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TENDER
ANNOUNCEMENT
City Of
Rome
Sovrintendenza BB CC
Science Museums
INVITATION
TO TENDER
CONTRACT
TENDER
FOR THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PLANNING OF THE CONTENTS OF
ROME'S CITY OF SCIENCE
1. Contracting
authority: The City of Rome, Superintendent of Cultural Resources,
Organizational Unit for Science Museums, Piazza Campitelli,
Rome Tel +39-6-3225122 67102359 Fax +39-6-67103811.
2. Description and category of services: Feasibility study and
planning of the contents of the new City of Science in Rome.,
Reference number CPC 867 Presumed maximum net amount: L. 1,100,000,000
Lit. (568,103 Euro)
3. Place of performance: Rome, Italy
4. Eligible subjects: Individual or associated professionals,
individual or associated companies, public entities and consortiums.
5. Variants: Permitted in order to attain objectives indicated
under the terms and conditions, assuming that no costs are added
beyond the presumed maximum price.
6. Time period for performance of service: 180 consecutive calendar
days.
7. Partial tenders: not accepted.
8. Acquisition of the Invitation to Tender, together with the
Terms and Conditions and Appendices, at the address listed under
point 1. A copy of the Invitation and the Terms and Conditions
is available at the Internet site http//www2.comune.roma.it/cittascienza
(Acquisition of the Special Terms and Conditions of the Tender:
the Terms and Conditions can be acquired at the address referred
to under point 1. following presentation of a declaration by
the legal representative stating that the minimum prerequisites
stipulated under point 13) below are met, together with a photocopy
of an ID. document, no later than 30 days from the publication
of the present Invitation.)
9. Deadline for presentation of applications for participation:
Suppliers of services who are interested in participating in
the competition must present their applications for participation
on stamped legal paper, complete with the elements referred
to under point 13 below, no later than 12:00 noon on th e 1th
April 2000.
The envelope must be labelled " CONTRACT TENDER FOR THE
FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PLANNING OF THE CONTENTS OF ROME'S CITY
OF SCIENCE"
For the address to which the applications should be sent, see
point 1.
The applications must be compiled in Italian.
10. Deadline
for sending of Invitations to Tender will be communiated later.
11. Guarantees: as per the Special Terms and Conditions.
12. Groupings of Suppliers of Services: Groups of suppliers
of services are also eligible to present tenders, under the
provisions of article 10 of Legislative Decree no. 358/92. In
such cases, as an appendix to the participation application,
signed by all the service suppliers participating in the group,
each supplier must present, in a separate document, a declaration
in which it undertakes, in the event the contracted is awarded,
to be part of the group, which is to be established under the
provisions and procedures referred to under the aforementioned
article 10 of Legislative Decree no. 358/92.
13. Information regarding the position of the suppliers of services
and formalities to be met to evaluate the minimum economic and
technical conditions to be satisfied.
To participate in the competition, the suppliers of services
must include with the participation application, on stamped
legal paper, with failure to do so resulting in exclusion, at
least two bank references demonstrating that the candidate has
always met its commitments and a regular, punctual basis and
possesses the financial and economic capacity to provide the
service.
In addition, the Firms must include with the participation application,
with failure to do so resulting in exclusion, the following
declarations, dated no more than six months earlier and suitable
for subsequent confirmation, signed by the Legal Representative
and by the chief officers of the enterprise, accompanied by
a photocopy of a valid ID. document of the party making the
declaration, stating:
1. that
none of the conditions for exclusion referred to under article
29 of Directive 92/50/EEC apply to the firm
2. that no companies or firms with relationships of association
or control with the firm in question, as determined under article
2359 of the Civil Code, are participating in the competition,
either individually or in groups.
3. that the firm respects - where relevant - Law 482/68 regarding
obligatory hiring
4. declaration of overall revenues, for the three-year period
1996-1998, excluding VAT, of no less than 3,000,000,000 Lit.
5. declaration listing services pertinent to those requested
under the present call for tenders performed for public and/or
private entities during the years 1996-1998, to be confirmed
through the declarations of these same entities, or with copies
of the invoices.
6. that the owner or legal representative of the firm is not
subject to any of the motives for elimination, prohibition or
suspension contemplated under article 10 of Law 575/1995, plus
subsequent modifications, as well as Legislative Decree 490/1994
Note: Solely
for information purposes, the firm is to declare that it abides
by the provisions of article 9 of Law 125/1991 regarding the
situation of male and female personnel on its staff.
The declarations
listed under points 1 to 6 must be accompanied by a photocopy
of a valid ID. document of the party making the declaration,
and they must be dated no more than six months earlier. In the
case of consortiums or temporary associations of companies,
the documents referred to in the first paragraph of this article
and the declarations indicated under points 1-2-3-5 and 6 must
regard each associated firm or consortium member.
The requirement indicated under point 4 can be satisfied in
a cumulative manner, though the head company must possess at
least 50% of the prerequisites and the delegating firms must
meet the same prerequisites at a proportion of at least 20%,
with 100% of the prerequisites being met in any event.
The documents referred to in the first paragraph of this article
can be substituted by a declaration, dated no more than six
months earlier, accompanied by a valid ID. document of the party
making the declaration.
All of the
documents cited above, if signed by a foreign authority, must
be duly legalized by the Italian diplomatic or consular representatives;
if written in a foreign language, then a translation must be
included, certified by the same Italian diplomatic or consular
representatives as faithfully reflecting the foreign text.
Failure or delay in presentation of even one of the elements
required above, or non-conformity of the same, will result in
exclusion from participation in the competition.
Eligibility of firms to be invited to tender will be determined
by the Administration through executive decisions.
Following approval of the eligible firms, these same firms will
be invited to present tenders to the SEGRETARIATO GENERALE -
UFFICIO CENTRALE DI CORRISPONDENZA - Via del Campidoglio n.
4 -00186 ROME Italy in accordance with the procedures and deadlines
stipulated in the letter of invitation.
14. Criteria for the award of the contract. The service will
be awarded under the provisions of article 36 paragraph 1 letter
a) of the Directive 92/50/EEC to the most advantageous tender,
evaluated on the basis of the following parameters, in order
of decreasing importance:
ELEMENTS
OF EVALUATION Maximum score
a - planning of the activities and organization 35 (thirty-five)
b - make-up of work group and professional skills employed in
the service 25 (twenty-five)
c - accrued experience 20 (twenty)
d - sum offered 20 (twenty)
Tenders
with the lowest proposed price will be assigned the maximum
score indicated under point d) above.
The score for each tender with a price other than the minimum
shall be calculated as follows
Pm x Pum
P
Where "Pm" is the minimum price offered, "P"
is the price of each of each tender and "Pum" is the
score assigned to the minimum price; the results will be rounded
off to the nearest thousandth of a point.
Tenders
with prices or technical characteristics held, respectively,
to be too low or anomalous can be excluded.
Considering
the high degree of specialized skills required, and the likelihood
that a low number of candidates will participate, the contract
will be awarded even if only one valid tender is presented.
In the event that only one valid tender is received, the Municipal
Administration will be entitled to award the contract or to
negotiate an improved tender with the party making the proposal.
In the case
of tenders judged to be equal, the contract shall be awarded
to the tender with the lowest price.
The Administrative reserves the right to refrain from approving
the results of the tender competition, eventually for reasons,
in addition formal irregularities, of advisability of convenience,
or if the tender should prove inappropriate, without the candidates
being entitled to request any indemnity or compensation whatsoever.
Period of tender validity: 180 days from the deadline for presentation
of the tender.
15. Requests for information and copies of terms and conditions
should be sent to the address indicated under point 1. To receive
a copy of the terms and conditions, send a request to the address
listed under point 1, accompanied by a fee of 5,000 Lit. in
favor of the Cashier's Office of the Municipal Superintendent
16. Disputes: any disputes are to be brought before the ordinary
courts in Rome.
16. Date of publication of pre-information notice in the EC
Bulletin: no indication.
17. Date of sending of Invitation to Tender no indication.
18. Date on which the Invitation to Tender is received by the
Official Publications Office of the EEC: no indication.
The Superintendent
Prof. Eugenio La Rocca
City of
Rome
Sovrintedenza BB CC
Science Museums
CONTRACT
TENDER
FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PLANNING OF THE CONTENTS OF ROME'S CITY
OF SCIENCE
SPECIAL
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
SECTION
I
Article 1 - Subject of the contract tender
The present terms and conditions govern the contract tender
for a feasibility study and the planning of the conceptual and
material contents of Rome's City of Science, currently being
established, as specified in the appendix Technical Terms and
Conditions.
The area to be covered by the study in question is specified
under the Technical Terms and Conditions.
Article
2 - Definitions
In the present Terms and Conditions, and in all the documentation
in general, the terminology specified below will be used:
2.1 "Contract tender" indicates the procedure followed
by the Municipal Superintendent's Office for performance of
the feasibility study and the planning of the contents of Rome's
City of Science.
2.2 "Terms and Conditions" indicates the present special
terms and conditions of tender.
2.3 "Candidate" indicates the individuals or organizations
which present tenders to obtain the Contract, in the person
of their legal representative.
2.4 "Winner" ("Consultant") indicates the
party which wins the contract, represented by the individual
legally empowered to enter into agreements, and whose title
and identifying information must be specified.
2.5 "Contract" indicates the contract signed by the
Municipal Superintendent's Office and the Consultant for the
performance of the feasibility study of Rome's Museum of Science.
2.6 "Superintendent's Office" indicates the Contracting
Administration, meaning the Municipal Superintendent's Office
of Rome.
2.8 "Monitoring committee" indicates an organ created
to control the progress made in the Consultant's study.
Article 3 - Amount of the Contract
Presumed maximum amount of the services: 1,100,000,000 Lit.
(one billion and one hundred million lire) (568103 Euro) + 220,000,000
(113,621 Euro) VAT of 20 % (entirely financed by the Municipal
Superintendent's Office of Rome from the "Rome Capital"
funds) .
Article
4 - Sources for the contract
The contract must be awarded in accordance with the present
Special Terms and Conditions. Secondary provisions are those
stipulated under:
- The General Terms and Conditions of the City of Rome approved
under the Council's Resolution 6126 of 17 November 1983.
- The current provisions of the law and the regulations governing
the administration of public resources and general State accounting,
plus whatever other measures may be issued in the future
- The Civil Code and the other norms already issued, or to be
issued, regarding private-law contracts, to the extent that
they are not regulated by the provisions of the preceding point.
- Directive 92/50/EEC, transformed into Legislative Decree 157/95,
plus the measures referred to therein
Article
5 - Description of the services required
The City of Science which the Administration of the City of
Rome intends to create is a complex structure meant to function
as a major system of scientific communication on an international
level, and it must represent, both nationally and within Europe,
a center of excellence for the dissemination of high-level scientific
and technological culture.
The Municipal Administration of Rome, given the complexity of
the operation, intends to draw on the services of a consultant
in order to formulate a project and feasibility study on the
City of Science which examines in depth the following fundamental
points, in addition to those cited in the technical terms and
conditions:
1. Potential demand and estimate of visitor flow
2. Evaluation of dimensions and morphology
3. Identification of the conceptual, material and methodological
contents of the City of Science
3.1 comparative analysis of the most advanced reference models,
3.2 evaluation of the general contents expressed in the guidelines
drawn up by the Scientific Commission (point 2 of the Technical
Terms and Conditions), formulation of proposals for supplementary
points,
3.3 preliminary formulation and evaluation of possible scenarios
of implementation, from among which will be selected, in the
course of the project, the optimal configuration for the new
City of Science of Rome
3.4 final formulation of an overall study provided a detailed
analysis of
3.4.1 the structure and morphology of the City of Science
3.4.2 the conceptual, material and methodological contents of
the new museum
3.5 feasibility studies on the functional structures and the
service centers identified
3.6 general museum studies project regarding the expositions
and detailed project for the fundamental exhibits
4. general and particular specifications for the awarding of
the overall architectural planning.
5. Project for the connection of the City of Science with the
other nodes of the municipal and national scientific museum
system, plus planning of the network structure
6. Comparative analysis of the total investment vs. the overall
benefits in terms of the progress of scientific culture in the
City and the nation.
Article
6 - Procedures for performance and phases of implementation.
The consultant winning the contract tender is to carry out the
study and the subsequent planning according to the phases listed
below:
PHASE 1 - Formulation and presentation of one or more operating
proposals along general lines, but with recognizable and unified
contents and structure.
Phase 1 shall be followed by the opinion of the Monitoring Committee,
which will proceed with the identification and eventual approval
of the optimal scenario. At this point the Committee will requests
modifications, additions, variations or reformulation of the
contents and the overall structure of the system of the City
of Science.
PHASE 2
- Presentation of the preliminary edition of the study and approval
of the same by the Monitoring Committee. Presentation of the
final results of the study with regard to points 1 and 2 of
article 5 above. The definitive results of points 1 and 2 shall
be made available to the consultant assigned the study regarding
the identification of the organizational format and the operating
structure of the future City of Science.
PHASE 3
- Presentation of the feasibly study and the planning of the
contents in a definitive edition at the conclusion of the services.
Article
7 - Contents of the tender
Within the deadline indicated in the letter of invitation to
the firms participating in the contract tender, a sealed envelope
labelled with the following information must be sent to the
Comune di Roma -Segretariato Generale- Ufficio Corrispondenza
- Via del Campidoglio, 4 . 00186 Rome - Italy:
- name of the candidate;
- subject of the contract tender
and it must contain:
- the sealed envelope with the economic tender;
- the sealed envelope with the technical tender;
- the administrative documentation requested in the letter of
initiation.
All the envelopes must be closed, sealed and labelled with their
contents. The name of the Form and the subject of the contract
tender must be clearly written on the envelope, with failure
to do so resulting in exclusion. The following must be included
in the economic tender, with failure to do so resulting in exclusion:
- an indication of the price bid (expressed in Italian lire)
not including VAT;
- an explicit declaration that the candidate accepts and agrees
to respect all the responsibilities and clauses contemplated
under the present Special Terms and Conditions of the Contract,
as well as the other sources cited in article 3, and under the
provisions of articles 1341 and 1342 of the Civil Code;
- a declaration that the candidate has evaluated all the circumstances
which led to the calculation of the price, as well as the contractual
conditions which may influence the performance of the service.
The economic tender must be binding for a period of 6 (six)
months.
The technical tender must contain all the elements required
under article 5 of the present Special Terms and Conditions.
Article
8 - Confidentiality
The supplier of the services agrees the observe the maximum
confidentiality with regard to information of any type whatsoever
obtained in the performance of the work covered by the present
Special Terms and Conditions.
SECTION
II - General tender conditions
Article
9 - Variants in the Technical Terms and Conditions
Under the provisions of Article 24 of Legislative Decree 157/95,
variants which make it possible to achieve the objectives indicated
by the Contracting Authority in the Technical Terms and Conditions
are permitted.
Article
10 - Time period for completion of the services
The deadline for completion of the services is set at 180 consecutive
calendar days (one hundred and eighty days).
Article 11 - Forms of guarantee
To participate in the competition, the firm must include with
the tender a receipt demonstrating payment of a provisional
security deposit of 55,000,000 Lit. (fifty-five million lire),
to be made in one of the following modes:
a. in cash or in government bonds or securities guaranteed by
the State at the average price quotation of the preceding week
set by the Ministry of the Treasury and deposited with the Municipal
Treasury;
b. through the establishment of a security deposit for an equal
amount with one of the banks indicated under Presidential Decree
no. 635 of 22 May 1956;
c. through a bank guarantee for an equal sum;
d. through an insurance policy for an equal sum.
The security deposits referred to under points b), c) and d)
must include the following special condition, under which the
banking or insurance institute unconditionally commits itself,
waiving the benefit of preliminary examination contemplated
under article 1944 of the Civil Code, with failure to do so
resulting in exclusion. In addition, the insurance or banking
institute must agree to maintain the validity of the guarantee
until the formal act of release on the part of the Administration.
The document must indicate the signatory powers of the insurer.
To guarantee exact observation of the obligations entered into
by the Firm, a final security deposit must be established ,
before the contract is signed, in the forms permitted under
the law, and in the amount of 5% of the net sum of the award.
The security deposit remains bound until the end of the contract,
meaning the end of the guarantee period, or until all exceptions
and disputes have been settled.
Article
12 - Expenses, duties and taxes
With regard to the signing of the contract, all expenses, duties
and taxes involving the contract, including tax stamps, receipts,
set duties, administrative fees, registrations etc., will be
the responsibility of the winning service supplier.
The contract will stipulate the clauses to be submitted for
specific written approval, as per article 1341 of the Civil
Code.
Article
13 - Sub-contracting
The winner is expressly forbidden to subcontract or transfer
the contract, even a portion of it, to third parties, with violations
leading to resolution of the contract under the provisions of
article 1456 of the Civil Code, though the City of Rome will
still be entitled to seek reimbursement of damages.
Article
14 - Payment procedures
- 25 % of the sum of the contract tender award upon approval
of the progress report presented at the end of Phase 1;
- an additional 25 % upon approval of the preliminary edition
of the feasibility study at the conclusion of Phase 2;
- an additional 35% upon approval of the feasibility study,
presented in its definitive version, and completion of the services;
- the remaining 15% will be settled following a declaration
of proper execution, documented with a certificate;
SECTION
III - Competition procedures
Article
15 - Eligible subjects
A subject which participates individually or as a member of
a candidate consortium or group cannot be part of other candidate
consortiums or groups, with violations resulting in the exclusion
of not only the subject, but also the candidate consortiums
or groups to which it belongs.
Foreign participants must present all the documents and declarations
required under the present Terms and Conditions.
If their home nation does not release the required documents,
or any one of these, then a sworn declaration containing all
the elements present constitutes sufficient proof, having been
released to the interested party in the presence of an administrative
or court authority, or a notary public, or any other public
official authorized to receive it under the legislation of the
country in question, or, in the case of countries where sworn
declarations are not contemplated, a solemn declaration containing
the same elements.
Article
16 - Groups of service providers
Also eligible for participation in the awarding of the work
referred to under article 1 of the present Terms and Conditions
are service providers who have purposefully and temporarily
formed groups under the procedures of article 11 of Legislative
Decree no. 157/95, with an indication of the group head.
The joint tender must:
- be signed by all the firms in the group;
- specify the portions of the project to be carried out by the
individual firms;
- commit these same firms to observing the rules and regulations
contemplated under the present article.
The elements required in the Invitation to Tender under point
13, letters A) and B), and the declarations contained in points
1), 2), 3) and 4), refer to each of the associated firms or
consortium members.
The act of delegation of firms temporarily grouped together
is to be formally presented to the Administration before the
signing of the contract.
Article
17 - Partial or increased tenders
Tenders made in partial form, conditionally or in excess of
the sum indicated under article 3 or of the completion deadline
indicated under article 10 are not permitted.
Article
18 - Information requests
Information can be requested (exclusively by mail or telefax)
from the Management of the Organizational Unit for Scientific
Museums of the Superintendent's Office of the City of Rome (address,
telephone and fax indicated under article 1), which will supply
information regarding the tender to those making requests..
The responses will be communicated by telefax to the number
indicated by the requesting party.
Article
19 - Validity of the tenders
Following their presentation, the tenders cannot be withdrawn
or modified or supplemented.
The tender and the related prices are understood to be valid
or six months from the date of their receipt.
Article
20 - Evaluation of the tenders
The Tender
Commission will proceed with the examination of the administrative
documentation.
The judging commission evaluating the tenders, appointed for
the purpose in a subsequent measure issued by the Municipal
Superintendent's Office following the deadline for the presentation
of the tenders, will proceed with the evaluation of the technical
tender and the economic tender.
Article
21. Criteria for the award of the contract.
The service will be awarded under the provisions of article
36 paragraph 1 letter a) of the Directive 92/50/EEC to the most
advantageous tender, evaluated on the basis of the following
parameters, in order of decreasing importance:
ELEMENTS
OF EVALUATION Maximum score
a - planning of the activities and organization 35 (thirty-five)
b - make-up of work group and professional skills employed in
the service 25 (twenty-five)
c - accrued experience 20 (twenty)
d - sum offered 20 (twenty)
Tenders
with the lowest proposed price will be assigned the maximum
score indicated under point d) above.
The score for each tender with a price other than the minimum
shall be calculated as follows
Pm x Pum
P
Where "Pm" is the minimum price offered, "P"
is the price of each of each tender and "Pum" is the
score assigned to the minimum price; the results will be rounded
off to the nearest thousandth of a point.
Article
22 -Awarding
The Municipal Superintendent's Office will proceed with the
awarding of the study to the candidate presenting the most advantageous
tender, calculated in reference to the elements of evaluation
indicated above.
Considering the high degree of specialized skills required,
and the likelihood that a low number of candidates will participate,
the contract will be awarded even if only one valid tender is
presented. In the event that only one valid tender is received,
the Municipal Administration will be entitled to award the contract
or to negotiate an improved tender with the party making the
proposal.
In addition, the Commission reserves the full right, at its
own binding discretion, to refuse to accept the tenders presented
when it holds that none of them satisfactorily meet the relevant
requirements or offer the necessary technical or contractual
guarantees.
The Commission further reserves the option to request modifications
and additions to the chosen tender, though the modifications
in question must not violate the principle of equal conditions
for the candidates.
The Superintendent's Office will communicate the outcome of
the tender to the winner.
This communication will also be made to the other candidates
City of
Rome
Sovrintendenza BB CC
Science Museums
CALL FOR
TENDERS
FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PLANNING OF THE CONTENTS OF THE CITY
OF SCIENCE OF ROME
TENDER ADVERTISEMENT
SPECIFICATIONS
Summary
PURPOSE OF THE TENDER
1. PROJECT OBJECTIVES
1.1 Potential demand and estimate of the flow of visitors
1.2 Evaluation of dimensions and morphology
1.3 Identification of the contents
1.3.1 comparative analysis of the most advanced reference models
1.3.2 checking the general contents set out in the guidelines
prepared by Scientific Committee
1.3.3 preliminary preparation and verification of the possible
scenarios
1.3.4 final version of a global study
1.3.5 specific feasibility studies of the functional structures
and service centres
1.3.6 museographical plan for the exhibits
1.4. General and detailed specifications for the purpose of
assignment of the architectural planning.
1.5. Plan for linking the City of Science with other city science
museums
1.6 Comparative analysis of the overall outlay Vs overall benefits
in terms of improvement scientific culture
2. GUIDELINES PREPARED BY THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE.
2.1 The philosophy behind the "City of Science of Rome"
project
2.2 The international scenario
2.3 The Roman scenario
2.4 Settling the "unitary Vs multipolar" question
2.5 The reference models
2.6 The project of Rome
2.7 Indispensable characteristics of the Roman initiative
2.7.1 It must pursue the objective of the diffusion of scientific
culture
2.7.2 The project must take account of the fact that our society
is characterised by great innovation
2.7.3 - The project must take account of the fact that we are
evolving towards a society characterised by new communication
technologies
2.7.4 - The City of Science has to fit into the Roman scene
and become part of it
2.7.5 - Rome has enormous scientific and technological wealth
2.7.6 - History and memory of the past
2.7.7 - Cultural dialogue and junction
2.7.8 - Universal access
2.8 Possible distinctive features
3. THE BASIC CONTENTS OF THE CITY OF SCIENCE OF ROME
3.1 - THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF SPACE
3.2 - THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE STRUCTURE OF MATTER
3.3 - THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
3.4 - MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGIES
3.5 - COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
3.6 - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN ROME
4. FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES AND SERVICE CENTRES OF THE CITY OF
SCIENCE
4.1 IMAX cinema
4.2 Theatre - Auditorium
4.3 Workshops and laboratories
4.4 Conservation Facility
4.5 Teaching and animation centre
4.6 Experimental vegetable garden and arboretum
4.7 Media library, film library and multimedia technology education
centre
4.8 The science of art
4.9 Association centre and membership
4.10 Integration with the municipal science structures
4.10.1 Museo civico di Zoologia
4.10.2 Planetario e Museo delle Scienze planetarie
4.10.3 Museo della Matematica
4.10.4 Collection of "Arte sanitaria"
4.10.5 The Children's City
5- MUSEUM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
5.1 Conservation of the collections
5.2 Management of the information
5.3 - Configuration of the new Museum based on a modular system
6. POTENTIAL DEMAND
6.1 Estimate of the flow of visitors
7. DIMENSIONS AND MORPHOLOGY
8. - ORGANISATION OF THE STUDY
8.1 Project phases
8.2 Scientific Committee
8.3 Supervisory Committee
8.4 Project Co-ordinator
PURPOSE
OF THE TENDER
The purpose of this tender is to find a qualified Consultant,
capable of assisting the Staff of the Local Government in drawing
up a Feasibility Study related to the cultural and scientific
aspects and the museological and financial planning of the "City
of Science of Rome" system.
The call for tenders and subsequent identification follow the
preparatory work already carried out by the "Committee
for the drawing up of a plan of operations aimed at the creation
of a Museum of Science in Rome" established by Resolution
no. 2685 of the City Council of 24 July 1998.
The main objective of the Tender is to achieve a plan that,
on the one hand, assimilates the guidelines and recommendations
produced by the Committee and, on the other, makes a substantial
contribution to the planning of the characteristics of the future
City of Science of Rome and its museological organisation and
form.
The technical specifications necessary for the execution of
the Feasibility Study to which the tender refers form an integral
part of these specifications
The criteria for eligibility of the bids and requirements for
participation in the tender are set out in the Call for Tenders
and in the Special Conditions.
1. PROJECT
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the project is to create a City of Science
in Rome.
The new structure should take the shape of a great system of
scientific communication, at the international level, and should
constitute a centre of excellence for the propagation of high-profile
scientific and technological culture in Italy and Europe.
In view of the complexity of the operation, the Municipal Government
of Rome wants to make use of a Consultant to carry out a feasibility
study for the City of Science and plan its contents.
Considering that the principal purpose of the study is to make
a detailed analysis of the conceptual, material and methodological
contents of the new City of Science, the Consultant will, first
and foremost, analyse the potential demand for the new structure,
estimating the flow of visitors, its dimensions and its morphology.
The Consultant will then analyse the information produced by
the research work done by the experts of the Scientific Committee
during the preliminary phase of the studies and analyse all
the documentation on the subject produced by Institutions and
individual research worker. This will enable him or her to acquire
a broad knowledge of the cultural contexts of the various projects
drawn up in the past and of the background of the project.
On the basis of this knowledge, the Consultant will indicate
the best possible configuration for the new Museum. Subsequently
the Consultant will define the strategies linked to the most
important aspects of the management of the Museum (conservation,
exhibition space, education, services, management and propagation
of information, tourist activities). On the basis of the various
configurations identified, the Consultant, in agreement with
the Principal, will select the most suitable one to be developed
during the next phase of the Feasibility Study and will carry
out further technical investigations for the purpose of being
able to draw up the plan of operations of the Project.
Lastly,
the Consultant will determine the impact of the proposed configuration
on the physical, social and economic environment of the city.
The study will also consider activities to be developed in parallel
with other museums.
Operationally the Consultant is required to develop the following
basic points, in the order suggested below, integrating the
other requests of the principal wherever the Consultant deems
most suitable:
1. Potential demand and estimate of the flow of visitors
2. Evaluation of dimensions and morphology
3. Identification of the conceptual, material and methodological
contents of the City of Science
3.1 comparative analysis of the most advanced reference models,
3.2 checking the general contents set out in the guidelines
prepared by Scientific Committee (point 2 of the Specifications),
preparing proposals for additions,
3.3 preliminary preparation and verification of the possible
scenarios from among which, as the work goes on, the optimal
configuration of the new City of Science of Rome will be selected
3.4 final version of a global study in which a detailed analysis
is made of
3.4.1 the structure and morphology of the City of Science
3.4.1 the conceptual, material and methodological contents of
the new Museum
3.5 specific feasibility studies of the functional structures
and service centres identified
3.6 general museum plan related to the exhibitions and a detailed
plan of the essential exhibits
4. General and detailed specifications for the purpose of assignment
of the overall architectural planning.
5. Plan for linking the City of Science with other parts of
the city and national museum system and a plan for a network
structure
6. Comparative analysis of overall outlay Vs overall benefits
in terms of improvement of the scientific culture of the City
and the Nation.
2. GUIDELINES
PREPARED BY THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE.
Rome is
almost the only capital of a great State that still has no large
structure dedicated to the presentation of the basic problems
of science and technology. This appears even more serious when
we recall that Rome has very important collections and considerable
intellectual energy, as well as a significant potential for
direct interaction with the great research centres and the principle
information and communication structures.
2.1 The
philosophy behind the "City of Science of Rome" project
The idea of starting work on a City of Science, which can rank
high among international science museums, with good qualifications
and specific characteristics, is a great opportunity not only
for Rome, but for the whole country.
Although the City of Science project contemplates the creation
of a huge exhibition centre with great attraction for the public,
it will also make it possible to enhance and put to use the
positive experiments thus far carried out in Rome through the
widespread network of conservation centres and initiatives promoted
by "Musis" to respond to the increasing demand for
scientific culture in this country.
For the network of intellectual energy that contributed to inspiring
the "Musis" Project, the future City of Science will
certainly constitute a landmark, a guarantee of co-ordination
and an opportunity for timely planning of initiatives, as well
as adequate operational, organisational and service structures,
capable of assisting persons working in the field and making
the work of propagating scientific culture more effective.
In other words, the City of Science is not to be conceived as
an inaccessible citadel but as a powerful engine capable of
transmitting impulses and stimuli far beyond the precincts of
its own walls, involving, mobilising and assisting all the people
who want to participate in a project of great civic importance
aimed at bringing scientific culture to the citizens and making
them more aware of the cognitive, economic-productive and social
implications of research.
2.2 - The international scenario
Very important centres for the propagation of science are already
in existence in the great European capital cities, often for
many year. Just as an example, we can recall that the start
of the initiatives that led to the inauguration of the Science
Museum of London date as far back as the eighteen-seventies,
the Deutsches Museum of Munich was founded in 1903 and opened
to the public in 1914, while the Palais de la Decouverte in
Paris was inaugurated in 1937 and the San Francisco Exploratorium
has been in full operation since 1969.
There are other centres, even though smaller and less important
- like Poitiers, Manchester or Helsinki - that have structures
of this type and are usually known as "Museums" or
"Cities of Science". Another significant fact is that
all these structures were created in cities and cultural contexts
that already had big Natural History Museums, some even two
hundred years old.
2.3 - The
Roman scenario
Attempts at filling this gap have been going on for many years
and one that assumed particular importance during the last ten
years is the "MUSIS" project, supported by the "The
Sapienza" University of Rome and the Province of Rome.
This project started out as an attempted to create a great Museum
of Science, along the lines of and similar in size to others
on the international scene, with various proposals regarding
its location and contents. Subsequently, the idea of building
a "multipolar" museum prevailed, which consisted of
identifying a certain number of "poles", distributed
over different sites, to form an organised, integrated system
into an efficient network.
Rome has many small and medium Science Museums, fairly evenly
distributed throughout the city. In the field of national history,
the Museums of the "The Sapienza" University, connected
with the scientific departments of the Faculty of Science, are
mainly active in the field of research and conservation while,
as far as education is concerned, they only operate in the field
of university teaching and, as a whole, they have a wealth of
scientific collections of an extent comparable to any large
European natural history museum.
On the other hand, there are other Museums active in the city
that are open to the public and can carry out their mission
in full. There is the L. Pigorini Ethnography Museum (State)
and the Municipal Zoology Museum. Both establishments are large
in size, contain many scientific collections (the Zoology Museum
has five million specimens) and are strictly single-discipline.
Apart from Natural History, there are other bodies (Universities,
Research Institutions, Schools, Hospitals, firms, etc.) that
possess a great wealth of cultural, technical-scientific and
industrial property of great interest but not very usable.
Then there are other structures, which have been taking shape
recently, for which plans are ready and funding allocated.
It is clear that the overall city scenario in which "Musis"
has been working is heterogeneous and characterised by extreme
fragmentariness while, at the same time, it has great vitality
(also generated by "Musis").
The overall scenario of the management of scientific culture
in Rome, is in any case, evolving rapidly and seething with
proposals and action, which can even be seen in the organisation
of the Municipal Government, which has set up a special Scientific
Culture Office.
2.4 - Settling
the "unitary Vs multipolar" question
In the Roman situation, this type of debate arises from the
existence of an important historic and scientific heritage and
concerns, in particular, the relationship between the new Museum
and the collections of the museums already in existence.
In fact, this relationship can be based either on the assumption
of partial or total presentation of the collections in the City
of Science or on the assumption that they would be made use
of while remaining in their existing sites.
There are a number of reasons in favour of their presentation
in the same place as the interactive exhibits, the temporary
and permanent exhibitions and the services of the new City of
Science.
First and foremost, there is a typically cultural reason, since
that would enable the most advanced and sophisticated aspects
of contemporary technical-scientific research to be presented
in a perspective of the historical development of science and
technology I
Secondly, there is the possibility of endowing the exhibits
with a marked attraction potential, since the technical-scientific
and industrial collections of Rome are composed of articles
that are little known but have a great impact on the general
public (including the many tourists) which hardly knows them.
Thirdly, there is the advisability of locating these collections
in a suitable place for their conservation and taking the opportunity
of their transfer and new arrangement in a museum for making
inventories, preparing catalogues and carrying out restoration
and research campaigns, without which this wealth runs very
high risks of being wasted and destroyed.
The fact is that a significant increase in the "critical
mass" of the new city or museum of science would be achieved,
as well as an unprecedented enhancement and manifestation of
Rome's historic-scientific wealth and make the Roman project
really distinct from the "city of science" models
created in other parts of the world.
There are some objective difficulties in relation to the second
proposal, regarding exploitation of the existing situation,
but it is still believed that there is a concrete possibility
of developing a project with the exploitation of the historic-scientific
wealth as its the main objective. In this case the City of Science
would be deployed in the area selected without having the historic
collections and the research collections but it would, nonetheless,
be involved in an ambitious project for their exploitation ad
exhibition to the public in their various historic sites, perhaps
adopting, updating and above all concretely implementing the
"multipolar" network strategy conceived by "MUSIS".
The Scientific Committee has therefore decided:
- to settle the question of choice between a decentralised and
"multipolar" museum and a single and "Museum
or City of Science" by finding a solution that combines
the positive aspects of both strategies,
- to take the projects already under way or under preparation
fully into account, with a view to possible greater involvement
in the future,
- to make provision for a strong network function to exploit
the existing scientific wealth,
- to create a communication and display structure on subjects
complementary to those already existing or in any case to aim
at greater integration.
This series
of considerations led the Scientific Committee to pursue a single,
well-defined project for a great "City of Science"
system, which is to consist of:
- a Museum of Science operating in a complementary way to the
existing system, using a conceptual approach covering six specific
subjects (set out in points 3.1 - 3.6 below) which are open
to integration.
- a series of functional structures and supplementary service
centres situated both in the City of Science and in other urban
locations,
- a global network system of the city science museums that,
without attempting to interfere with their particular characters
and fields, would link all the city structures virtually and
optimise their cultural use and their ease of use.
2.5 - The
reference models
There are a great many significant examples of museums and/or
cities of science on the international scene. These models,
their evolution and their ability to attract the interest of
a very wide public today need to be carefully analysed by the
Consultant, with particular attention to the principal dynamics
of their development.
These structures nearly always have very large premises and
their architecture is usually impressive and striking. They
present series of exhibits aimed at helping the "lay"
public to understand the theoretical principles of science and
the most advanced and sophisticated applications.
Interaction, in other words direct participation by the public
in the process of observation and discovery, is their most characteristic
common feature. As early as 1963, interaction, as the best way
of promoting understanding by a wider section of the public
of the complex world of science and technology, was one of the
cornerstones of the San Francisco Exploratorium, an institute
which still best interprets its spirit and method and constantly
updates it. The teaching activity that takes place in these
science centres is of the hands-on type. More recently, these
structures, which at the international level often do not show
particularly significant type variations (anyone who has visited
many will have noticed how often the same exhibits recur) have
been seeking an increasingly direct and prompt link with the
products of technological and industrial innovation (the exhibits
are often actually promos of national and/or multinational firms
active in the hi-tech field; this is also due to the need to
cut down on the costs of creating exhibition structures by using
the resources of private sponsors).
Lastly, during the last few years, multimedia technologies have
been increasingly used in these centres as a supplement or alternative
to the traditional exhibits, or to support their automatic operation
by means of electronic systems that allow users to program them
freely.
Many of these centres continue to meet with great success with
the public and they are generally recognised as having an essential
function in the process of transferring advanced scientific
and technical subjects to the general public.
It must, however, be stressed that the quest for hands-on demonstrations
at all costs quite often detracts from even a basic understanding
of the principles involved in some of the exhibits. In other
words, it can be said that hands-on does not always mean mind-on
and that amusing observation of effects, without the slightest
intellectual involvement regarding the causative mechanisms
and basic principles on which they operate, produces limited
educational results. In recent years authorities have started
pointing out the weakness or educational inadequacy of many
of these structures. People are shown the results and products
of research, which can be viewed in their extreme and reassuring
schematism and, above all, can be freely handled but they do
not even get a glimpse of the complexity and the cultural dimension
of scientific and technological research.
During the past ten years great efforts have been made in Italy,
in some important centres, to overcome the fact that our country
is lagging behind its principal international partners, by planning
structures of that type. An axis of national science museums
is emerging that, in addition to the few big and famous Natural
History Museums of the principal cities of the North, means
that important scientific and technical structures have now
been established in Milan, Florence and Naples
Apart from the plans and efforts made in Rome by "MUSIS",
experiments aimed at achieving similar objectives (although
they have not yet really taken root) have been carried out in
Genoa (with a great public attendance at the Aquarium), Trieste
(Immaginario Scientifico) and Turin (Experimenta). Recently,
the University of Catania, in agreement with the University
of Lecce, launched an ambitious City of Science project. There
has also been activity and preliminary projects along these
lines in Padua (on the initiative of the University) and Florence
(on the initiative of the Institute and Museum of the History
of Science and the Municipality).
2.6 - The
project of Rome
The overall picture and remarks outlined must always be kept
in mind in the preparation of the project for the City of Science
in Rome. The main purpose of this is to achieve a dual objective:
a) to produce an organisation with a "critical mass"
comparable to that of the most successful establishments already
in operation on the international scene;
b) make the Roman initiative something special compared to the
most widely adopted models.
2.7 - Indispensable
characteristics of the Roman initiative
It is essential for the Roman initiative to be different from
the standard types of Science Centre common on the international
scene and to have its own particular identity.
With regard to the distinctiveness and originality of the Roman
project, the City of Science of Rome must be conceived, carried
out and operated in the context of the following eight essential
points:
2.7.1 - It most pursue the objective not only of scientific
and technical information but, above all, that of the dissemination
of scientific ad technological culture and, to use an Anglo-Saxon
expression, of "an understanding of science and technology".
It must therefore be a place where memory and history and change
and evolution are represented.
It is therefore neither a museum in the traditional sense nor
a series of technological showcases.
It must achieve a balance between memory and mutation, inspired
by a cultural approach to science and technology and must therefore
have a clear historical and critical aspect.
All things considered, it must contribute to putting science
and technology back into culture and culture back into science
and technology
2.7.2 -
The project must take account of the fact that we live, and
shall in the medium term continue to live, in a society characterised
by a great rate of innovation. In the design of the City of
Science, both its shape and contents, a balance must be sought
between structures and infrastructures, between stores, laboratories
and exhibition spaces, capable of ensuring a high degree of
flexibility and adaptability.
In other words, it must be designed with a view to adaptability
to requirements that vary as time goes by.
2.7.3 -
The project must take account of the fact that we are evolving
towards a society in which the ways of memorising and transmitting
knowledge will change radically as a result of the use of the
new communications and information technologies.
The City of Science will be operating in this new context and
must therefore be set up taking into account, from the moment
of its conception, of the need to use new languages. To this
end it is necessary, in a way, to equip the experimentation
laboratories with the new technologies and the new languages,
which have to be constantly updated.
The City of Science of Rome must therefore not take the form
of a static structure but of a dynamic space in constant movement.
Nevertheless, the widespread use of everything the multimedia
and networks already offer us today must be anticipated, both
from the point of view of integration of the languages and of
that of connection with databanks and knowledge.
Lastly, provision must be made for the development of dialogue
with remote users, paying particular attention to schools.
2.7.4 -
The City of Science has to fit into the Roman scene and become
part of an environment that has an excellent and unique memory
of building techniques.
The City of Science can add a scientific and technical dimension
to the artistic DIMENSION of this memory. And that is in line
with what, for its part, the Municipal Cultural Property Service
of Rome decided to pursue in the Museum of Roman Civilisation.
Ways and means need to be defined in the project for specific
action in this field, envisaging co-operation with and complementariness
to the Municipal Service.
It is clear that, in this way, thorough cultural interaction
can be established with the city and its history and the City
of Science can be something really different, emphasising in
particular the aspects related to the science of building
2.7.5 -
Rome has enormous scientific and technological wealth, which
is not just kept in the University Museums and municipal museums,
and it also has a great wealth of experience acquired during
so many years of work by "Musis". The project must
enable the City of Science to carry out the function of helping
to put this wealth "into the network" by acting as
a catalyst for initiatives and joint programmes for propagating
scientific cultures, equipping itself with common service infrastructures.
It must also be the centre of that network, spread throughout
the city, linking places where the scientific and technical
wealth is kept and the activities related to making use of it
take place.
2.7.6 - The City of Science sees historic memory not only as
the key to the making the most of a glorious cultural past of
which fundamental testimony can be found in the university museums
(and not only there) but it also recognises the synergetic significance
of history for a critical awareness of the present and of the
profound changes that our society is going through.
2.7.7 -
The City of Science of Rome must take the shape of an international
place for the exchange of specific cultural experiences different
from another.
To that end it can constitute a junction for initiatives related
to the evolution of scientific thought and to the new frontiers
of innovation connected to it, closely related to the social
changes triggered off and caused by that process.
2.7.8 -
For this approach to develop fully it is essential to guarantee
universal access to the structure, paying particular attention,
during the planning phase, of equal usability by every type
of public.
This intent must be expressed both in the absence of any kind
of architectural or communication barrier and by excluding differential
lines of utilisation of the cultural material that might discriminate
between the many categories of user.
2.8 - Possible
distinctive features
Another very distinguishing feature would be the possibility,
already referred to, of devoting ample space within the boundaries
of the City of Science itself to the exhibition of the extraordinary
scientific, technical and industrial wealth held by many persons
and bodies in the Roman area. If that could be done, the future
Roman structure would be of a very distinctive type compared
to the vast majority of science centres operating on the international
scene. And all the more so if we succeed in developing an ambitious
and skilled policy of services, exhibition proposals and original
teaching methods suited for presenting extraordinary specimens,
mainly unknown but interesting and significant, to the general
public in a lively and non-academic manner. What is more, there
would be the great advantage of being able to show easily, by
presenting the historic evolution of science and technology,
the extent and typically cultural implications of scientific
activities, an aspect almost always totally neglected in the
science centres, with the result that those structures end up
by ghettoising science and technology in a typically instrumental
position, thus contributing to reinforcing the popular concept
of their basic difference or, at least, irremediable separateness
from the world of cultural activities in the true sense.
Another distinguishing objective to be pursued determinedly
is to shift the emphasis from mere reproducibility by visitors
of the most wonderful effects and the most amazing phenomena
by direct handling of the exhibits (hands on), to understanding
the heuristic processes and the epistemological and cultural
implications (in the broadest sense) of the paths to the discovery
and definition of scientific theories.
This certainly does not mean abandoning the so successful formula
of the interactive approach but making every effort to show
the overall problems and the frequent lack of consistency in
the processes of discovery, thus contributing to developing
the visitor's critical sense and stimulating him or her to adopt
a hands-and-mind-on approach. The objective pursued must not
so much be merely to astonish people with the presentation of
the most advanced results achieved by scientific and technological
research but rather to give the visitor an idea of the complexity
of this sector of human activity, of its typically cultural
aspect, and perhaps give visitors, where it proves possible,
an opportunity to grasp the extent of the economic and social
implications attained.
In addition to the requirements set out in point 2.8.4 above,
for a further distinction of the new City of Science and to
give it an appearance that fits in with the aspect of the city
as a whole and the role it plays in the collective imagination
(that of one of the most important centres because of the evidence
it bears in its actual physical structures of important phases
and moments of the evolution of western civilisation) the tendency
should be to use the methods, exhibition techniques and tools
(hands on, exhibits, multimediality, etc.) typical of the city
and of museums of science, to present basic aspects of the history
of Rome to visitors in a lively and effective manner: the installations
(e.g. aqueducts, roads, military and agricultural organisation
etc.) and the extraordinary and technically very audacious buildings
(Pantheon, Coliseum, St. Peter's etc.). The same thing can be
done for the presentation of the natural environment of the
Rome of other times: trades and craft traditions, food habits
etc.
The section of the City of Science devoted to these subjects
- if properly designed and put into effect (just think of the
opportunities offered in this field by the skill and ingenuity
of the craftspeople of the cinema industry) - will give this
structure an absolutely original identity. It will also be another
tool for linking the new museum plexus with the overall image
of the city, as well as an opportunity to et up a "virtuous
circle" between tradition and contemporariness, between
science and technology on the one hand and culture and organisation
of society on the other.
3. THE BASIC
CONTENTS OF THE CITY OF SCIENCE OF ROME
It can already be deemed indispensable to set up a certain number
of areas dedicated to the presentation of developments in the
outstanding sectors of scientific and technological research,
paying special attention to the increasingly intrusive phenomenon
of techno-science.
We would like to repeat that these preliminary indications are
not meant to provide an exhaustive list (in fact the City of
Science will have to devote attention to many other fundamental
themes), but rather to sketch out a series of exhibition areas
that would already be capable, on their own, of constituting
a sufficient "critical mass" (combined with the other
services described in this document) of attracting a large number
of public. It should also be stressed that every exhibition
on these kinds of theme, which are rushing ahead in research
and applications, requires constant updating if it is not to
become rapidly obsolete. To sum up, these areas need to be conceived
as sites where work is always in progress. This is another reason
why the new Roman structure must have a strong permanent connection
with the excellence centres of research to ensure the timely
transfer to the general public of progress as it is achieved.
At the same time a complementary relationship with the industries
in the Roman area must be sought and cultivated.
By way
of example, some of the main subjects of choice for the City
of Science of Rome are shown below:
3.1 - THE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF SPACE
The subjects related to space will certainly be illustrated,
on the one hand, by the presentation of the instruments, methods
and purpose of exploration of the cosmos and illustration of
the cognitive and material effects on humanity; and, on the
other, by stressing the use of space by the big telecommunications
networks, a sphere where it seems advisable to point out the
many and fundamental implications at the economic and civil
level.
3.2 - THE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE STRUCTURE OF MATTER
A sector that should present a high level of exhibits is the
sphere related to knowledge of the structure of matter and the
laws that govern it. These disciplines have, on the one hand,
revolutionised our concept of nature and even of the evolution
of the universe while other disciplines and technology have
radically changed our everyday life.
Every stage of penetration into the heart of matter has opened
up unexpected worlds and produced a variety of practical applications
and new materials:
- crystalline level: superconductivity, microelectronics, laser,
- atomic and molecular level: X-rays, synthetic chemistry, biochemistry,
- nuclear level: sidereal evolution, advanced diagnosis and
therapies, energy from fission and fusion, nondestructive tests,
elementary analyses,
- quark level: evolution of the universe, cosmic processes.
It should be stressed that extremely complex research methods
have been developed requiring collaboration between the entire
world scientific community, thus accelerating technological
progress, and that this kind of knowledge is only acquired by
means of ongoing discussion and critical examination, defining
most carefully the limits of certain knowledge and the fields
still open.
3.3 - THE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
This is where the great subjects related to the formation, structure
and functioning of ecosystems have to be considered and then
an analysis made of the actions of interference caused by the
development of the technological civilisation and the optimal
technical means and development models for maintaining them.
The treatment of the biotic and abiotic components of the environment
and of their levels of organisation will continue with the energy
and geo-biochemical cycles and culminate at an ecosystem level
of maximum integration.
An exhibition sector that will be very typical of the Roman
structure will be devoted to matters related to the mechanisms
of the formation and maintenance of the planet's global biodiversity.
Problems of such great contingency, linked to the maintenance
of life itself on the earth and so closely interrelated with
the development of civilisation, will be dealt with in their
historic-evolutionary context and strictly related to present-day
economic dynamics.
3.4 - MOLECULAR
BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGIES
Another important exhibition space will be devoted to the important
research work being carried out in the field of molecular biology,
with the numerous application polarities derived from it. The
aim should be to present the basic principles and applications
of molecular genetics, biochemistry and genetic and cellular
engineering techniques in basic biological and medical research,
with an understanding of the evolutionary process, and also
with regard to innovative fallout affecting health strategies
and the pharmaceutical and agri-food industries. What has to
be shown is how the dynamic organisation of the evolutionary
process and of development is defined and studied by means of
the concepts and technical instruments produced by biomolecular
and cellular research.
The new knowledge and techniques, especially those that emerge
from the mapping and sequencing of the human genome and from
studies of the genic expression and function, are also changing
the frame of reference of physiopathological investigation and
medical practice, moving the definition and causal explanation
of disease to the genes and their control and to the mechanisms
of intra- and intercellular communication and also directing
diagnosis and treatment towards the cellular and genetic levels.
No less important is the fallout from biotechnology on pharmaceutical
and agri-food production processes where technologies of recombinant
DNA and the construction of genetically modified organisms (transgenic)
have not only revolutionised the preparation of drugs and vaccines
but, above all, are widely diffused in agriculture and animal
husbandry. Special attention will be paid to the analysis of
the needs of an ethical, social and legal nature that arise
from the possibility of knowing and modifying the human genetic
heritage and of marketing the biotechnology and products deriving
from their applications.:
3.5 - COGNITIVE
SCIENCE AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
Neuroscience must be well presented and also be linked to the
development of research on artificial intelligence.
The basic cerebral mechanisms, at every level - organisation,
behaviour, sensory system, neurone circuits, nerve cells and
molecules - are themes introducing a broader scenario that,
proceeding from physics to the mind, leads to the cognitive
models and, through informatics and electronics, arrives at
the world of communication and information engineering.
The theme should concentrate on the processing capacities of
the mind and on the situation that is arising with the progressive
development of communication technologies.
It would be advisable to make it clear that the inputs reaching
the brain are only a tiny part of the mind's processing capacity
(from perception to memory), that the brain/mind has a heuristic
capacity that, broadly speaking, adapts us to various environmental
and requirements but that, in some situations and in the case
of ambiguous information, may lead to mistakes. What is therefore
needed is to develop a method of reasoning and checking, to
assist our decisions: in other words to learn how to think and
to learn.
Another point to be developed is the question of the merits
and problems created by virtuality: this subject deals with
various aspects of the formation of the child's brain, of the
relations between the concrete and the abstract, the empirical
and the theoretical, and is important in the sphere of scholastic
use of communication technologies.
3.6 - SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY IN ROME
The basic aspects of the history of Rome and the installations
(e.g. aqueducts, roads, military and agricultural organisation
etc.) and the wonderful and technically extremely audacious
buildings (Pantheon, Coliseum, St. Peter's etc.) that characterised
the amazing development of Roman civilisation in the past and
enabled this city to continue for such a long time as a metropolis
and an important cultural and spiritual centre for the whole
world, need to be presented to visitors in a lively and effective
way. In fact, all these subjects lend themselves to an approach
based on the direct participation of the public in discovery,
handling and reconstruction. They help people to understand
what they do not realise when visiting an archaeological area:
how the aqueducts worked, how the baths were supplied with water,
how domes and arches were built and even what a formidable structure
- powerful but light - is constituted by the combination of
arches that form the Coliseum.
4. FUNCTIONAL
STRUCTURES AND SERVICE CENTRES OF THE CITY OF SCIENCE
While leaving
the definition and feasibility for the planning of the exhibition
modules of the City of Science to the Consultant, we describe
here some of the basic sections of the City of Science System,
which it needs to have (some right from the start, others gradually)
in order to present a very attractive and appealing package
to the large pubic potentially interested (local, national and
hopefully also international).
Some structural layouts and some museum facilities capable of
enhancing and improving the functionality and efficiency of
the structure are mentioned here. It is stressed that the order
followed in the list is not to be taken as an order of importance
and that, where thought fit, some of the service structures
might be located elsewhere than in the Museum.
Lastly, it is pointed out that some of these structures, such
as, for instance, the Workshops and the Conservation Facility
could even be set up outside the City of Science area.
4.1 - Imax cinema
There is not even one example in Italy of this type of cinema,
where 70 mm films on technical-scientific subjects are screened,
by a very sophisticated system, on parabolic screens that the
range of visual of the viewer cannot fully embrace; visitors
are literally "crushed" by the effects of the realistic
and "overflowing" pictures and "pounded"
by the sound. At present there are more than 130 Imax theatres
in the world, forming a circuit usually very popular with the
public where documentaries specifically made for these theatres
are screened (though it must be said that the quality of these
products is not always consistent). The creation of an Imax
theatre is certainly an expensive undertaking but it would be
hard to imagine not having one in a project of this kind.
4.2 - Theatre
- auditorium
An adequate space for all the Communication Science activities
(theatrical events, concerts, seminars, courses etc.)
4.3 - Workshops
and laboratories
Workshops for the design, construction and maintenance of the
exhibits. For the material construction of the exhibits, for
guaranteeing their efficiency by constant maintenance, for updating
and improving them, for creating the exhibition elements for
temporary shows (internal and for itineration), for producing
kits for sale and/or hire, a production department, staffed
by technicians who are flexible and capable of working with
many different kinds of material, is needed. If the workshop
is efficiently organised and has skilled staff it will be able
to produce exhibits, materials and travelling shows not only
for the City of Science of Rome, but for other centres, schools,
associations etc. all over the country; and, if the design and
manufacture of products are of a high level, on the international
market also, where these kinds of material and services are
already available from some major science centres (e.g., the
Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie in Paris and the
'Exploratorium in San Francisco).
It is essential that the workshop fully combine museum planning
and design skills, on the one hand, with skill in material production
on the other.
4.4 - Conservation
Facility.
The optimal conservation of any type of material of biotic or
abiotic origin calls for the creation of special, climatised
areas. Light, temperature and humidity are fundamental factors
if the scientific collections are to last: most of them are
extremely perishable. In particular, historic organic collections
must not be considered as important "relics" of the
past that simply need to be conserved but as essential tools
for current research and it must be easy to move and manage
them with absolute safety. Recent experiments on the most suitable
methods for conserving this kind of scientific heritage has
led big cities, both in Europe and America, to create climatised
areas underground, where optimal management of collections is
combined with the prevention of destructive events, whether
of natural or human origin.
4.5 - Teaching
and animation centre.
It is essential to have staff capable of lively and effective
teaching and of animating the visit in a structure to which
young people will be habitual visitors and which must constantly
produce temporary exhibitions, side by side with the permanent
ones. These staff members must be trained and given constant
refresher training. The teaching centre can play a great role
(and constitute an important self-financing structure) in the
task of ensuring the training and refresher training of teachers,
not only of scientific subjects, in every type and level of
school, on a local, regional and national scale. For this reason
the Centre needs to be systematically interfaced with the school
authorities of the catchment area and with the Ministry of Education.
4.6 - Experimental
vegetable garden and arboretum.
In the open-air areas, a sufficiently large piece of ground
(with greenhouses and small covered spaces) will be devoted
to the presentation of the basic techniques and principles of
cultivation (sowing, reproduction, grafting etc.). Some small
plots might be rented to school classes for fixed periods, for
assisted experimental work. A series of environmental educational
activities will be linked to this sector (monitoring the effects
of pollution, acid rain etc.).
Work in close synergy with the Orto Botanico (botanical garden)
must be envisaged for the creation and maintenance of this particular
sector.
4.7 - Media
libraries, film libraries and centre for education in multimedia
technologies and the function and use of the networks.
A vast collection of publications, whether hard copy or not,
on subjects related to scientific and technological culture,
the history of science, science-society interaction etc. needs
to be put together and made accessible. The media library will
also be a centre for the collection, conservation and distribution
of films, documentaries, CDs, books, periodicals, radio programmes
etc. It should also be a centre for the production of programmes
(films, multimedia products etc.), texts, booklets, and courses
- also for distance learning - to meet the various needs of
the City of Science, its partners and clients. It must also
create and constantly improve the City's Web Site, conducting
a dialogue with the remote public in the most effective way
and stimulating its interest.
The Media Library should periodically publish and distribute
as widely as possible (including on the web) one or more periodic
publications illustrating and promoting the activities in progress
and describing the innovations.
The Media Library will be linked to the Museum area allocated
for the presentation of information-telematic and telecommunication
technologies and their numerous economic and social implications.
4.8 - The
science of art
There must be a special space dedicated to the numerous levels
of interaction between the arts, on the one hand, and science
and technology, on the other. Interactive exhibits and workshops
should, in particular, help visitors to recognise especially
the basic technical-scientific components of artistic production
(how colours are produced, how the third dimension is "simulated"
in painting, how a wall is prepared for the painting of a fresco
etc.) This section would contribute to reinforcing the City's
role as a place for presenting the pervasive and transverse
aspect of science and technology, showing their often decisive
presence in artistic production also.
4.9 - Association
centre and membership.
The presumably great public success of a City of Science conceived
in this way suggests the idea of establishing an association
type of link with visitors. This would mean establishing a ticketing
strategy that would encourage frequent visits to the Museum
during the year, particularly by young people of school age.
The creation of an association among patrons of the Museum would
make it possible to involve numerous persons in certain management
aspects (animation, surveillance, assistance to the "disadvantaged"
etc.).
The association could also organise the members in a series
of initiatives: lectures by experts on topical subjects, guided
tours, tours of exploration or of naturalist interest guided
by experts, even in other hemispheres etc.
The Association should also develop a programme of activities
for introducing the Museum and its offer of services outside
its natural site, promoting useful "contacts" in busy
places (stations, art galleries, airports etc.).
4.10 - Integration
with the municipal science structures
The City of Science must, as a priority, be integrated with
the municipal structures, or structures where there is municipal
participation, the purpose of which is to promote scientific
culture. These structures (some of which created with the contribution
of "Musis") are either already in operation in the
city, or their action plans have already obtained financing,
or their projects already finalised. In addition to being integrated
into the city Network these structures also need to be strengthened
and put to the best use.
Particular reference is made to the following structures:
4.10.1 - Museum Civico di Zoologia (municipal museum of zoology)
A structure of over 4000 sq.m, in regular operation, conserving
a wealth of zoological scientific collections owned by the City
and, partly, by universities. (It is one of the five principal
natural history museums in Italy.) Many of the exhibition rooms
have recently been fitted out along new museological and conceptual
lines. Thanks to the new displays the Museum has become very
popular in the city. Conservation, research and education are
carried out by specialised staff. There is a global plan to
transform the Zoological Museum into a "Life Science Museum",
drawn up by a special Scientific Committee and adopted by the
Municipal Government.
4.10.2 -
Planetario (planetarium) and Museo delle Scienze planetarie
(museum of planetary science)
This structure is a fundamental one, in view of the popular
interest in astronomy and the last-generation planetarium potentiality
that combines optical projection, multimedia, stereophony etc.
There is no latest-generation planetarium in operation in Italy,
where even the presence of more traditional instruments is rare.
Rome's new Planetarium is based on an already financed final
plan and the tender call has already been launched. The planned
location is within the premises of the Museo della Civiltà
Romana. Space for an Astronomical Museum is also planned at
the Museo della Civiltà Romana.
4.10.3 -
Museum della Matematica (mathematics museum)
This year a mathematics museum will be inaugurated, created
thanks to municipal collections and support in spaces made available
by the Mathematics Department of the '"La Sapienza"
University.
4.10.4 -
The "Arte Sanitaria" (health craft) collections
A collection of medical instruments currently conserved at the
Museo di Arte Sanitaria
4.10.5 -
Children's town.
It is essential for there to be a space in the Network of Science
Museums specifically reserved for interaction with the pupils
of nursery and primary schools. We are aware that the Museo
dei bambini (children's museum) project is already in the implementation
phase in Rome, on municipal land. As far as possible, it would
be desirable to establish synergisms and relationships between
the contents of that initiative (even though private and independently
managed) with the City of Science. The structures would derive
considerable reciprocal advantages.
5 - MUSEUM
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
The Consultant, after first defining the Museum's functions
and services, will then identify the related needs in terms
of space. Functions and services, such as financial, administrative,
management and marketing, management of collections, information
and orientation programmes for visitors, laboratory, research,
control and security systems, repairs and maintenance and other
technical services, have to be identified
In this way, the proposed museum system will achieve the standing
of an institution of international significance and will also
become a pole capable of stimulating cultural and educational
activities.
5.1 - Conservation
of the collections
The functions of the new Museum will include exhibition and
conservation. The former involves the exposure of objects to
natural agents such as light, damp, dust and pollution, which
can in some way pose a threat to their conservation. A balance
must therefore be struck between exhibition strategy and conservation
strategy. The plan for the conservation of the collections will
call for adequate resources in terms of personnel, equipment,
space and, obviously, funds. The Consultant will therefore identify
the staff required and the operational criteria suited to the
work of controlling and restoring the collections.
5.2 - Management
of information
It is considered that the exhibition spaces in the Museum should
be planned and managed in such a way that they can be visited
without assistance from Museum staff. Information material and
audio-visual equipment must therefore be available to supply
to visitors when they enter the Museum. This will be one of
the key services of the new Museum's Information Service.
Furthermore, high-level educational programmes must be proposed
in order to increase the interest and participation of young
people in the new Museum.
5.3 - Configuration of the new Museum based on a modular system
In the light of the results of the sectorial analyses made,
the Consultant must identify the criteria to be adopted for
defining the architectural layout Of the area and propose the
optimal configuration of the new Museum. The Consultant must
also evaluate the possibilities and any implications of a future
expansion of the Museum to adjacent areas.
The Consultant must draw up the Feasibility Study in such a
way that the configuration of the City of Science takes into
account the close link existing between the Museum area and
future developments in its surroundings.
The Scientific Committee has suggested that the new museum complex
be created gradually, in view of the amount of funding needed.
For this purpose the parts to be executed in the future will
be identified.
The Consultant must therefore plan the new museum complex with
a view to its implementation by functional lots, the first of
which must guarantee enough exhibition space, even though limited,
to contain selected collections and exhibits, the information
services, the administration and management services. This will
make it possible to present the project to the community of
potential Italian and international donors and funders. It is
also agreed that the definition of the cultural contents of
this first unit is an extremely important matter.
6. - POTENTIAL
DEMAND
6.1 - Estimate
of the flow of visitors
The Consultant must estimate the catchment area of users of
the City of Science and the potential flow of visitors, by age,
level of education, profession, purpose of the visit, nationality
etc.
Based on the results of this analysis, the Consultant should
suggest the opening hours of the museum complex so as to favour
an increase in the number of visitors (both Italian and foreign)
and a consequent increase in the revenue of the Museum. At the
same time, the Consultant should suggest appropriate measures
for avoiding overcrowding in the museum complex.
7. - DIMENSIONS
AND MORPHOLOGY
Some preliminary
choices have to be made to enable the dual requirements described
in point 2.6, which appear to be essential to justify the economic
and intellectual investment required by such an ambitious project,
to be satisfied.
As far as location is concerned, it is advisable, first and
foremost to stress that the success, visibility and popularity
(in terms of number of visitors) of the new structure will depend
to a great extent on the central location (even relative) of
the site selected and on the efficiency and frequency of the
transport network (rail, road etc.) connecting it to the busy
centres of the civic, economic, tourist and cultural life of
Rome. The relative centrality of the structure will also contribute
to diminish the risks of its "ghettoisation", away
from the management centres of cultural life (art galleries
and archaeological centres, libraries, archives etc.).
Equally important is the quality of architectural design and
the plan for the surrounding natural environment, which will
be the subject of a specific call for tender based on the results
of this feasibility study; the same goes for the spaces available,
also taking into account the fact, considering the mild Roman
climate, that spaces set up out of doors and/or partially covered
should play an important role.
As things stand, and in an emblematic way, the Municipal Government
is in favour of the proposal to locate the City of Science in
the Ostienze- Marconi - San Paolo sector, which is the subject
of a specific Town Plan in course of completion, and in this
sector, in particular, in part of the area owned by Italgas
situated between the Via Ostiense and the Tiber (Gasometer)
and the reutilization of abandoned industrial buildings present
in the neighbourhood. The success of the negotiations in progress
for acquisition of the area by the Municipal Government is an
essential condition for the realisation of this location proposal.
By way of example, a card describing the site is attached. Such
a location would add the presence of the Tiber and its banks
to the specific contents of the proposed establishment, constituting
an added value for the overall profile of the whole project.
The location indicated would also make it possible to aim at
creating a single cultural system that would recuperate a vast
area of industries and services that are no longer in use or
are in the course of being given up, by including not only the
City of Science but the new spaces of Rome University Three,
the former Miralanza factory (Papareschi complex), intended
to be a supplementary seat of the Teatro di Roma, the Montemartini
Plant - an already established museum-exhibition structure -
the former Slaughterhouse complex and the General Markets which
will soon be moved to the new Centro Agro Alimentare (agricultural
products and food centre) and will therefore become available
for cultural uses and public services.
It can be
seen from the data set out above that to realise an operation
corresponding to high international standards, several tens
of square metres of useful surface are needed (and, in the case
of Rome, big outdoor spaces also) viz.:
exhibition
services conservation
30.000 sq.m 20.000 sq.m 10.000 sq.m
It can also
be seen that the spaces dedicated to permanent exhibits are
between 1/3 to 1/2 of the overall useful surface (in the case
of the Science Museum of Boston the total useful surface is
less than this average percentage but it must be remembered
that it has huge spaces that are almost permanently occupied
by temporary exhibitions).
Naturally, such a great extension of covered area (and equipped
outside areas) does not have to be fully available before the
exhibition activities can start. In fact, they can be realised
gradually; but this scale of dimensions must be borne in mind
from the start in selecting the area and the scientific and
museological model, envisaging possible breakdown into successive
finished functional sections.
8. - ORGANISATION
OF THE STUDY
8.1 - Project
phases
The Consultant to whom the contract is awarded shall carry out
the study and the subsequent planning in the phases listed below:
PHASE 1 - Working out and submission of one or more operational
proposals, very general but with recognisable and unambiguous
contents and organisation.
Phase 1 is followed by an opinion by the Supervisory Committee,
which shall proceed with the identification and possible approval
of the optimal scenario. At this point the Committee may ask
for changes, additions, variations or revisions of the overall
organisation and contents of the City of Science System.
PHASE 2 - Submission of the preliminary version of the study
and its approval by the Supervisory Committee. Submission of
the final results of the study with regard to points 1 and 2
of the project objectives referred to in art. 1 of these Specifications.
The final results on "Potential demand and estimate of
the flow of visitors" and "Evaluation of Dimensions
and Morphology" shall be made available to the Consultant
appointed to make the study on the identification of the organisational
form and management structure of the future City of Science.
PHASE 3 - Submission of the Feasibility Study and planning of
the contents in the final version and conclusion of services.
8.2 - Scientific
Committee
The Administration will support the Science Museums U.O. of
the Municipal Service by setting up a Committee of Experts,
which will be appointed on the basis of the experience thus
far acquired through the work of the Committee set up in 1998
to advise the City of Rome on the project in the scientific
and cultural field.
8.3 - Supervisory
Committee
At the time the contract comes into force the Administration
will appoint a Supervisory Committee with the task of supervising
the progress of the study and ensuring a balance between the
consultant's independence and responsibility for planning, making
the most of the work done by the Scientific Committees and the
guidance activities of the Municipal Government. The function
of the Committee will be to supervise and guide in the preparation
of the product but it will also be available for consultation
with the Consultant during the preparation of the project.
8.4 - Project
Co-ordinator
The Consultant shall identify a Co-ordinator of the study.
The Superintendent
Prof. Eugenio La Rocca
|
TENDER
ANNOUNCEMENT
City Of
Rome
Sovrintendenza BB CC
Science Museums
INVITATION
TO TENDER
CONTRACT
TENDER
FOR THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PLANNING OF THE CONTENTS OF
ROME'S CITY OF SCIENCE
1. Contracting
authority: The City of Rome, Superintendent of Cultural Resources,
Organizational Unit for Science Museums, Piazza Campitelli,
Rome Tel +39-6-3225122 67102359 Fax +39-6-67103811.
2. Description and category of services: Feasibility study and
planning of the contents of the new City of Science in Rome.,
Reference number CPC 867 Presumed maximum net amount: L. 1,100,000,000
Lit. (568,103 Euro)
3. Place of performance: Rome, Italy
4. Eligible subjects: Individual or associated professionals,
individual or associated companies, public entities and consortiums.
5. Variants: Permitted in order to attain objectives indicated
under the terms and conditions, assuming that no costs are added
beyond the presumed maximum price.
6. Time period for performance of service: 180 consecutive calendar
days.
7. Partial tenders: not accepted.
8. Acquisition of the Invitation to Tender, together with the
Terms and Conditions and Appendices, at the address listed under
point 1. A copy of the Invitation and the Terms and Conditions
is available at the Internet site http//www2.comune.roma.it/cittascienza
(Acquisition of the Special Terms and Conditions of the Tender:
the Terms and Conditions can be acquired at the address referred
to under point 1. following presentation of a declaration by
the legal representative stating that the minimum prerequisites
stipulated under point 13) below are met, together with a photocopy
of an ID. document, no later than 30 days from the publication
of the present Invitation.)
9. Deadline for presentation of applications for participation:
Suppliers of services who are interested in participating in
the competition must present their applications for participation
on stamped legal paper, complete with the elements referred
to under point 13 below, no later than 12:00 noon on th e 1th
April 2000.
The envelope must be labelled " CONTRACT TENDER FOR THE
FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PLANNING OF THE CONTENTS OF ROME'S CITY
OF SCIENCE"
For the address to which the applications should be sent, see
point 1.
The applications must be compiled in Italian.
10. Deadline
for sending of Invitations to Tender will be communiated later.
11. Guarantees: as per the Special Terms and Conditions.
12. Groupings of Suppliers of Services: Groups of suppliers
of services are also eligible to present tenders, under the
provisions of article 10 of Legislative Decree no. 358/92. In
such cases, as an appendix to the participation application,
signed by all the service suppliers participating in the group,
each supplier must present, in a separate document, a declaration
in which it undertakes, in the event the contracted is awarded,
to be part of the group, which is to be established under the
provisions and procedures referred to under the aforementioned
article 10 of Legislative Decree no. 358/92.
13. Information regarding the position of the suppliers of services
and formalities to be met to evaluate the minimum economic and
technical conditions to be satisfied.
To participate in the competition, the suppliers of services
must include with the participation application, on stamped
legal paper, with failure to do so resulting in exclusion, at
least two bank references demonstrating that the candidate has
always met its commitments and a regular, punctual basis and
possesses the financial and economic capacity to provide the
service.
In addition, the Firms must include with the participation application,
with failure to do so resulting in exclusion, the following
declarations, dated no more than six months earlier and suitable
for subsequent confirmation, signed by the Legal Representative
and by the chief officers of the enterprise, accompanied by
a photocopy of a valid ID. document of the party making the
declaration, stating:
1. that
none of the conditions for exclusion referred to under article
29 of Directive 92/50/EEC apply to the firm
2. that no companies or firms with relationships of association
or control with the firm in question, as determined under article
2359 of the Civil Code, are participating in the competition,
either individually or in groups.
3. that the firm respects - where relevant - Law 482/68 regarding
obligatory hiring
4. declaration of overall revenues, for the three-year period
1996-1998, excluding VAT, of no less than 3,000,000,000 Lit.
5. declaration listing services pertinent to those requested
under the present call for tenders performed for public and/or
private entities during the years 1996-1998, to be confirmed
through the declarations of these same entities, or with copies
of the invoices.
6. that the owner or legal representative of the firm is not
subject to any of the motives for elimination, prohibition or
suspension contemplated under article 10 of Law 575/1995, plus
subsequent modifications, as well as Legislative Decree 490/1994
Note: Solely
for information purposes, the firm is to declare that it abides
by the provisions of article 9 of Law 125/1991 regarding the
situation of male and female personnel on its staff.
The declarations
listed under points 1 to 6 must be accompanied by a photocopy
of a valid ID. document of the party making the declaration,
and they must be dated no more than six months earlier. In the
case of consortiums or temporary associations of companies,
the documents referred to in the first paragraph of this article
and the declarations indicated under points 1-2-3-5 and 6 must
regard each associated firm or consortium member.
The requirement indicated under point 4 can be satisfied in
a cumulative manner, though the head company must possess at
least 50% of the prerequisites and the delegating firms must
meet the same prerequisites at a proportion of at least 20%,
with 100% of the prerequisites being met in any event.
The documents referred to in the first paragraph of this article
can be substituted by a declaration, dated no more than six
months earlier, accompanied by a valid ID. document of the party
making the declaration.
All of the
documents cited above, if signed by a foreign authority, must
be duly legalized by the Italian diplomatic or consular representatives;
if written in a foreign language, then a translation must be
included, certified by the same Italian diplomatic or consular
representatives as faithfully reflecting the foreign text.
Failure or delay in presentation of even one of the elements
required above, or non-conformity of the same, will result in
exclusion from participation in the competition.
Eligibility of firms to be invited to tender will be determined
by the Administration through executive decisions.
Following approval of the eligible firms, these same firms will
be invited to present tenders to the SEGRETARIATO GENERALE -
UFFICIO CENTRALE DI CORRISPONDENZA - Via del Campidoglio n.
4 -00186 ROME Italy in accordance with the procedures and deadlines
stipulated in the letter of invitation.
14. Criteria for the award of the contract. The service will
be awarded under the provisions of article 36 paragraph 1 letter
a) of the Directive 92/50/EEC to the most advantageous tender,
evaluated on the basis of the following parameters, in order
of decreasing importance:
ELEMENTS
OF EVALUATION Maximum score
a - planning of the activities and organization 35 (thirty-five)
b - make-up of work group and professional skills employed in
the service 25 (twenty-five)
c - accrued experience 20 (twenty)
d - sum offered 20 (twenty)
Tenders
with the lowest proposed price will be assigned the maximum
score indicated under point d) above.
The score for each tender with a price other than the minimum
shall be calculated as follows
Pm x Pum
P
Where "Pm" is the minimum price offered, "P"
is the price of each of each tender and "Pum" is the
score assigned to the minimum price; the results will be rounded
off to the nearest thousandth of a point.
Tenders
with prices or technical characteristics held, respectively,
to be too low or anomalous can be excluded.
Considering
the high degree of specialized skills required, and the likelihood
that a low number of candidates will participate, the contract
will be awarded even if only one valid tender is presented.
In the event that only one valid tender is received, the Municipal
Administration will be entitled to award the contract or to
negotiate an improved tender with the party making the proposal.
In the case
of tenders judged to be equal, the contract shall be awarded
to the tender with the lowest price.
The Administrative reserves the right to refrain from approving
the results of the tender competition, eventually for reasons,
in addition formal irregularities, of advisability of convenience,
or if the tender should prove inappropriate, without the candidates
being entitled to request any indemnity or compensation whatsoever.
Period of tender validity: 180 days from the deadline for presentation
of the tender.
15. Requests for information and copies of terms and conditions
should be sent to the address indicated under point 1. To receive
a copy of the terms and conditions, send a request to the address
listed under point 1, accompanied by a fee of 5,000 Lit. in
favor of the Cashier's Office of the Municipal Superintendent
16. Disputes: any disputes are to be brought before the ordinary
courts in Rome.
16. Date of publication of pre-information notice in the EC
Bulletin: no indication.
17. Date of sending of Invitation to Tender no indication.
18. Date on which the Invitation to Tender is received by the
Official Publications Office of the EEC: no indication.
The Superintendent
Prof. Eugenio La Rocca
City of
Rome
Sovrintedenza BB CC
Science Museums
CONTRACT
TENDER
FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PLANNING OF THE CONTENTS OF ROME'S CITY
OF SCIENCE
SPECIAL
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
SECTION
I
Article 1 - Subject of the contract tender
The present terms and conditions govern the contract tender
for a feasibility study and the planning of the conceptual and
material contents of Rome's City of Science, currently being
established, as specified in the appendix Technical Terms and
Conditions.
The area to be covered by the study in question is specified
under the Technical Terms and Conditions.
Article
2 - Definitions
In the present Terms and Conditions, and in all the documentation
in general, the terminology specified below will be used:
2.1 "Contract tender" indicates the procedure followed
by the Municipal Superintendent's Office for performance of
the feasibility study and the planning of the contents of Rome's
City of Science.
2.2 "Terms and Conditions" indicates the present special
terms and conditions of tender.
2.3 "Candidate" indicates the individuals or organizations
which present tenders to obtain the Contract, in the person
of their legal representative.
2.4 "Winner" ("Consultant") indicates the
party which wins the contract, represented by the individual
legally empowered to enter into agreements, and whose title
and identifying information must be specified.
2.5 "Contract" indicates the contract signed by the
Municipal Superintendent's Office and the Consultant for the
performance of the feasibility study of Rome's Museum of Science.
2.6 "Superintendent's Office" indicates the Contracting
Administration, meaning the Municipal Superintendent's Office
of Rome.
2.8 "Monitoring committee" indicates an organ created
to control the progress made in the Consultant's study.
Article 3 - Amount of the Contract
Presumed maximum amount of the services: 1,100,000,000 Lit.
(one billion and one hundred million lire) (568103 Euro) + 220,000,000
(113,621 Euro) VAT of 20 % (entirely financed by the Municipal
Superintendent's Office of Rome from the "Rome Capital"
funds) .
Article
4 - Sources for the contract
The contract must be awarded in accordance with the present
Special Terms and Conditions. Secondary provisions are those
stipulated under:
- The General Terms and Conditions of the City of Rome approved
under the Council's Resolution 6126 of 17 November 1983.
- The current provisions of the law and the regulations governing
the administration of public resources and general State accounting,
plus whatever other measures may be issued in the future
- The Civil Code and the other norms already issued, or to be
issued, regarding private-law contracts, to the extent that
they are not regulated by the provisions of the preceding point.
- Directive 92/50/EEC, transformed into Legislative Decree 157/95,
plus the measures referred to therein
Article
5 - Description of the services required
The City of Science which the Administration of the City of
Rome intends to create is a complex structure meant to function
as a major system of scientific communication on an international
level, and it must represent, both nationally and within Europe,
a center of excellence for the dissemination of high-level scientific
and technological culture.
The Municipal Administration of Rome, given the complexity of
the operation, intends to draw on the services of a consultant
in order to formulate a project and feasibility study on the
City of Science which examines in depth the following fundamental
points, in addition to those cited in the technical terms and
conditions:
1. Potential demand and estimate of visitor flow
2. Evaluation of dimensions and morphology
3. Identification of the conceptual, material and methodological
contents of the City of Science
3.1 comparative analysis of the most advanced reference models,
3.2 evaluation of the general contents expressed in the guidelines
drawn up by the Scientific Commission (point 2 of the Technical
Terms and Conditions), formulation of proposals for supplementary
points,
3.3 preliminary formulation and evaluation of possible scenarios
of implementation, from among which will be selected, in the
course of the project, the optimal configuration for the new
City of Science of Rome
3.4 final formulation of an overall study provided a detailed
analysis of
3.4.1 the structure and morphology of the City of Science
3.4.2 the conceptual, material and methodological contents of
the new museum
3.5 feasibility studies on the functional structures and the
service centers identified
3.6 general museum studies project regarding the expositions
and detailed project for the fundamental exhibits
4. general and particular specifications for the awarding of
the overall architectural planning.
5. Project for the connection of the City of Science with the
other nodes of the municipal and national scientific museum
system, plus planning of the network structure
6. Comparative analysis of the total investment vs. the overall
benefits in terms of the progress of scientific culture in the
City and the nation.
Article
6 - Procedures for performance and phases of implementation.
The consultant winning the contract tender is to carry out the
study and the subsequent planning according to the phases listed
below:
PHASE 1 - Formulation and presentation of one or more operating
proposals along general lines, but with recognizable and unified
contents and structure.
Phase 1 shall be followed by the opinion of the Monitoring Committee,
which will proceed with the identification and eventual approval
of the optimal scenario. At this point the Committee will requests
modifications, additions, variations or reformulation of the
contents and the overall structure of the system of the City
of Science.
PHASE 2
- Presentation of the preliminary edition of the study and approval
of the same by the Monitoring Committee. Presentation of the
final results of the study with regard to points 1 and 2 of
article 5 above. The definitive results of points 1 and 2 shall
be made available to the consultant assigned the study regarding
the identification of the organizational format and the operating
structure of the future City of Science.
PHASE 3
- Presentation of the feasibly study and the planning of the
contents in a definitive edition at the conclusion of the services.
Article
7 - Contents of the tender
Within the deadline indicated in the letter of invitation to
the firms participating in the contract tender, a sealed envelope
labelled with the following information must be sent to the
Comune di Roma -Segretariato Generale- Ufficio Corrispondenza
- Via del Campidoglio, 4 . 00186 Rome - Italy:
- name of the candidate;
- subject of the contract tender
and it must contain:
- the sealed envelope with the economic tender;
- the sealed envelope with the technical tender;
- the administrative documentation requested in the letter of
initiation.
All the envelopes must be closed, sealed and labelled with their
contents. The name of the Form and the subject of the contract
tender must be clearly written on the envelope, with failure
to do so resulting in exclusion. The following must be included
in the economic tender, with failure to do so resulting in exclusion:
- an indication of the price bid (expressed in Italian lire)
not including VAT;
- an explicit declaration that the candidate accepts and agrees
to respect all the responsibilities and clauses contemplated
under the present Special Terms and Conditions of the Contract,
as well as the other sources cited in article 3, and under the
provisions of articles 1341 and 1342 of the Civil Code;
- a declaration that the candidate has evaluated all the circumstances
which led to the calculation of the price, as well as the contractual
conditions which may influence the performance of the service.
The economic tender must be binding for a period of 6 (six)
months.
The technical tender must contain all the elements required
under article 5 of the present Special Terms and Conditions.
Article
8 - Confidentiality
The supplier of the services agrees the observe the maximum
confidentiality with regard to information of any type whatsoever
obtained in the performance of the work covered by the present
Special Terms and Conditions.
SECTION
II - General tender conditions
Article
9 - Variants in the Technical Terms and Conditions
Under the provisions of Article 24 of Legislative Decree 157/95,
variants which make it possible to achieve the objectives indicated
by the Contracting Authority in the Technical Terms and Conditions
are permitted.
Article
10 - Time period for completion of the services
The deadline for completion of the services is set at 180 consecutive
calendar days (one hundred and eighty days).
Article 11 - Forms of guarantee
To participate in the competition, the firm must include with
the tender a receipt demonstrating payment of a provisional
security deposit of 55,000,000 Lit. (fifty-five million lire),
to be made in one of the following modes:
a. in cash or in government bonds or securities guaranteed by
the State at the average price quotation of the preceding week
set by the Ministry of the Treasury and deposited with the Municipal
Treasury;
b. through the establishment of a security deposit for an equal
amount with one of the banks indicated under Presidential Decree
no. 635 of 22 May 1956;
c. through a bank guarantee for an equal sum;
d. through an insurance policy for an equal sum.
The security deposits referred to under points b), c) and d)
must include the following special condition, under which the
banking or insurance institute unconditionally commits itself,
waiving the benefit of preliminary examination contemplated
under article 1944 of the Civil Code, with failure to do so
resulting in exclusion. In addition, the insurance or banking
institute must agree to maintain the validity of the guarantee
until the formal act of release on the part of the Administration.
The document must indicate the signatory powers of the insurer.
To guarantee exact observation of the obligations entered into
by the Firm, a final security deposit must be established ,
before the contract is signed, in the forms permitted under
the law, and in the amount of 5% of the net sum of the award.
The security deposit remains bound until the end of the contract,
meaning the end of the guarantee period, or until all exceptions
and disputes have been settled.
Article
12 - Expenses, duties and taxes
With regard to the signing of the contract, all expenses, duties
and taxes involving the contract, including tax stamps, receipts,
set duties, administrative fees, registrations etc., will be
the responsibility of the winning service supplier.
The contract will stipulate the clauses to be submitted for
specific written approval, as per article 1341 of the Civil
Code.
Article
13 - Sub-contracting
The winner is expressly forbidden to subcontract or transfer
the contract, even a portion of it, to third parties, with violations
leading to resolution of the contract under the provisions of
article 1456 of the Civil Code, though the City of Rome will
still be entitled to seek reimbursement of damages.
Article
14 - Payment procedures
- 25 % of the sum of the contract tender award upon approval
of the progress report presented at the end of Phase 1;
- an additional 25 % upon approval of the preliminary edition
of the feasibility study at the conclusion of Phase 2;
- an additional 35% upon approval of the feasibility study,
presented in its definitive version, and completion of the services;
- the remaining 15% will be settled following a declaration
of proper execution, documented with a certificate;
SECTION
III - Competition procedures
Article
15 - Eligible subjects
A subject which participates individually or as a member of
a candidate consortium or group cannot be part of other candidate
consortiums or groups, with violations resulting in the exclusion
of not only the subject, but also the candidate consortiums
or groups to which it belongs.
Foreign participants must present all the documents and declarations
required under the present Terms and Conditions.
If their home nation does not release the required documents,
or any one of these, then a sworn declaration containing all
the elements present constitutes sufficient proof, having been
released to the interested party in the presence of an administrative
or court authority, or a notary public, or any other public
official authorized to receive it under the legislation of the
country in question, or, in the case of countries where sworn
declarations are not contemplated, a solemn declaration containing
the same elements.
Article
16 - Groups of service providers
Also eligible for participation in the awarding of the work
referred to under article 1 of the present Terms and Conditions
are service providers who have purposefully and temporarily
formed groups under the procedures of article 11 of Legislative
Decree no. 157/95, with an indication of the group head.
The joint tender must:
- be signed by all the firms in the group;
- specify the portions of the project to be carried out by the
individual firms;
- commit these same firms to observing the rules and regulations
contemplated under the present article.
The elements required in the Invitation to Tender under point
13, letters A) and B), and the declarations contained in points
1), 2), 3) and 4), refer to each of the associated firms or
consortium members.
The act of delegation of firms temporarily grouped together
is to be formally presented to the Administration before the
signing of the contract.
Article
17 - Partial or increased tenders
Tenders made in partial form, conditionally or in excess of
the sum indicated under article 3 or of the completion deadline
indicated under article 10 are not permitted.
Article
18 - Information requests
Information can be requested (exclusively by mail or telefax)
from the Management of the Organizational Unit for Scientific
Museums of the Superintendent's Office of the City of Rome (address,
telephone and fax indicated under article 1), which will supply
information regarding the tender to those making requests..
The responses will be communicated by telefax to the number
indicated by the requesting party.
Article
19 - Validity of the tenders
Following their presentation, the tenders cannot be withdrawn
or modified or supplemented.
The tender and the related prices are understood to be valid
or six months from the date of their receipt.
Article
20 - Evaluation of the tenders
The Tender
Commission will proceed with the examination of the administrative
documentation.
The judging commission evaluating the tenders, appointed for
the purpose in a subsequent measure issued by the Municipal
Superintendent's Office following the deadline for the presentation
of the tenders, will proceed with the evaluation of the technical
tender and the economic tender.
Article
21. Criteria for the award of the contract.
The service will be awarded under the provisions of article
36 paragraph 1 letter a) of the Directive 92/50/EEC to the most
advantageous tender, evaluated on the basis of the following
parameters, in order of decreasing importance:
ELEMENTS
OF EVALUATION Maximum score
a - planning of the activities and organization 35 (thirty-five)
b - make-up of work group and professional skills employed in
the service 25 (twenty-five)
c - accrued experience 20 (twenty)
d - sum offered 20 (twenty)
Tenders
with the lowest proposed price will be assigned the maximum
score indicated under point d) above.
The score for each tender with a price other than the minimum
shall be calculated as follows
Pm x Pum
P
Where "Pm" is the minimum price offered, "P"
is the price of each of each tender and "Pum" is the
score assigned to the minimum price; the results will be rounded
off to the nearest thousandth of a point.
Article
22 -Awarding
The Municipal Superintendent's Office will proceed with the
awarding of the study to the candidate presenting the most advantageous
tender, calculated in reference to the elements of evaluation
indicated above.
Considering the high degree of specialized skills required,
and the likelihood that a low number of candidates will participate,
the contract will be awarded even if only one valid tender is
presented. In the event that only one valid tender is received,
the Municipal Administration will be entitled to award the contract
or to negotiate an improved tender with the party making the
proposal.
In addition, the Commission reserves the full right, at its
own binding discretion, to refuse to accept the tenders presented
when it holds that none of them satisfactorily meet the relevant
requirements or offer the necessary technical or contractual
guarantees.
The Commission further reserves the option to request modifications
and additions to the chosen tender, though the modifications
in question must not violate the principle of equal conditions
for the candidates.
The Superintendent's Office will communicate the outcome of
the tender to the winner.
This communication will also be made to the other candidates
City of
Rome
Sovrintendenza BB CC
Science Museums
CALL FOR
TENDERS
FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PLANNING OF THE CONTENTS OF THE CITY
OF SCIENCE OF ROME
TENDER ADVERTISEMENT
SPECIFICATIONS
Summary
PURPOSE OF THE TENDER
1. PROJECT OBJECTIVES
1.1 Potential demand and estimate of the flow of visitors
1.2 Evaluation of dimensions and morphology
1.3 Identification of the contents
1.3.1 comparative analysis of the most advanced reference models
1.3.2 checking the general contents set out in the guidelines
prepared by Scientific Committee
1.3.3 preliminary preparation and verification of the possible
scenarios
1.3.4 final version of a global study
1.3.5 specific feasibility studies of the functional structures
and service centres
1.3.6 museographical plan for the exhibits
1.4. General and detailed specifications for the purpose of
assignment of the architectural planning.
1.5. Plan for linking the City of Science with other city science
museums
1.6 Comparative analysis of the overall outlay Vs overall benefits
in terms of improvement scientific culture
2. GUIDELINES PREPARED BY THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE.
2.1 The philosophy behind the "City of Science of Rome"
project
2.2 The international scenario
2.3 The Roman scenario
2.4 Settling the "unitary Vs multipolar" question
2.5 The reference models
2.6 The project of Rome
2.7 Indispensable characteristics of the Roman initiative
2.7.1 It must pursue the objective of the diffusion of scientific
culture
2.7.2 The project must take account of the fact that our society
is characterised by great innovation
2.7.3 - The project must take account of the fact that we are
evolving towards a society characterised by new communication
technologies
2.7.4 - The City of Science has to fit into the Roman scene
and become part of it
2.7.5 - Rome has enormous scientific and technological wealth
2.7.6 - History and memory of the past
2.7.7 - Cultural dialogue and junction
2.7.8 - Universal access
2.8 Possible distinctive features
3. THE BASIC CONTENTS OF THE CITY OF SCIENCE OF ROME
3.1 - THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF SPACE
3.2 - THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE STRUCTURE OF MATTER
3.3 - THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
3.4 - MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGIES
3.5 - COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
3.6 - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN ROME
4. FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES AND SERVICE CENTRES OF THE CITY OF
SCIENCE
4.1 IMAX cinema
4.2 Theatre - Auditorium
4.3 Workshops and laboratories
4.4 Conservation Facility
4.5 Teaching and animation centre
4.6 Experimental vegetable garden and arboretum
4.7 Media library, film library and multimedia technology education
centre
4.8 The science of art
4.9 Association centre and membership
4.10 Integration with the municipal science structures
4.10.1 Museo civico di Zoologia
4.10.2 Planetario e Museo delle Scienze planetarie
4.10.3 Museo della Matematica
4.10.4 Collection of "Arte sanitaria"
4.10.5 The Children's City
5- MUSEUM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
5.1 Conservation of the collections
5.2 Management of the information
5.3 - Configuration of the new Museum based on a modular system
6. POTENTIAL DEMAND
6.1 Estimate of the flow of visitors
7. DIMENSIONS AND MORPHOLOGY
8. - ORGANISATION OF THE STUDY
8.1 Project phases
8.2 Scientific Committee
8.3 Supervisory Committee
8.4 Project Co-ordinator
PURPOSE
OF THE TENDER
The purpose of this tender is to find a qualified Consultant,
capable of assisting the Staff of the Local Government in drawing
up a Feasibility Study related to the cultural and scientific
aspects and the museological and financial planning of the "City
of Science of Rome" system.
The call for tenders and subsequent identification follow the
preparatory work already carried out by the "Committee
for the drawing up of a plan of operations aimed at the creation
of a Museum of Science in Rome" established by Resolution
no. 2685 of the City Council of 24 July 1998.
The main objective of the Tender is to achieve a plan that,
on the one hand, assimilates the guidelines and recommendations
produced by the Committee and, on the other, makes a substantial
contribution to the planning of the characteristics of the future
City of Science of Rome and its museological organisation and
form.
The technical specifications necessary for the execution of
the Feasibility Study to which the tender refers form an integral
part of these specifications
The criteria for eligibility of the bids and requirements for
participation in the tender are set out in the Call for Tenders
and in the Special Conditions.
1. PROJECT
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the project is to create a City of Science
in Rome.
The new structure should take the shape of a great system of
scientific communication, at the international level, and should
constitute a centre of excellence for the propagation of high-profile
scientific and technological culture in Italy and Europe.
In view of the complexity of the operation, the Municipal Government
of Rome wants to make use of a Consultant to carry out a feasibility
study for the City of Science and plan its contents.
Considering that the principal purpose of the study is to make
a detailed analysis of the conceptual, material and methodological
contents of the new City of Science, the Consultant will, first
and foremost, analyse the potential demand for the new structure,
estimating the flow of visitors, its dimensions and its morphology.
The Consultant will then analyse the information produced by
the research work done by the experts of the Scientific Committee
during the preliminary phase of the studies and analyse all
the documentation on the subject produced by Institutions and
individual research worker. This will enable him or her to acquire
a broad knowledge of the cultural contexts of the various projects
drawn up in the past and of the background of the project.
On the basis of this knowledge, the Consultant will indicate
the best possible configuration for the new Museum. Subsequently
the Consultant will define the strategies linked to the most
important aspects of the management of the Museum (conservation,
exhibition space, education, services, management and propagation
of information, tourist activities). On the basis of the various
configurations identified, the Consultant, in agreement with
the Principal, will select the most suitable one to be developed
during the next phase of the Feasibility Study and will carry
out further technical investigations for the purpose of being
able to draw up the plan of operations of the Project.
Lastly,
the Consultant will determine the impact of the proposed configuration
on the physical, social and economic environment of the city.
The study will also consider activities to be developed in parallel
with other museums.
Operationally the Consultant is required to develop the following
basic points, in the order suggested below, integrating the
other requests of the principal wherever the Consultant deems
most suitable:
1. Potential demand and estimate of the flow of visitors
2. Evaluation of dimensions and morphology
3. Identification of the conceptual, material and methodological
contents of the City of Science
3.1 comparative analysis of the most advanced reference models,
3.2 checking the general contents set out in the guidelines
prepared by Scientific Committee (point 2 of the Specifications),
preparing proposals for additions,
3.3 preliminary preparation and verification of the possible
scenarios from among which, as the work goes on, the optimal
configuration of the new City of Science of Rome will be selected
3.4 final version of a global study in which a detailed analysis
is made of
3.4.1 the structure and morphology of the City of Science
3.4.1 the conceptual, material and methodological contents of
the new Museum
3.5 specific feasibility studies of the functional structures
and service centres identified
3.6 general museum plan related to the exhibitions and a detailed
plan of the essential exhibits
4. General and detailed specifications for the purpose of assignment
of the overall architectural planning.
5. Plan for linking the City of Science with other parts of
the city and national museum system and a plan for a network
structure
6. Comparative analysis of overall outlay Vs overall benefits
in terms of improvement of the scientific culture of the City
and the Nation.
2. GUIDELINES
PREPARED BY THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE.
Rome is
almost the only capital of a great State that still has no large
structure dedicated to the presentation of the basic problems
of science and technology. This appears even more serious when
we recall that Rome has very important collections and considerable
intellectual energy, as well as a significant potential for
direct interaction with the great research centres and the principle
information and communication structures.
2.1 The
philosophy behind the "City of Science of Rome" project
The idea of starting work on a City of Science, which can rank
high among international science museums, with good qualifications
and specific characteristics, is a great opportunity not only
for Rome, but for the whole country.
Although the City of Science project contemplates the creation
of a huge exhibition centre with great attraction for the public,
it will also make it possible to enhance and put to use the
positive experiments thus far carried out in Rome through the
widespread network of conservation centres and initiatives promoted
by "Musis" to respond to the increasing demand for
scientific culture in this country.
For the network of intellectual energy that contributed to inspiring
the "Musis" Project, the future City of Science will
certainly constitute a landmark, a guarantee of co-ordination
and an opportunity for timely planning of initiatives, as well
as adequate operational, organisational and service structures,
capable of assisting persons working in the field and making
the work of propagating scientific culture more effective.
In other words, the City of Science is not to be conceived as
an inaccessible citadel but as a powerful engine capable of
transmitting impulses and stimuli far beyond the precincts of
its own walls, involving, mobilising and assisting all the people
who want to participate in a project of great civic importance
aimed at bringing scientific culture to the citizens and making
them more aware of the cognitive, economic-productive and social
implications of research.
2.2 - The international scenario
Very important centres for the propagation of science are already
in existence in the great European capital cities, often for
many year. Just as an example, we can recall that the start
of the initiatives that led to the inauguration of the Science
Museum of London date as far back as the eighteen-seventies,
the Deutsches Museum of Munich was founded in 1903 and opened
to the public in 1914, while the Palais de la Decouverte in
Paris was inaugurated in 1937 and the San Francisco Exploratorium
has been in full operation since 1969.
There are other centres, even though smaller and less important
- like Poitiers, Manchester or Helsinki - that have structures
of this type and are usually known as "Museums" or
"Cities of Science". Another significant fact is that
all these structures were created in cities and cultural contexts
that already had big Natural History Museums, some even two
hundred years old.
2.3 - The
Roman scenario
Attempts at filling this gap have been going on for many years
and one that assumed particular importance during the last ten
years is the "MUSIS" project, supported by the "The
Sapienza" University of Rome and the Province of Rome.
This project started out as an attempted to create a great Museum
of Science, along the lines of and similar in size to others
on the international scene, with various proposals regarding
its location and contents. Subsequently, the idea of building
a "multipolar" museum prevailed, which consisted of
identifying a certain number of "poles", distributed
over different sites, to form an organised, integrated system
into an efficient network.
Rome has many small and medium Science Museums, fairly evenly
distributed throughout the city. In the field of national history,
the Museums of the "The Sapienza" University, connected
with the scientific departments of the Faculty of Science, are
mainly active in the field of research and conservation while,
as far as education is concerned, they only operate in the field
of university teaching and, as a whole, they have a wealth of
scientific collections of an extent comparable to any large
European natural history museum.
On the other hand, there are other Museums active in the city
that are open to the public and can carry out their mission
in full. There is the L. Pigorini Ethnography Museum (State)
and the Municipal Zoology Museum. Both establishments are large
in size, contain many scientific collections (the Zoology Museum
has five million specimens) and are strictly single-discipline.
Apart from Natural History, there are other bodies (Universities,
Research Institutions, Schools, Hospitals, firms, etc.) that
possess a great wealth of cultural, technical-scientific and
industrial property of great interest but not very usable.
Then there are other structures, which have been taking shape
recently, for which plans are ready and funding allocated.
It is clear that the overall city scenario in which "Musis"
has been working is heterogeneous and characterised by extreme
fragmentariness while, at the same time, it has great vitality
(also generated by "Musis").
The overall scenario of the management of scientific culture
in Rome, is in any case, evolving rapidly and seething with
proposals and action, which can even be seen in the organisation
of the Municipal Government, which has set up a special Scientific
Culture Office.
2.4 - Settling
the "unitary Vs multipolar" question
In the Roman situation, this type of debate arises from the
existence of an important historic and scientific heritage and
concerns, in particular, the relationship between the new Museum
and the collections of the museums already in existence.
In fact, this relationship can be based either on the assumption
of partial or total presentation of the collections in the City
of Science or on the assumption that they would be made use
of while remaining in their existing sites.
There are a number of reasons in favour of their presentation
in the same place as the interactive exhibits, the temporary
and permanent exhibitions and the services of the new City of
Science.
First and foremost, there is a typically cultural reason, since
that would enable the most advanced and sophisticated aspects
of contemporary technical-scientific research to be presented
in a perspective of the historical development of science and
technology I
Secondly, there is the possibility of endowing the exhibits
with a marked attraction potential, since the technical-scientific
and industrial collections of Rome are composed of articles
that are little known but have a great impact on the general
public (including the many tourists) which hardly knows them.
Thirdly, there is the advisability of locating these collections
in a suitable place for their conservation and taking the opportunity
of their transfer and new arrangement in a museum for making
inventories, preparing catalogues and carrying out restoration
and research campaigns, without which this wealth runs very
high risks of being wasted and destroyed.
The fact is that a significant increase in the "critical
mass" of the new city or museum of science would be achieved,
as well as an unprecedented enhancement and manifestation of
Rome's historic-scientific wealth and make the Roman project
really distinct from the "city of science" models
created in other parts of the world.
There are some objective difficulties in relation to the second
proposal, regarding exploitation of the existing situation,
but it is still believed that there is a concrete possibility
of developing a project with the exploitation of the historic-scientific
wealth as its the main objective. In this case the City of Science
would be deployed in the area selected without having the historic
collections and the research collections but it would, nonetheless,
be involved in an ambitious project for their exploitation ad
exhibition to the public in their various historic sites, perhaps
adopting, updating and above all concretely implementing the
"multipolar" network strategy conceived by "MUSIS".
The Scientific Committee has therefore decided:
- to settle the question of choice between a decentralised and
"multipolar" museum and a single and "Museum
or City of Science" by finding a solution that combines
the positive aspects of both strategies,
- to take the projects already under way or under preparation
fully into account, with a view to possible greater involvement
in the future,
- to make provision for a strong network function to exploit
the existing scientific wealth,
- to create a communication and display structure on subjects
complementary to those already existing or in any case to aim
at greater integration.
This series
of considerations led the Scientific Committee to pursue a single,
well-defined project for a great "City of Science"
system, which is to consist of:
- a Museum of Science operating in a complementary way to the
existing system, using a conceptual approach covering six specific
subjects (set out in points 3.1 - 3.6 below) which are open
to integration.
- a series of functional structures and supplementary service
centres situated both in the City of Science and in other urban
locations,
- a global network system of the city science museums that,
without attempting to interfere with their particular characters
and fields, would link all the city structures virtually and
optimise their cultural use and their ease of use.
2.5 - The
reference models
There are a great many significant examples of museums and/or
cities of science on the international scene. These models,
their evolution and their ability to attract the interest of
a very wide public today need to be carefully analysed by the
Consultant, with particular attention to the principal dynamics
of their development.
These structures nearly always have very large premises and
their architecture is usually impressive and striking. They
present series of exhibits aimed at helping the "lay"
public to understand the theoretical principles of science and
the most advanced and sophisticated applications.
Interaction, in other words direct participation by the public
in the process of observation and discovery, is their most characteristic
common feature. As early as 1963, interaction, as the best way
of promoting understanding by a wider section of the public
of the complex world of science and technology, was one of the
cornerstones of the San Francisco Exploratorium, an institute
which still best interprets its spirit and method and constantly
updates it. The teaching activity that takes place in these
science centres is of the hands-on type. More recently, these
structures, which at the international level often do not show
particularly significant type variations (anyone who has visited
many will have noticed how often the same exhibits recur) have
been seeking an increasingly direct and prompt link with the
products of technological and industrial innovation (the exhibits
are often actually promos of national and/or multinational firms
active in the hi-tech field; this is also due to the need to
cut down on the costs of creating exhibition structures by using
the resources of private sponsors).
Lastly, during the last few years, multimedia technologies have
been increasingly used in these centres as a supplement or alternative
to the traditional exhibits, or to support their automatic operation
by means of electronic systems that allow users to program them
freely.
Many of these centres continue to meet with great success with
the public and they are generally recognised as having an essential
function in the process of transferring advanced scientific
and technical subjects to the general public.
It must, however, be stressed that the quest for hands-on demonstrations
at all costs quite often detracts from even a basic understanding
of the principles involved in some of the exhibits. In other
words, it can be said that hands-on does not always mean mind-on
and that amusing observation of effects, without the slightest
intellectual involvement regarding the causative mechanisms
and basic principles on which they operate, produces limited
educational results. In recent years authorities have started
pointing out the weakness or educational inadequacy of many
of these structures. People are shown the results and products
of research, which can be viewed in their extreme and reassuring
schematism and, above all, can be freely handled but they do
not even get a glimpse of the complexity and the cultural dimension
of scientific and technological research.
During the past ten years great efforts have been made in Italy,
in some important centres, to overcome the fact that our country
is lagging behind its principal international partners, by planning
structures of that type. An axis of national science museums
is emerging that, in addition to the few big and famous Natural
History Museums of the principal cities of the North, means
that important scientific and technical structures have now
been established in Milan, Florence and Naples
Apart from the plans and efforts made in Rome by "MUSIS",
experiments aimed at achieving similar objectives (although
they have not yet really taken root) have been carried out in
Genoa (with a great public attendance at the Aquarium), Trieste
(Immaginario Scientifico) and Turin (Experimenta). Recently,
the University of Catania, in agreement with the University
of Lecce, launched an ambitious City of Science project. There
has also been activity and preliminary projects along these
lines in Padua (on the initiative of the University) and Florence
(on the initiative of the Institute and Museum of the History
of Science and the Municipality).
2.6 - The
project of Rome
The overall picture and remarks outlined must always be kept
in mind in the preparation of the project for the City of Science
in Rome. The main purpose of this is to achieve a dual objective:
a) to produce an organisation with a "critical mass"
comparable to that of the most successful establishments already
in operation on the international scene;
b) make the Roman initiative something special compared to the
most widely adopted models.
2.7 - Indispensable
characteristics of the Roman initiative
It is essential for the Roman initiative to be different from
the standard types of Science Centre common on the international
scene and to have its own particular identity.
With regard to the distinctiveness and originality of the Roman
project, the City of Science of Rome must be conceived, carried
out and operated in the context of the following eight essential
points:
2.7.1 - It most pursue the objective not only of scientific
and technical information but, above all, that of the dissemination
of scientific ad technological culture and, to use an Anglo-Saxon
expression, of "an understanding of science and technology".
It must therefore be a place where memory and history and change
and evolution are represented.
It is therefore neither a museum in the traditional sense nor
a series of technological showcases.
It must achieve a balance between memory and mutation, inspired
by a cultural approach to science and technology and must therefore
have a clear historical and critical aspect.
All things considered, it must contribute to putting science
and technology back into culture and culture back into science
and technology
2.7.2 -
The project must take account of the fact that we live, and
shall in the medium term continue to live, in a society characterised
by a great rate of innovation. In the design of the City of
Science, both its shape and contents, a balance must be sought
between structures and infrastructures, between stores, laboratories
and exhibition spaces, capable of ensuring a high degree of
flexibility and adaptability.
In other words, it must be designed with a view to adaptability
to requirements that vary as time goes by.
2.7.3 -
The project must take account of the fact that we are evolving
towards a society in which the ways of memorising and transmitting
knowledge will change radically as a result of the use of the
new communications and information technologies.
The City of Science will be operating in this new context and
must therefore be set up taking into account, from the moment
of its conception, of the need to use new languages. To this
end it is necessary, in a way, to equip the experimentation
laboratories with the new technologies and the new languages,
which have to be constantly updated.
The City of Science of Rome must therefore not take the form
of a static structure but of a dynamic space in constant movement.
Nevertheless, the widespread use of everything the multimedia
and networks already offer us today must be anticipated, both
from the point of view of integration of the languages and of
that of connection with databanks and knowledge.
Lastly, provision must be made for the development of dialogue
with remote users, paying particular attention to schools.
2.7.4 -
The City of Science has to fit into the Roman scene and become
part of an environment that has an excellent and unique memory
of building techniques.
The City of Science can add a scientific and technical dimension
to the artistic DIMENSION of this memory. And that is in line
with what, for its part, the Municipal Cultural Property Service
of Rome decided to pursue in the Museum of Roman Civilisation.
Ways and means need to be defined in the project for specific
action in this field, envisaging co-operation with and complementariness
to the Municipal Service.
It is clear that, in this way, thorough cultural interaction
can be established with the city and its history and the City
of Science can be something really different, emphasising in
particular the aspects related to the science of building
2.7.5 -
Rome has enormous scientific and technological wealth, which
is not just kept in the University Museums and municipal museums,
and it also has a great wealth of experience acquired during
so many years of work by "Musis". The project must
enable the City of Science to carry out the function of helping
to put this wealth "into the network" by acting as
a catalyst for initiatives and joint programmes for propagating
scientific cultures, equipping itself with common service infrastructures.
It must also be the centre of that network, spread throughout
the city, linking places where the scientific and technical
wealth is kept and the activities related to making use of it
take place.
2.7.6 - The City of Science sees historic memory not only as
the key to the making the most of a glorious cultural past of
which fundamental testimony can be found in the university museums
(and not only there) but it also recognises the synergetic significance
of history for a critical awareness of the present and of the
profound changes that our society is going through.
2.7.7 -
The City of Science of Rome must take the shape of an international
place for the exchange of specific cultural experiences different
from another.
To that end it can constitute a junction for initiatives related
to the evolution of scientific thought and to the new frontiers
of innovation connected to it, closely related to the social
changes triggered off and caused by that process.
2.7.8 -
For this approach to develop fully it is essential to guarantee
universal access to the structure, paying particular attention,
during the planning phase, of equal usability by every type
of public.
This intent must be expressed both in the absence of any kind
of architectural or communication barrier and by excluding differential
lines of utilisation of the cultural material that might discriminate
between the many categories of user.
2.8 - Possible
distinctive features
Another very distinguishing feature would be the possibility,
already referred to, of devoting ample space within the boundaries
of the City of Science itself to the exhibition of the extraordinary
scientific, technical and industrial wealth held by many persons
and bodies in the Roman area. If that could be done, the future
Roman structure would be of a very distinctive type compared
to the vast majority of science centres operating on the international
scene. And all the more so if we succeed in developing an ambitious
and skilled policy of services, exhibition proposals and original
teaching methods suited for presenting extraordinary specimens,
mainly unknown but interesting and significant, to the general
public in a lively and non-academic manner. What is more, there
would be the great advantage of being able to show easily, by
presenting the historic evolution of science and technology,
the extent and typically cultural implications of scientific
activities, an aspect almost always totally neglected in the
science centres, with the result that those structures end up
by ghettoising science and technology in a typically instrumental
position, thus contributing to reinforcing the popular concept
of their basic difference or, at least, irremediable separateness
from the world of cultural activities in the true sense.
Another distinguishing objective to be pursued determinedly
is to shift the emphasis from mere reproducibility by visitors
of the most wonderful effects and the most amazing phenomena
by direct handling of the exhibits (hands on), to understanding
the heuristic processes and the epistemological and cultural
implications (in the broadest sense) of the paths to the discovery
and definition of scientific theories.
This certainly does not mean abandoning the so successful formula
of the interactive approach but making every effort to show
the overall problems and the frequent lack of consistency in
the processes of discovery, thus contributing to developing
the visitor's critical sense and stimulating him or her to adopt
a hands-and-mind-on approach. The objective pursued must not
so much be merely to astonish people with the presentation of
the most advanced results achieved by scientific and technological
research but rather to give the visitor an idea of the complexity
of this sector of human activity, of its typically cultural
aspect, and perhaps give visitors, where it proves possible,
an opportunity to grasp the extent of the economic and social
implications attained.
In addition to the requirements set out in point 2.8.4 above,
for a further distinction of the new City of Science and to
give it an appearance that fits in with the aspect of the city
as a whole and the role it plays in the collective imagination
(that of one of the most important centres because of the evidence
it bears in its actual physical structures of important phases
and moments of the evolution of western civilisation) the tendency
should be to use the methods, exhibition techniques and tools
(hands on, exhibits, multimediality, etc.) typical of the city
and of museums of science, to present basic aspects of the history
of Rome to visitors in a lively and effective manner: the installations
(e.g. aqueducts, roads, military and agricultural organisation
etc.) and the extraordinary and technically very audacious buildings
(Pantheon, Coliseum, St. Peter's etc.). The same thing can be
done for the presentation of the natural environment of the
Rome of other times: trades and craft traditions, food habits
etc.
The section of the City of Science devoted to these subjects
- if properly designed and put into effect (just think of the
opportunities offered in this field by the skill and ingenuity
of the craftspeople of the cinema industry) - will give this
structure an absolutely original identity. It will also be another
tool for linking the new museum plexus with the overall image
of the city, as well as an opportunity to et up a "virtuous
circle" between tradition and contemporariness, between
science and technology on the one hand and culture and organisation
of society on the other.
3. THE BASIC
CONTENTS OF THE CITY OF SCIENCE OF ROME
It can already be deemed indispensable to set up a certain number
of areas dedicated to the presentation of developments in the
outstanding sectors of scientific and technological research,
paying special attention to the increasingly intrusive phenomenon
of techno-science.
We would like to repeat that these preliminary indications are
not meant to provide an exhaustive list (in fact the City of
Science will have to devote attention to many other fundamental
themes), but rather to sketch out a series of exhibition areas
that would already be capable, on their own, of constituting
a sufficient "critical mass" (combined with the other
services described in this document) of attracting a large number
of public. It should also be stressed that every exhibition
on these kinds of theme, which are rushing ahead in research
and applications, requires constant updating if it is not to
become rapidly obsolete. To sum up, these areas need to be conceived
as sites where work is always in progress. This is another reason
why the new Roman structure must have a strong permanent connection
with the excellence centres of research to ensure the timely
transfer to the general public of progress as it is achieved.
At the same time a complementary relationship with the industries
in the Roman area must be sought and cultivated.
By way
of example, some of the main subjects of choice for the City
of Science of Rome are shown below:
3.1 - THE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF SPACE
The subjects related to space will certainly be illustrated,
on the one hand, by the presentation of the instruments, methods
and purpose of exploration of the cosmos and illustration of
the cognitive and material effects on humanity; and, on the
other, by stressing the use of space by the big telecommunications
networks, a sphere where it seems advisable to point out the
many and fundamental implications at the economic and civil
level.
3.2 - THE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE STRUCTURE OF MATTER
A sector that should present a high level of exhibits is the
sphere related to knowledge of the structure of matter and the
laws that govern it. These disciplines have, on the one hand,
revolutionised our concept of nature and even of the evolution
of the universe while other disciplines and technology have
radically changed our everyday life.
Every stage of penetration into the heart of matter has opened
up unexpected worlds and produced a variety of practical applications
and new materials:
- crystalline level: superconductivity, microelectronics, laser,
- atomic and molecular level: X-rays, synthetic chemistry, biochemistry,
- nuclear level: sidereal evolution, advanced diagnosis and
therapies, energy from fission and fusion, nondestructive tests,
elementary analyses,
- quark level: evolution of the universe, cosmic processes.
It should be stressed that extremely complex research methods
have been developed requiring collaboration between the entire
world scientific community, thus accelerating technological
progress, and that this kind of knowledge is only acquired by
means of ongoing discussion and critical examination, defining
most carefully the limits of certain knowledge and the fields
still open.
3.3 - THE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
This is where the great subjects related to the formation, structure
and functioning of ecosystems have to be considered and then
an analysis made of the actions of interference caused by the
development of the technological civilisation and the optimal
technical means and development models for maintaining them.
The treatment of the biotic and abiotic components of the environment
and of their levels of organisation will continue with the energy
and geo-biochemical cycles and culminate at an ecosystem level
of maximum integration.
An exhibition sector that will be very typical of the Roman
structure will be devoted to matters related to the mechanisms
of the formation and maintenance of the planet's global biodiversity.
Problems of such great contingency, linked to the maintenance
of life itself on the earth and so closely interrelated with
the development of civilisation, will be dealt with in their
historic-evolutionary context and strictly related to present-day
economic dynamics.
3.4 - MOLECULAR
BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGIES
Another important exhibition space will be devoted to the important
research work being carried out in the field of molecular biology,
with the numerous application polarities derived from it. The
aim should be to present the basic principles and applications
of molecular genetics, biochemistry and genetic and cellular
engineering techniques in basic biological and medical research,
with an understanding of the evolutionary process, and also
with regard to innovative fallout affecting health strategies
and the pharmaceutical and agri-food industries. What has to
be shown is how the dynamic organisation of the evolutionary
process and of development is defined and studied by means of
the concepts and technical instruments produced by biomolecular
and cellular research.
The new knowledge and techniques, especially those that emerge
from the mapping and sequencing of the human genome and from
studies of the genic expression and function, are also changing
the frame of reference of physiopathological investigation and
medical practice, moving the definition and causal explanation
of disease to the genes and their control and to the mechanisms
of intra- and intercellular communication and also directing
diagnosis and treatment towards the cellular and genetic levels.
No less important is the fallout from biotechnology on pharmaceutical
and agri-food production processes where technologies of recombinant
DNA and the construction of genetically modified organisms (transgenic)
have not only revolutionised the preparation of drugs and vaccines
but, above all, are widely diffused in agriculture and animal
husbandry. Special attention will be paid to the analysis of
the needs of an ethical, social and legal nature that arise
from the possibility of knowing and modifying the human genetic
heritage and of marketing the biotechnology and products deriving
from their applications.:
3.5 - COGNITIVE
SCIENCE AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
Neuroscience must be well presented and also be linked to the
development of research on artificial intelligence.
The basic cerebral mechanisms, at every level - organisation,
behaviour, sensory system, neurone circuits, nerve cells and
molecules - are themes introducing a broader scenario that,
proceeding from physics to the mind, leads to the cognitive
models and, through informatics and electronics, arrives at
the world of communication and information engineering.
The theme should concentrate on the processing capacities of
the mind and on the situation that is arising with the progressive
development of communication technologies.
It would be advisable to make it clear that the inputs reaching
the brain are only a tiny part of the mind's processing capacity
(from perception to memory), that the brain/mind has a heuristic
capacity that, broadly speaking, adapts us to various environmental
and requirements but that, in some situations and in the case
of ambiguous information, may lead to mistakes. What is therefore
needed is to develop a method of reasoning and checking, to
assist our decisions: in other words to learn how to think and
to learn.
Another point to be developed is the question of the merits
and problems created by virtuality: this subject deals with
various aspects of the formation of the child's brain, of the
relations between the concrete and the abstract, the empirical
and the theoretical, and is important in the sphere of scholastic
use of communication technologies.
3.6 - SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY IN ROME
The basic aspects of the history of Rome and the installations
(e.g. aqueducts, roads, military and agricultural organisation
etc.) and the wonderful and technically extremely audacious
buildings (Pantheon, Coliseum, St. Peter's etc.) that characterised
the amazing development of Roman civilisation in the past and
enabled this city to continue for such a long time as a metropolis
and an important cultural and spiritual centre for the whole
world, need to be presented to visitors in a lively and effective
way. In fact, all these subjects lend themselves to an approach
based on the direct participation of the public in discovery,
handling and reconstruction. They help people to understand
what they do not realise when visiting an archaeological area:
how the aqueducts worked, how the baths were supplied with water,
how domes and arches were built and even what a formidable structure
- powerful but light - is constituted by the combination of
arches that form the Coliseum.
4. FUNCTIONAL
STRUCTURES AND SERVICE CENTRES OF THE CITY OF SCIENCE
While leaving
the definition and feasibility for the planning of the exhibition
modules of the City of Science to the Consultant, we describe
here some of the basic sections of the City of Science System,
which it needs to have (some right from the start, others gradually)
in order to present a very attractive and appealing package
to the large pubic potentially interested (local, national and
hopefully also international).
Some structural layouts and some museum facilities capable of
enhancing and improving the functionality and efficiency of
the structure are mentioned here. It is stressed that the order
followed in the list is not to be taken as an order of importance
and that, where thought fit, some of the service structures
might be located elsewhere than in the Museum.
Lastly, it is pointed out that some of these structures, such
as, for instance, the Workshops and the Conservation Facility
could even be set up outside the City of Science area.
4.1 - Imax cinema
There is not even one example in Italy of this type of cinema,
where 70 mm films on technical-scientific subjects are screened,
by a very sophisticated system, on parabolic screens that the
range of visual of the viewer cannot fully embrace; visitors
are literally "crushed" by the effects of the realistic
and "overflowing" pictures and "pounded"
by the sound. At present there are more than 130 Imax theatres
in the world, forming a circuit usually very popular with the
public where documentaries specifically made for these theatres
are screened (though it must be said that the quality of these
products is not always consistent). The creation of an Imax
theatre is certainly an expensive undertaking but it would be
hard to imagine not having one in a project of this kind.
4.2 - Theatre
- auditorium
An adequate space for all the Communication Science activities
(theatrical events, concerts, seminars, courses etc.)
4.3 - Workshops
and laboratories
Workshops for the design, construction and maintenance of the
exhibits. For the material construction of the exhibits, for
guaranteeing their efficiency by constant maintenance, for updating
and improving them, for creating the exhibition elements for
temporary shows (internal and for itineration), for producing
kits for sale and/or hire, a production department, staffed
by technicians who are flexible and capable of working with
many different kinds of material, is needed. If the workshop
is efficiently organised and has skilled staff it will be able
to produce exhibits, materials and travelling shows not only
for the City of Science of Rome, but for other centres, schools,
associations etc. all over the country; and, if the design and
manufacture of products are of a high level, on the international
market also, where these kinds of material and services are
already available from some major science centres (e.g., the
Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie in Paris and the
'Exploratorium in San Francisco).
It is essential that the workshop fully combine museum planning
and design skills, on the one hand, with skill in material production
on the other.
4.4 - Conservation
Facility.
The optimal conservation of any type of material of biotic or
abiotic origin calls for the creation of special, climatised
areas. Light, temperature and humidity are fundamental factors
if the scientific collections are to last: most of them are
extremely perishable. In particular, historic organic collections
must not be considered as important "relics" of the
past that simply need to be conserved but as essential tools
for current research and it must be easy to move and manage
them with absolute safety. Recent experiments on the most suitable
methods for conserving this kind of scientific heritage has
led big cities, both in Europe and America, to create climatised
areas underground, where optimal management of collections is
combined with the prevention of destructive events, whether
of natural or human origin.
4.5 - Teaching
and animation centre.
It is essential to have staff capable of lively and effective
teaching and of animating the visit in a structure to which
young people will be habitual visitors and which must constantly
produce temporary exhibitions, side by side with the permanent
ones. These staff members must be trained and given constant
refresher training. The teaching centre can play a great role
(and constitute an important self-financing structure) in the
task of ensuring the training and refresher training of teachers,
not only of scientific subjects, in every type and level of
school, on a local, regional and national scale. For this reason
the Centre needs to be systematically interfaced with the school
authorities of the catchment area and with the Ministry of Education.
4.6 - Experimental
vegetable garden and arboretum.
In the open-air areas, a sufficiently large piece of ground
(with greenhouses and small covered spaces) will be devoted
to the presentation of the basic techniques and principles of
cultivation (sowing, reproduction, grafting etc.). Some small
plots might be rented to school classes for fixed periods, for
assisted experimental work. A series of environmental educational
activities will be linked to this sector (monitoring the effects
of pollution, acid rain etc.).
Work in close synergy with the Orto Botanico (botanical garden)
must be envisaged for the creation and maintenance of this particular
sector.
4.7 - Media
libraries, film libraries and centre for education in multimedia
technologies and the function and use of the networks.
A vast collection of publications, whether hard copy or not,
on subjects related to scientific and technological culture,
the history of science, science-society interaction etc. needs
to be put together and made accessible. The media library will
also be a centre for the collection, conservation and distribution
of films, documentaries, CDs, books, periodicals, radio programmes
etc. It should also be a centre for the production of programmes
(films, multimedia products etc.), texts, booklets, and courses
- also for distance learning - to meet the various needs of
the City of Science, its partners and clients. It must also
create and constantly improve the City's Web Site, conducting
a dialogue with the remote public in the most effective way
and stimulating its interest.
The Media Library should periodically publish and distribute
as widely as possible (including on the web) one or more periodic
publications illustrating and promoting the activities in progress
and describing the innovations.
The Media Library will be linked to the Museum area allocated
for the presentation of information-telematic and telecommunication
technologies and their numerous economic and social implications.
4.8 - The
science of art
There must be a special space dedicated to the numerous levels
of interaction between the arts, on the one hand, and science
and technology, on the other. Interactive exhibits and workshops
should, in particular, help visitors to recognise especially
the basic technical-scientific components of artistic production
(how colours are produced, how the third dimension is "simulated"
in painting, how a wall is prepared for the painting of a fresco
etc.) This section would contribute to reinforcing the City's
role as a place for presenting the pervasive and transverse
aspect of science and technology, showing their often decisive
presence in artistic production also.
4.9 - Association
centre and membership.
The presumably great public success of a City of Science conceived
in this way suggests the idea of establishing an association
type of link with visitors. This would mean establishing a ticketing
strategy that would encourage frequent visits to the Museum
during the year, particularly by young people of school age.
The creation of an association among patrons of the Museum would
make it possible to involve numerous persons in certain management
aspects (animation, surveillance, assistance to the "disadvantaged"
etc.).
The association could also organise the members in a series
of initiatives: lectures by experts on topical subjects, guided
tours, tours of exploration or of naturalist interest guided
by experts, even in other hemispheres etc.
The Association should also develop a programme of activities
for introducing the Museum and its offer of services outside
its natural site, promoting useful "contacts" in busy
places (stations, art galleries, airports etc.).
4.10 - Integration
with the municipal science structures
The City of Science must, as a priority, be integrated with
the municipal structures, or structures where there is municipal
participation, the purpose of which is to promote scientific
culture. These structures (some of which created with the contribution
of "Musis") are either already in operation in the
city, or their action plans have already obtained financing,
or their projects already finalised. In addition to being integrated
into the city Network these structures also need to be strengthened
and put to the best use.
Particular reference is made to the following structures:
4.10.1 - Museum Civico di Zoologia (municipal museum of zoology)
A structure of over 4000 sq.m, in regular operation, conserving
a wealth of zoological scientific collections owned by the City
and, partly, by universities. (It is one of the five principal
natural history museums in Italy.) Many of the exhibition rooms
have recently been fitted out along new museological and conceptual
lines. Thanks to the new displays the Museum has become very
popular in the city. Conservation, research and education are
carried out by specialised staff. There is a global plan to
transform the Zoological Museum into a "Life Science Museum",
drawn up by a special Scientific Committee and adopted by the
Municipal Government.
4.10.2 -
Planetario (planetarium) and Museo delle Scienze planetarie
(museum of planetary science)
This structure is a fundamental one, in view of the popular
interest in astronomy and the last-generation planetarium potentiality
that combines optical projection, multimedia, stereophony etc.
There is no latest-generation planetarium in operation in Italy,
where even the presence of more traditional instruments is rare.
Rome's new Planetarium is based on an already financed final
plan and the tender call has already been launched. The planned
location is within the premises of the Museo della Civiltà
Romana. Space for an Astronomical Museum is also planned at
the Museo della Civiltà Romana.
4.10.3 -
Museum della Matematica (mathematics museum)
This year a mathematics museum will be inaugurated, created
thanks to municipal collections and support in spaces made available
by the Mathematics Department of the '"La Sapienza"
University.
4.10.4 -
The "Arte Sanitaria" (health craft) collections
A collection of medical instruments currently conserved at the
Museo di Arte Sanitaria
4.10.5 -
Children's town.
It is essential for there to be a space in the Network of Science
Museums specifically reserved for interaction with the pupils
of nursery and primary schools. We are aware that the Museo
dei bambini (children's museum) project is already in the implementation
phase in Rome, on municipal land. As far as possible, it would
be desirable to establish synergisms and relationships between
the contents of that initiative (even though private and independently
managed) with the City of Science. The structures would derive
considerable reciprocal advantages.
5 - MUSEUM
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
The Consultant, after first defining the Museum's functions
and services, will then identify the related needs in terms
of space. Functions and services, such as financial, administrative,
management and marketing, management of collections, information
and orientation programmes for visitors, laboratory, research,
control and security systems, repairs and maintenance and other
technical services, have to be identified
In this way, the proposed museum system will achieve the standing
of an institution of international significance and will also
become a pole capable of stimulating cultural and educational
activities.
5.1 - Conservation
of the collections
The functions of the new Museum will include exhibition and
conservation. The former involves the exposure of objects to
natural agents such as light, damp, dust and pollution, which
can in some way pose a threat to their conservation. A balance
must therefore be struck between exhibition strategy and conservation
strategy. The plan for the conservation of the collections will
call for adequate resources in terms of personnel, equipment,
space and, obviously, funds. The Consultant will therefore identify
the staff required and the operational criteria suited to the
work of controlling and restoring the collections.
5.2 - Management
of information
It is considered that the exhibition spaces in the Museum should
be planned and managed in such a way that they can be visited
without assistance from Museum staff. Information material and
audio-visual equipment must therefore be available to supply
to visitors when they enter the Museum. This will be one of
the key services of the new Museum's Information Service.
Furthermore, high-level educational programmes must be proposed
in order to increase the interest and participation of young
people in the new Museum.
5.3 - Configuration of the new Museum based on a modular system
In the light of the results of the sectorial analyses made,
the Consultant must identify the criteria to be adopted for
defining the architectural layout Of the area and propose the
optimal configuration of the new Museum. The Consultant must
also evaluate the possibilities and any implications of a future
expansion of the Museum to adjacent areas.
The Consultant must draw up the Feasibility Study in such a
way that the configuration of the City of Science takes into
account the close link existing between the Museum area and
future developments in its surroundings.
The Scientific Committee has suggested that the new museum complex
be created gradually, in view of the amount of funding needed.
For this purpose the parts to be executed in the future will
be identified.
The Consultant must therefore plan the new museum complex with
a view to its implementation by functional lots, the first of
which must guarantee enough exhibition space, even though limited,
to contain selected collections and exhibits, the information
services, the administration and management services. This will
make it possible to present the project to the community of
potential Italian and international donors and funders. It is
also agreed that the definition of the cultural contents of
this first unit is an extremely important matter.
6. - POTENTIAL
DEMAND
6.1 - Estimate
of the flow of visitors
The Consultant must estimate the catchment area of users of
the City of Science and the potential flow of visitors, by age,
level of education, profession, purpose of the visit, nationality
etc.
Based on the results of this analysis, the Consultant should
suggest the opening hours of the museum complex so as to favour
an increase in the number of visitors (both Italian and foreign)
and a consequent increase in the revenue of the Museum. At the
same time, the Consultant should suggest appropriate measures
for avoiding overcrowding in the museum complex.
7. - DIMENSIONS
AND MORPHOLOGY
Some preliminary
choices have to be made to enable the dual requirements described
in point 2.6, which appear to be essential to justify the economic
and intellectual investment required by such an ambitious project,
to be satisfied.
As far as location is concerned, it is advisable, first and
foremost to stress that the success, visibility and popularity
(in terms of number of visitors) of the new structure will depend
to a great extent on the central location (even relative) of
the site selected and on the efficiency and frequency of the
transport network (rail, road etc.) connecting it to the busy
centres of the civic, economic, tourist and cultural life of
Rome. The relative centrality of the structure will also contribute
to diminish the risks of its "ghettoisation", away
from the management centres of cultural life (art galleries
and archaeological centres, libraries, archives etc.).
Equally important is the quality of architectural design and
the plan for the surrounding natural environment, which will
be the subject of a specific call for tender based on the results
of this feasibility study; the same goes for the spaces available,
also taking into account the fact, considering the mild Roman
climate, that spaces set up out of doors and/or partially covered
should play an important role.
As things stand, and in an emblematic way, the Municipal Government
is in favour of the proposal to locate the City of Science in
the Ostienze- Marconi - San Paolo sector, which is the subject
of a specific Town Plan in course of completion, and in this
sector, in particular, in part of the area owned by Italgas
situated between the Via Ostiense and the Tiber (Gasometer)
and the reutilization of abandoned industrial buildings present
in the neighbourhood. The success of the negotiations in progress
for acquisition of the area by the Municipal Government is an
essential condition for the realisation of this location proposal.
By way of example, a card describing the site is attached. Such
a location would add the presence of the Tiber and its banks
to the specific contents of the proposed establishment, constituting
an added value for the overall profile of the whole project.
The location indicated would also make it possible to aim at
creating a single cultural system that would recuperate a vast
area of industries and services that are no longer in use or
are in the course of being given up, by including not only the
City of Science but the new spaces of Rome University Three,
the former Miralanza factory (Papareschi complex), intended
to be a supplementary seat of the Teatro di Roma, the Montemartini
Plant - an already established museum-exhibition structure -
the former Slaughterhouse complex and the General Markets which
will soon be moved to the new Centro Agro Alimentare (agricultural
products and food centre) and will therefore become available
for cultural uses and public services.
It can be
seen from the data set out above that to realise an operation
corresponding to high international standards, several tens
of square metres of useful surface are needed (and, in the case
of Rome, big outdoor spaces also) viz.:
exhibition
services conservation
30.000 sq.m 20.000 sq.m 10.000 sq.m
It can also
be seen that the spaces dedicated to permanent exhibits are
between 1/3 to 1/2 of the overall useful surface (in the case
of the Science Museum of Boston the total useful surface is
less than this average percentage but it must be remembered
that it has huge spaces that are almost permanently occupied
by temporary exhibitions).
Naturally, such a great extension of covered area (and equipped
outside areas) does not have to be fully available before the
exhibition activities can start. In fact, they can be realised
gradually; but this scale of dimensions must be borne in mind
from the start in selecting the area and the scientific and
museological model, envisaging possible breakdown into successive
finished functional sections.
8. - ORGANISATION
OF THE STUDY
8.1 - Project
phases
The Consultant to whom the contract is awarded shall carry out
the study and the subsequent planning in the phases listed below:
PHASE 1 - Working out and submission of one or more operational
proposals, very general but with recognisable and unambiguous
contents and organisation.
Phase 1 is followed by an opinion by the Supervisory Committee,
which shall proceed with the identification and possible approval
of the optimal scenario. At this point the Committee may ask
for changes, additions, variations or revisions of the overall
organisation and contents of the City of Science System.
PHASE 2 - Submission of the preliminary version of the study
and its approval by the Supervisory Committee. Submission of
the final results of the study with regard to points 1 and 2
of the project objectives referred to in art. 1 of these Specifications.
The final results on "Potential demand and estimate of
the flow of visitors" and "Evaluation of Dimensions
and Morphology" shall be made available to the Consultant
appointed to make the study on the identification of the organisational
form and management structure of the future City of Science.
PHASE 3 - Submission of the Feasibility Study and planning of
the contents in the final version and conclusion of services.
8.2 - Scientific
Committee
The Administration will support the Science Museums U.O. of
the Municipal Service by setting up a Committee of Experts,
which will be appointed on the basis of the experience thus
far acquired through the work of the Committee set up in 1998
to advise the City of Rome on the project in the scientific
and cultural field.
8.3 - Supervisory
Committee
At the time the contract comes into force the Administration
will appoint a Supervisory Committee with the task of supervising
the progress of the study and ensuring a balance between the
consultant's independence and responsibility for planning, making
the most of the work done by the Scientific Committees and the
guidance activities of the Municipal Government. The function
of the Committee will be to supervise and guide in the preparation
of the product but it will also be available for consultation
with the Consultant during the preparation of the project.
8.4 - Project
Co-ordinator
The Consultant shall identify a Co-ordinator of the study.
The Superintendent
Prof. Eugenio La Rocca
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