INTERNATIONAL IDEAS COMPETITION
learning from nature we designed the cultural centre by overlapping an honeycomb structure on the site. in ancient times mud hives were used in egypt and in the middle east. the honeycomb concept states that a regular hexagonal grid or honeycomb is the best way to divide a surface into regions of equal area with the least total perimeter. sharing walls means saving materials, work costs, time and soil. so we can use the territory sparingly and we have the possibility to reach the programme building requirements. the honeycomb exagonal grid also contains an idea of community and sharing space, because the obtuse angles allow to facing in more directions towards the landscape that surrounds the cultural centre and in the same time to focus on the inner and central part of the space.
the open air spaces, walking areas, meadows and water pools with border bench are created through the honeycomb envelope and try to transform the designated green zone in an ecological system of Bamiyan cultural and natural heritage.
the project supposes the possibility to conduct river water to the cultural centre so to transform completely the place and configure a new environment, defined by the local trees species, located into a large water pools, that mitigate in the summer the hot dry local climate as evaporation pans. the cultural centre would like to become the bamiyan home, able to render the identity of the place and landscape
NATIONAL IDEAS COMPETITION
3rd Prize
the project for the new library – media centre of santorso comes from the will to suggest both an innovative scheme for the spaces of the library – media centre and also a new relationship between the existing building and the city.
the building is then interpreted as potential catalyst of flows and routes that considers the existing different entrance levels not as an obstacle to the creation of a cultural centre but as potential distinctive characters of the building and of its placement inside the city.
such vision collides with and idea of conservation of the building that does not limit it to its proper functioning only by shutting it into a shrine (box) but that places it into the city circuit as attracting pole, place of meeting and cultural learning, prominent historic architecture that opens itself towards the citizens and represents en element of their identity with the outside, the other villages, the artistic, turistic and naturalistic itineraries.
INTERNATIONAL 2 STAGES IDEAS COMPETITION
2nd Prize Ex Aequo
the plan of the new cultural centre alessandrina city configures itself in continuity with the existing urban texture intended as morphological matrix of the project and it conforms to the oragraphy of the territory as a chassis, moving towards the building of a new urban connecting plate that expands the territory shared of the neighborhood as horizontal surface of generation of the cultural centre.
such new territory, conceives as an horizontal crossing slab, discloses an underground level (compared to the alessandrino neighborhood), but homogeneous at the priority level of the vallum, holding all the technical element of service for the cultural centre (stairs, services, installations, warehouses) in addition to the public parkings and some open spaces (garden-square for the open air concerts) and to the spaces for the swimming centre made of a covered and open air swimming pool for the neighbourhood and reachable from the different levels of the cultural centre and of the alessandrino park.
the same plate transforms the walking level of the neighbourhood ground level of the cultural centre intended as network of public open and transparent spaces on the ground floor and placed 3 meters over the level of the vallum.
the tower shaped media library (vertical blade), that becomes urban architectural event at the walking level, places itself in continuity with the foyer of the cultural and educational centre on the double and triple height spaces that cross the plate in vertical, true gravitational pole of the public spaces. the crossing of vertical and horizontal blades creates a urban layer that adheres to the orography of the territory.
NATIONAL IDEAS COMPETITION
1st Prize
the plan of the new civic and cultural centre - winning proposal in a 2001 competition - involves the restoration and the recovery of the rural complex "la corte", placed in the center of the town, a built up space around the "urban garden" of the inner open court, new polo of traversetolo civic and cultural life. the operations of innovation and modification of the inner spaces detect few delicate points, substantial nodes, essential for the inner distribution and able to accomodate important activities for the cultural life of traversetolo; they pursue therefore and idea of harmonic and coherent transformation of the building, useful to the new life that the center will assume.
the project aims at developing the urban and architectonic characteristics of the place by reconstructing a network of physical-perceptive relations and connections with the urban surroundings (fanfulla square, the building joint to the complex on the corner, the new building and the open space near cantini street, the south parking) and aims at building a new complex interference between the architectures linked to the creation of a new public space (civic centre), of new socializing functions, of collective places that multiply the meeting chances.
the civic and cultural centre la corte is organized on two spatial sequences (inner porch-library-youth centre county hall and crossing atrium-brozzi museum that is made of didactic classes, temporary and permanent exhibition halls and brozzi archives-local stock exchange hall –space for associations) placed in the rural wing (first lot) and in the landlord wing (second lot) and both characterised by a pole of connection determining the organization and management of the surrounding spaces: the first is th ecrossin atrium and the second is the porch of the former hay-loft with the new opening on cantini street.
INTERNATIONAL 2 STAGE IDEAS COMPETITION
innovation and science centre is a new iconic building landscape, a sustainable architecture, that is more than a landmark. It is a place which invites the visitors and the community to meet and join in science and nature
the design of the innovation and science centre and its woven landscape (nemunas island) are based upon a sensitive and osmotic approach to the context and nature of kaunas. the design encourages people to flow from the natural island landscape and its paths inside a new cultural core and “landscape” that, in the same time, defines and becomes the end of cardo urban axis that comes from “museums quartier” (north) to nemunas island (south); it is the “cultural and leisure time” axis. that axis is intertwined with decumano urban axis that comes from saint gertrude church (west) to saint michael archangel church (east), that we define the “devotion and care time” axis. innovation and science centre completes and enhances this urban structure.
the bridge promenade that comes from the northwards museum quartier is the linking system with the modern city centre but all the building extension encourages enjoyment of the park and welcomes not only the visitors but all the citizens that want to experience a new piece of the city. the generous passage in between celebrates indoor and outdoor spaces and builds interior courtyards and exterior facades overlooking the landscape.
INTERNATIONAL 2 STAGE DESIGN COMPETITION
3rd Prize
the proposal outlines an archeological public park, that overlays to the neighborhood existing marginality, the magnificence of the surrounding open and historical spaces: monte testaccio, englishmen’ cemetery, cestia pyramid, aurelian ancient walls and resistance park with adalberto libera post office building.
the masterplan configures a green slope as an edge to protect the neighbourhood's core, which will be the place of playing, meeting, education, culture, memory, exhibitions, performances, urban events, sports, and leisure.
the grassy slope turns around the plot, containing inside sport facilities, artists’ labs and new urban venues, by creating new perspectives and visual connections with context’s archeological and historical places.
the project intertwines the concept of open space as a new strategy that connects spaces and time of the city, creating a new level of perception and giving the opportunity to assemble, open and accomplish new public spaces, constituting a well interconnected and greatly extensive education and sport campus.
NATIONAL 2 STAGE IDEAS COMPETITION
the architectural concept aims accessibility, usability through day and night times and seasons, the interior space and the creation of a coordinated museum’s identity, who respects and values the historical and spatial character of the complex, outlining a new skin.
the skin is designed as a layering (reversible and dynamic) of the time, which is grafted on the existing, as a new architectural design, aesthetic, linguistic, technical, material.
the new architectural configuration working on inclined surfaces that reach the various levels of the museum and connect them together, through minimal impact operations, such as the demolition of some obvious accretions, the widening of gaps and overlapping of new surfaces on existing steps and floors. the project considered the two inner courtyards as the heart of the museum. the hall foyer court is the space for relaxation, study and meditation; the old pharmacy court becomes a place of excellence within the historic city center, producing cultural events, as well as the meeting center dedicated to the children education (playground and entertainment, nursery, summer playground).
INTERNATIONAL 2 STAGE DESIGN COMPETITION
Finalist
the proposal outlines an urban architectural event, which transforms the district, constituting the scene with respect to the city of milan and the background with respect to the garden of via Odazio: a welcoming and dynamic multipurpose space, which creates an ambivalent feeling of familiarity, intimacy and sociability. the masterplan completes the urban texture through the recesses of the buildings of the district, working on the relation between empty and full spaces, to compose a system of interconnected public spaces. the proposal celebrates openness and encourages public engagement.
the urban network has its pivot in the library, intended as an architecture that produces links between building and neighborhood; a place for everyone to experience oneself and books. the design of the open spaces renews and modifies the garden of via odazio, generating a more flexible and intertwined grid of paths, grafting the trees in coherent positions with the network, connecting buildings, streets and open spaces to each other and giving fluidity and continuity between internal and external space.
the library as an urban landscape outlines a spatial model that includes and assembles spaces for learning, meeting, performance and inspiration, so as to be able to configure itself as a digital fab lab, a venue to host and structure a physical and digital network between people.
the library is an assemblage of different and dynamically interconnected spaces: a combinatory mashup of volumes and plans, which ended in a garden in the clouds.
INTERNATIONAL 2 STAGE IDEAS COMPETITION
the project defines the building as an orienteering “light house” on south harbour, but at the same time pays attention to the Helsinki landmark and city skyline (Observatory, Helsinki Cathedral, Uspenski Cathedral and their panoramic views).
from Tahtitornin Vuori Park (West) it configures as an urban platform, that constitutes a city’s open space between Olympia Terminal and Market Hall juxtaposed to the park. from Laivasillankatu Road (South) it becomes the new door to the city center and south harbour. From Market Square (North) it extends “the city” towards the sea and becomes a “sail”, an urban landmark.
from south harbour bay (East) it configures itself as a sailing boat to link to the port activities and to end Olympia and Makasiini port terminal sequence on southern shore. the museum spaces are composed as a typological intertwine of vertical exhibition spaces (the boxes) and horizontal exhibition spaces (the galleries). this twist gives a multiple indoor flexibility to the exhibit outfitting, allows possible future extensions in height or length and configures an outdoor wooden blocks’ overlapping that seems a port containers’ juxtaposition.
project atrium turns vertically into a sail that isn’t only a skyline landmark, but a wind tower too: prevailing winds in Helsinki come from south-east, so NGMH takes advantage of its location and configuration to transform itself in a wind power plant as energy’s operating principle.
HERITAGE BOARD AND COUNCIL ENGAGEMENT
donated to the borough of reggio emilia by mrs anna maria ternelli gerra with the aim of creating a new cultural venue in the town, dedicated to her husband the artist marco gerra (1925-2000), the ex-hotel cairoli, in piazza xxv aprile, has become a new space for photography and contemporary art. the project develop the urban and architectural potential of the site, seen as a junction between two parts of the historical city: the piazza behind the teatro ariosto to the south (piazza xxv aprile) and the lower area juxtaposed to the teatro cavallerizza to the north.
the existing building has been transformed from an element of separation, unto itself, into an open diaphragm, allowing the gaze to wander, reconstructing the spatial continuum between the piazza and the ancient kitchen gardens, once divided by a wall used as an elevated walkway. the new gerra venue (centro per la fotografia marco gerra) becomes part of the cultural and historical-artistic fabric of the town, in relation with the teatro valli and the teatro ariosto, the teatro cavallerizza, the university buildings of the ex-cattle market, the civic museums and the galleria parmeggiani.
a dynamic architectural theme thus redefines the identity of the area, creating new urban connections within the historical town, as a set of cultural spaces available and perceptible in continuum. the veranda, a space that opens onto the restaurant on the ground floor, becomes an element of mediation between the piazza and the building, organising the dynamics of the visitor flows and the constant presence of fundamental receptive activities, an element of regeneration of the town and the surrounding area. moreover, thanks to its roof it becomes a covered, yet transparent, entrance to the new cultural centre.
the building forms both a visitor route and an architectural-urban event, which takes on a spatial-temporal character (time for visits/sequences) and stands as research into urban connections, not only in the forms.inside, the corner staircase links the ground-floor entrance hall to the bookshop and the reading room; on the first floor there is a multi-purpose room for conferences, showings, exhibitions, with an open-air cafeteria and a didactic-atelier photographic workshop with a balcony. on the second floor there is space for temporary exhibitions with a multimedia meeting room and, on the third floor, temporary exhibition space and the offices of the centre.
INTERNATIONAL IDEAS COMPETITION
the project tries to transform La Perla industrial building in a Citadel of Culture developing the theme of the multipole and multidimensional hub for cultural activities. the factory in itself contains a set of codes and languages, that the project selects, highlights and arises as a further selective layer applied in superposition to the building: this new skin contains in its interior dynamic spaces the use versatility, the space flexibility and the cultural program editability. the foyer hall spaces that structure the citadel, develop itself in squares, relaxation areas, bookshop, bars, cafes, restaurants and open terraces that constitute a series of pauses within the constant flow of cultural spaces. the exhibition spaces on two floors configure a ring around the art factory, so as to physically connect it with the temporary artists ateliers.
the art production spaces are configured as an hanging bridge under the beams of the existing access to the northern side. on the ground floor the multipurpose rooms are places for small communities free artistic production. the auditorium theatre cinema with the related secondary halls defines the spaces of presentation, reproduction of art works and together with the library and the replay center (multi-purpose halls) downstairs constitutes a set of multiple and potentially related places for events, workshops and artistic performances.
all the spaces devoted to leisure are placed on the top floor, having continuity of route and representing the end point of the artistic experience and cultural living within the multiactivity art hub and the art hotel in particular. the catering and food spaces piled up in southern tower are like a pair of scissors, which changes its connotations for plan, assembles the multipurpose rooms and laboratories, and gives to the panoramic terrace the character of receptive and leisure terminal.
INTERNATIONAL 2 STAGES DESIGN COMPETITION
the project of the nouvelle comedie aims at building a urban interface able to attract the citizens of geneve and the visitors world-wide not only for the quality of the shows there represented but also for the way the building is placed within the architectural context thus recovering and transforming it.
the building, a huge rectangular volume, is beated, crossed, meshed and “disassembled” by the traces of the historic and environmental context, by the routes planned by the PDQ and by the realization of the CEVA.
the project is developed by the design of flows and dynamics of movement that are both internal and external. all the cycling, pedestrian and vehicular routes acquire new meanings according to the functioning of the inner and outer spaces of the complex.
the building emerges from the tangle of the routes using topography as a key element to define its meaning at the urban scale outside and the spatial-functional dynamic of bodies and volumes assembled in a complex machine for shows inside.
NATIONAL IDEAS COMPETITION
the project idea is developed on the trace of a dialectic between the polyvalent theatre conceived as cultural production machine and instrument and the outdoor cavea, social arena and square, as its antipole.
the indoor auditorium, a space cave but full, that can be under the gound level and the urban squarem open and empty space, as scene of the city life.theatre and square are connected in a single structure as different stratifications of the same perceptive mechanism, the one of the public located in a single place and turned to the scene.
the underground auditorium turns towards the castrense and the seaside while the square-arena is the coverage of the auditorium: it turns to towards the historic centre, to the castle, watching over form its 7 to 8 meters, and making visible historic and urban link between the polyvalent theatrical structure and the city.
then the new structure becomes, thanks to its visual, material and geographic – placement features, the door of the city, elevated public square available to be walked through the project and, more exactly the idea of an overground square conquer back a landscape dimension (even if virtual), a connection perceptive-visual with the built city.
NATIONAL 2 STAGE IDEAS COMPETITION
the aosta’s roman walls renewal and renovation is thought as a new urban layer, which identifies a new real archaeological park. a system made up of many elements that can be repeated, as simple and light as possible, both from a static and aesthetic point of view. the project aims to create a frame, a new traveling path in relation to the roman ruins, within which bring out new minimal architectural links able to enhance a dialogue with the history.
the new volume of the staircase looks at the ruins from above, inserting them, more easily, in the urban structure of aosta and at the same time, identifies a dual perceptive experience between new and old, interior and exterior, empty and full, open and closed. the sloping ramps connect the level of the external city with the level of the ruins on the ground urban level and configure a cantilevered balcony, facing the ruins from above.
the roman theatre is imagined as a background and scene of the new space for events, as a stratification of the city, in which the historical memory becomes present through a contemporary reading of the potentiality of the place. leaning against the wall, a new mobile and retractable staircase for public sessions can open at the time of the events and close during the visiting time of the archaeological park, to constitute a sequence of cultural and exhibition panels on the history of the roman walls.
