There are two major principles of conventional urbanism, defined by Colin Rowe as "the old city" and "the new city". The paradigm of the old city is the Roman Forum; it is characterized by a "fixation" on the public space, whereas the surrounding buildings just serve as a frame for it. The new city's model is Athenian Acropolis, which is characterized by a "fixation" on the objects of the city, while the public space has a role of a backdrop (or a frame). The project, through its architectural language, is a critique of both principles and an attempt to create a new form of urbanism that can operate within a context of political and historical references.