothes and spend time with all of the new people he has met. He can contribute to the economy but eating and drinking and shopping while he stays in town, and everything is within a short walking distance.

The design of the proposed Fruor outdoor amphitheater has three specific main functions; The amphitheater section consists of the cavea which is the seating area, the arena where the events happen, and the vomitorium which is the passage situated below and behind the tiers of seats.The bath house sections (there are 2) function as a place for the visitors and inhabitants of the City to get clean and for relaxing. There is one on each side of the sleeping quarters and they blend into the oval shape of the overall structure.The sleeping quarters area of the Fruor are built like insulae or an apartment building however it is also integral to the design of the whole building and not a standalone structure.

A few other pieces of the design to note Points of egress – there are thirteen distinct points of entrance/exit to get into and out of the Fruor outdoor amphitheater plus one additional entrance / exit for the sleeping quarters area of the facility. Lastly there is 2 entrances into the area section. The walkways internal to the structure as well as external to the structure will be well planned to accommodate large masses of people to quickly enter and exit the building. Specifically, the arched entrances throughout are called the vomitoria and are designed to allow rapid dispersal of large crowds. Two roads go to the Fruor Outdoor Amphitheater and circle around the building. The two roads also go out to the one of the two main City roads. Landscaping – The Lingerfelt Inc. team will use landscaping to ensure this facility feels welcoming and comfortable, the greenery will soften the rigidity of the concrete and marble Exterior. 

Surrounding areas – right outside the area of this Fruor Amphitheatre, is areas for people to gather and there are also markets where folks can get drinks and fresh food. The surrounding area is also meant to be welcoming so everyone’s entire experience is enjoyable.

To date, the Roman Amphitheatre at Chester was one of the few amphitheaters in the entire United Kingdom. It was also the largest in Britain and it was used for entertainment and military training. Therefore, the Lingerfelt Inc.’s proposed Fruor Outdoor Amphitheatre in the City of Dēstinātiō, United Kingdom will be the largest in history in the United Kingdom as it measures much larger. This Chester Roman Amphitheater is approximately 320 feet long and 40 feet high and our proposed Fruor Outdoor Amphitheatre is 515 feet long and 80 feet high. Also, its arena dimensions are 240 feet long x 150 feet wide.

The Fruor Amphitheater will be open air oval or elliptical architecture that will be design with tiered seating. The construction materials will consist of naturally occurring materials of marble, stone, and timber as well as manufactured materials like concrete. For example, the seats will be constructed out of timber with masonry foundations. The exterior will be mainly stone and concrete and marble will be used for the prominent columns as well as some of the key arches.

The building techniques that will be used are the Done, Arch and Vault. One of the most important and most repetitive features is the arches. These are a great engineering feature as it allows for large pieces of stone to be placed in a way that supports the structure and carries weight. The arch is also aesthetically pleasing.

The City of Dēstinātiō is laid out in a grid, with streets that are at right angles to each other, and they are parallel with the two main roads. The roads are extremely important to ensure the city is easily to get in and out of as well as easy to get around within the city walls. These walls keep the city protected and incorporate aqueducts which get the water into the city reservoirs. As previously mentioned, this city is near the coast so the city will have a steady supply of water. The forum or government buildings are very important and are located at the center of the City of Dēstinātiō. The government officials can give their speeches in this location for the whole city to hear. Also near the city center are a couple temples to ensure the city has places of worship. There are several open-air markets so the residents and visitors to the city have places to shop. The largest open-air market sells fruits, vegetables, meats and other food stables. The entertainment area of the city has a large theatre for shows, a gymnasium where people will engage in athletics as well as the showpiece Fruor outdoor amphitheater.

There are also residential areas that are within the city walls. Most of the people who live in The City of Dēstinātiō will live in the apartment buildings which are called insulae. There will be many of these to accommodate a lot of these to accommodate the 10,000 in habitants. Each one will be five stories high and will house around 100 people. Tombs, or the burials, will be located outside the city walls along the roads leading into the city. They are not placed within the city walls because of the concerns about disease spreading. There will also be areas within the city walls designated for those that visit the City that want to park their carriage and / or horse and sleep under the stars.

This proposal closes with “Why choose Lingerfelt Inc to build the Fruor Outdoor Amphitheatre in the City of Dēstinātiō, United Kingdom?” This Amphitheatre will be known all over the world as a destination for enjoyment and well-being. Travelers will be well taken care of between the design of this structure and the customer service of the staff. Local inhabitants will be able to connect with those participating in battles or entertaining in the amphitheater because they can stay in the sleeping quarters, get clean and relax in the baths, and socialize in the surrounding areas which are designed for people to gather and hang out. This will also be the largest Amphitheater in the United Kingdom. Lastly this building will be a showpiece in the City with greenery and landscaping that will soften the marble and concrete structure. Lingerfelt Inc. will handle this project from inception to completion and will reduce the risk and make it an easy accomplishment.

Ariel view of the amphitheater that encomapsses baths and sleeping quarters