Interesting video about the ancient Romans use of Greek and Etruscan influence in their architecture.

The MAXXI museum, Rome’s new National Museum of 21st Century Arts, looks about as un-Roman as you could possibly imagine.

Instead of classical columns and pediments and relief carvings of ancient gods, MAXXI features sweeping curves of molded concrete and glass, accented by a rectangular form thrusting out of one of its flanks like a gigantic loudspeaker.

Designed by Zaha Hadid, the Iraqi-born London architect whose buildings resemble broken shards of metal, or the arcs of jet trails in the sky, MAXXI is totally unlike anything else in its neighborhood, or, indeed, the entire city. That’s precisely the point. And it’s actually refreshing.