The eternal city that changes forever is the slogan coined by the mayor of Rome for the 2025 Jubilee. Every 25 years, believers from around the world flock to the city to step through one of its four holy doors and have their sins forgiven. But it seems that Rome itself is hoping for some forgiveness, too. In Italys capital, public works are often slow to be decided, even slower to begin, and nearly impossible to finish on time. As Marco DEramo writes, the city is governed by four key forces: public administration, the church, the real estate sector, and the tourism industry. This quadriga makes processes, competitions, and decisions anything but agile. A prime example of how long things take can be seen in the development of the citys metro network. Work on Metro B began in the 1930s but was halted by World War II. It resumed in 1948, with the first section inaugurated in 1955. A few more stops were added in 1990, and the project was finally completed 64 years later, in 2012. Metro A was a bit faster: It took 36 years to finish after starting in 1964, with the final section being completed in 2000. Currently, Metro C is under construction. Its initial plan ran from 2007 to 2013, with the first station opening in 2015 and a second station following in 2018. Its full completion, promised in time for the Jubilee, remains uncertain.Although mass transit might be one of the more utilitarian projects planned for the Jubilee (and certainly no easy task given Romes rich archaeological history), the Metro project is an example of how things often work in the city. Presently, over 300 urban renewal projects are underway, with a total investment of around 3.5 billion euros. Romans have watched the construction sites pop up at nearly every corner of the city with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, wondering how many projects will actually be finished. Large banners and scaffolding havent gone unnoticed by tourists either, with humorous videos circulating on social media that showcase impaired sightseeing experiences. Meanwhile, the citys mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, is running his own social media campaign to promote the works. One of the most ambitious projects is the redevelopment of Piazza Pia into a pedestrian zone, which was inaugurated on December 23, 2024, just in time for the start of the Holy Year. An existing underpass was extended to create a large public square to directly connect Castel SantAngelo and both sides of the Tiber River to St. Peters Basilica. The redesign offers a new walkway and, perhaps more importantly, new sightlines. Its now possible to view the papal basilica head-on from before the start of Via della Conciliazione, a street designed in 1936 by Marcello Piacentini following Pope Pius XIs request to Mussolini for a triumphal avenue highlighting Michelangelos dome. And indeed, its a triumph to experience the view, the proximity to the river and city, and most notably, the absence of carsRomes main handicapon such a vast stretch of land.Its nearly all right, at least. What also stands in view are two circular fountains that appear to have been designed without any particular criteria other than not interfering with the surrounding culture. Unfortunately, their meaningless slanted lines detract from the rich historical context around them. Theres no clear architectural signature on this or other interventions, a condition that reflects the growing trend of anonymous Italian infrastructure that emerges from the need to efficiently spend European recovery funds, whether in Piazza Pia or the tourist harbor of Palermo. As one Roman notes, even if one were to praise these works, it would be unclear to whom those compliments should go. Faced with tight deadlines, the city planner evidently took no time for considerations of authorship. Many of the projects underway feel more like cosmetic changes rather than genuine progress. On Via Nomentana, bike lanes have been painted in red, but the potholes that cyclists risk falling into remain untouched. Parking islands in the middle of the road have been tidied up with a tree here and there, but no attempt has been made to rethink traffic and transportation as a whole. What, then, is the radical vision for Rome in 2050? If the metro system cannot be built successfully, why not invest in the best bike lanes in Europe? If traditional basalt stones are no longer availablemore on that in a momentwhy not replace paved squares with gardens and green spaces? Whats at stakeor what should be at stakeis nothing less than Romes identity today and in the next 25 years. An illustrious urban research lab, Laboratorio Roma050, led by Stefano Boeri, has been commissioned by the municipality to consult on Romes future, but the opportunity for renewal and forward-thinking urban design and policymaking that this Jubilee presents has largely gone unrealized. Despite the allusions toor illusions ofthe Eternal City, 92 percent of Rome is modern. The historic center is but a small drop of water in a vast urban lake. Yet, Romes complexity and enormous urban sprawl are seldom considered in the broader narrative of the city, as though Le Corbusiers drawing from 1932 is the only image Rome could ever aspire to.It is this outdated notion of identity that holds Italys capital captive. The aforementioned basalt stones are a key example. Heritage authorities have insisted that certain roads and squares be paved with traditional sampietrini, Romes iconic square pavement stones, first used in the 16th century and given their name in 1725, when they were used to replace pavement in St. Peters Square. Even though the quarries and labor conditions that once produced them no longer exist in the Lazio region and the few remaining stones are prohibitively expensive, the authorities have opted to import similar-looking stones from Vietnam. Of course, Italys heritage authorities are known for their rigid, arbitrarily conservative approach, and issues like transport emissions, labor ethics, and resource scarcity are unlikely to be considered anytime soon. This, perhaps, is Romes real problem: What standard should this eternal, yet eternally changing, city be held to?Izabela Anna Moren is a researcher, writer, and curator, as well as a PhD candidate at the University of Tor Vergata in Rome and a lecturer in architecture and environment at Syracuse University in Florence.