BA3 TEST

“Creating a sensitive, cultural and contextual response through a reflective design process; exploring

the nature and character of space, along with the sensory aspects of experience.”

-Lauren Di Pietro33308831

Venice

Venice is a city in Italy, and part of the Veneto Region of Northern Italy.Venice consists of 118 small islands, separated by 177 canals with 409 bridge crossings. Venice and the lagoon are listed as World Heritage Sites.The foundations of Venice are closely spaces wooden piles made of the trunks of alder trees - known for their water resistenace - in full submersion under the lagoon. Decay is slowed due to oxygen-poor conditions. The wooden piles are driven into a soft layer of sand and mud, followed by a hard layer of clay. The foundations of Venice and the many canals running through the streets have made the city famous.

La Biennale Di Venezia

An international art echibition was to be set up and directed in order to celebrate the silver anniversary of King Umberto and Margherita of Savoy on 19th April 1893.The event in fact took place two years later, on 30th April, 1895.The pavilion which was to host the first exhibition was built in the public gardens in the Castello region of Venice.There were over 200,000 visitors at the first International Art Exhibition of the City of Venice.They used to run special return train tickets for the Venetian public, which included entrance to the exhibition and contributed to the funding of the exhibition.The biennale now runs in alternate years and produces work from countries all over the world.

Examples of past Art Biennale work.From left to right, top to bottom;Jenny Holzer ‘Purple Cross’ 2004 installation USA; Eija-Liisa Ahtila ‘Me/We; Okay; Gray’ 1993 35mm film and DVD installation Finland; Cindy Sherman ‘untitled’ 2011; Cindy Sherman ‘untitled’ 2011 USA; Tomas Saraceno ‘galaxies forming along filaments, like droplets along the strands of a spider’s web’ 2009 installation with elastic ropes; Tomas Saraceno ‘galaxies forming along filaments, like droplets along the strands of a spider’s web’ 2009 installation with elastic ropes Germany; Eija-Liisa Ahtila ‘‘The Present’ 2001 DVD installation Finland; Barbara Kruger installation 1991 USA ; Jovan Sumkovski ‘Night Vision’1999 installation Germany; Eija-Liisa Ahtila ‘‘Consolation’ 1999 35mm film and DVD installation Finland; Scandinavian art duo Elmgreen and Dragset have transformed the Nordic and Danish pavilions into a dramatic installation called ‘The Collectors’ 2009; Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto breaks mirrors during a performance for the creation of his “Twentytwo less two” installation on the second day of vernissage of the 53rd Biennale International Art Exhibition in Venice, Italy, Friday, June 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Alberto Pellaschiar) - See more at: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/the_2009_venice_biennale.html#sthash.CaPlyDYL.dpuf.

The Venice Film Festival also runs alongside the Venice Biennale and has been incorporated into this since 1932.

From left to right, top to bottom;CAMICIE ROSSE (1952) - GOFFREDO ALESSANDRINI, FRANCESCO ROSI30 August 19:15 - Sala Volpi31 August 17:00 - Sala PasinettiVENICE CLASSICSCamicie rosse (1952) by Goffredo Alessandrini, Francesco Rosi - Italy, language: Italian - s/t EnglishThe film is set in the countryside of Ravenna where Anita Garibaldi’s agony ends. A long flashback reconstructs Garibaldi’s escape in July 1849 after the fall of the Roman Republic. He leads volunteers hunted by the French, Bourbon, Pontifical and Austrian troops, after the defeat and disarming of most of Garibaldi’s men at San Marino, distraught at the death of his beloved companion, miraculously avoids capture and faces a life of exile.Director: Alberto Barbera

AMERICAN DREAMS (1984) - JAMES BENNING4 September 19:30 - Sala Volpi5 September 17:30 - Sala PasinettiVENICE CLASSICSAmerican Dreams (1984) by James Benning - USA, language: English - s/t Italian (documentary)A complex and challenging film in every sense, American Dreams recounts the history of the USA from 1954 to 1976. The dominant visual element of the film are baseball cards relating to the legendary Milwaukee homerun champion Hank Aaron. The soundtrack consists of music (for each of the years in question) and radio broadcasts. Handwritten text, scrolls by on the bottom of the image; excerpts from the diary of Arthur Bremer, the man who tried to assassinate George Wallace in 1972.Director: Alberto Barbera

AT ANY PRICE - RAMIN BAHRANI31 August 19:30 - Sala Grande31 August 20:00 - PalaBiennaleVENEZIA 69At Any Price by Ramin Bahrani - USA, 105’ language: English - s/t ItalianDennis Quaid, Zac Efron, Kim Dickens, Heather GrahamSet in the competitive world of modern agriculture, ambitious Henry Whipple wants his rebellious son Dean to help expand his family’s farming empire. However, Dean has his sights set on becoming a professional race car driver. When a high-stakes investigation into their business is exposed, father and son are pushed into an unexpected situation that threatens the family’s entire livelihood.Director: Alberto Barbera

‘Common Ground’ 29.08 - 25.11

The Architecture Biennale is held once every two years, in alternation with the Venice Art Biennale. This year’s theme ‘Common Ground’ has been set by Sir David Chipperfield, looking to work in collaberation with architects globally, with an emphasis on what we have in common.The meaning of Common Ground; “an agreed basis, accepted by both or all parties, for identifying issues in an argument .” Common Ground can be defined in many ways as the exhibitions of the biennale explore. It is seen to be a mutual understanding; between architecture in its place; between architects themselves; and even between the different professions related to architecture - engineers, photographers, graphic designers etc.Architect, Bernard Tschumi, created the series of posters above in order to attempt to explain the idea of ‘Common Ground’ within architecture. His work is exhibited as the introduction to the Arsenale, which holds works from numerous architects looking at the idea of ‘Common Ground.’`

“I want this Biennale to celebrate a vital, interconnected architectural culture, and pose questions about the intellectual and physical territories that it shares” - Sir David Chipperfield.

Chipperfield explains he wants to bring together architects from all ages, geography and disciplines through collaberation and dialogue.

La Biennale Di Venezia 2012


The Venice Architecture Biennale is held in the same location as the Venice Art Biennale. The exhibitions are showcased with the majority in the Giardini, which contains the permanent national pavilions, as well as the Arsenale, which houses the temporary exhibitions. There are around 30 permanent national pavilions within the park. These are located on the maps above and right. The marshland area was drained to create the large public garden in Venice. The biennale is held here as it is only a short walk from St.Marks square - one of the huge tourist attractions of Venice, and is also located on the main waterfront.

The Giardini keyAUS AusrailiaA AustriaB BelgioBR BrasileCDN CanadaDK DanimarcaET EgittoFIN FinlandiaF FranciaD GermaniaJ GiaponneGB Gran BretagnaGR GreciaIL IsraeleNL OlandaP.VE Pad. VeneziaFIN Finlandia (Nordi)N Norvegia (Nordi)S Svezia (Nordi)PL PoloniaCZ CecaSK SlovaccaROK CoreaRO RomaniaRUS RussiaSRB SerbiaE EspagnaUSA Stati Uniti d’AmericaCH SvizzeraH UngheriaROU UruguayYV Venezuela

The Central PavilionIn 1894 the mayor of Venice appointed Enrico Trevisanato to design a building in the Giardini di Catello to host the first international art exhibition. He created an imposing facade resting on a high base with a tetrastyle pronaos and enriched with decorations. The space was then enlarged sue to the success of the exhibitions, and participating nations began to erect their own pavilions.

1. Alison Crawshaw2. Kuehn Malvezzi3. Grafton Architects4. Aga Khan Trust for Culture5. Wolfgang Walters6. Eisenman Architects7. 40,000 Hours8. OMA9. Toshiko Mori Architects10. Norman Foster11. O&O Baukunst12. Thomas Demand13. Crimson Architectural Historians14. Caruso St John15. Peter Fischli + DavidV+Weiss16. Elke Kransey17. Atelier d’Architecture Autogeree18. Muf architecture/art19. Ateliers Jean Nouvel20. Herreros Arquitectos21. Alejandro Aravena22. Olafur Eliasson23. Fulvio Irace24. Diener & Diener25. Steve Parnell26. MVRDV27. Jasper Morrison


The GiardiniThe Giardini contains the pavilions commissioned over the years by the various nations taking part in the Venice International Art Exhibition, located both in the Giardini di Castello, and the Sant’Elena area on the other side of he canal. Immersed in nature, these buildings are an anthology of great formal value, having been designed by some of the leading names in 20th century architecture such as, Aalto, Hoffmann, Rietveld, and Scarpa.

The ArsenaleThe bArsenale is the biggest pre-industrial production centre in Venice. The fleets of the Serenissima were built in this complex of docks, workshops, and warehouses. The originl nucleus was alongside the Darsena Vecchia and dates from the start of the 13th century. It was initially enlarged at the start of the following century with the construction of the Darsena Nuova, and further changes were made in the 15th century to meet the Republic’s growing merchant and naval shipping requirements. New buildings were added between the Darsena Nuova and the Nuovissima between 1876 and 1909. La Biennale has undertaken numerous works to recover parts of the complex since 1999 in order to adapt these to the new cultural exhibition use of the areas, granted in concession by the naval owners (Corderie, Artiglierie, Gaggiandre, the 16th century Tese, and the Tese delle Vergini).

The CorderieThe Corderie was originally built in 1303 then renovated between 1579 and 1585 to a design by Antonio Da Ponte. It was originally used to make hawsers, cables and ropes. The building is entirely roofed with wooden trusses and is 36m long, 21m wide and 9.7m high. It is divided into three aisles, the lateral ones supporting two mezzanine floors at a height of 7m. It provides a total exhibition area of 6400m2.

Artiglierie and IsolottoThe Artiglierie consists of a long, single-story building dating from 1560 the once housed the Arsenale workshops with a total area of 3300m2. The Isolotto, a former warehouse of 900m2, stands alongside.

Gaddiandre, Tese, Giardino delle VerginiThe Gaggiandre, two big docks built between 1568 and 1573 to a design attributed to Jacopo Sansovino, face onto the large internal dock area. Beyond the Tese, partly built in the 16th century, is the Giardino delle Vergini, a green space whose entire area (6000m2) was used for the first time in 2008.

The Arsenale key1. Case Studio Vogt2. Robert Burghardt3. Bernard Tschumi4. Thomas Struth5. Norman Foster6. Luigi Snozzi7. Ruta del Peregrino8. Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani9. O’Donnell + Tuomey10. Markli Architekt11. FAT12. Robbrecht en Daem13. Cino Zucchi14. Noero Architects15. Hans Kollhoff16. Farshid Moussavi17. Herzog & de Meuron18. Sergison Bates19. Kenneth Frampton20. Mark Randel21. Seung H-Sang22. Renzo Piano Building Workshop23. Zaha Hadid24. Anupama Kundoo25. Alberto Campo Baeza26. Urban Think-Tank27. Valerio Olgiati28. Eric Parry29. San Rocco30. DK-CM31. 13178 Moran Street32. Luis Fernandez-Galiano33. Team Chicago-CityWorks34. SANAA35. Jose Rafael Moneo36. Mario NanniKWT KuwaitCY CiproEST EstoniaTHA ThailandaMAL MalesiaRKS KosovoBRN BahrainHR CroaziaPER PeruMK MacedoniaUA UcrainaIRL IrlandaRCH Cile

The Australian pavilion exhibits the work of Sydney-based architects supermanouvre. They have created an installation of a wall of bent steel using lines of code programmed to a file to factory robotic code and was created without the use of a single drawing using the grid-like structure to doffuse space.

The Great British pavilion is hosting their campaign this year titled ‘Venice Takeway’. The work is based on the idea of sharing across borders, reiterating the theme of Common Ground; following a group of explorers’ journey through a number of countries undertaking expeditions that challenge relationships, politics and structure that surround architecture. The areas include Argentina, Brazil, China, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Nigeria, Russia, Thailand and USA, exhibiting the creative potential of sharing ideas across borders.

The German contribution, hosted in their national pavilion, is based on the topic of ‘Reduse, Reuse and Recycle.’ The exhibit houses 16 projects as an affirmative approach to waste hierarchy, adapting existing buildings and reducing waste through the transformation of material into reusable substance.

The Japanese pavilion won the Golden Lion award this year for the best national cotribution to the biennale. They have exhibited works around the idea of the realities of everyday life, and question if architecture is necessary, or how it can impact the everyday. Focusing on ‘Common Ground’ Japan have stated through their works that architecture emerges from the people, and can therefore reach out towards something universal.Designed by Takamasa Yoshizaka 1956.

Grafton architects won the Silver Lion award this year for most promising practice. Their campaign looked into architecture as a new geography and is located in the central pavilion in the Giardini. They have explored the theme of ‘Common Ground’ by highlighting the importance of collaberation and openness to external influence.

O’Donnell and Tuomey have titled their exhibition within this years biennale as ‘Vessel’. The two-story structure based in the Arsenale provides a contemplative space for the visitors to the biennale. Within in the structure, internal shelves house models and works by Liam Flynn, Alvar Alto and Le Corbusier, as well as many other architects, artists and poets, encompassing backgrounds of all these works. The collaberation of all of these works are portrayed as inseperable from practice and are ‘Common Ground’ between professions as well as just architects and architecture. The ‘Common Ground’ also explores the relationship between physical and intellectual contexts of architecture.

MVRDV + the Why Factory are presenting their current projects titled ‘freeland’ at the Venice Architecture biennale. The project is an urban planning proposal for the city of Almere. It will be exhibited and introduced through an animated documentry and surround video allowing the viewer is transported to and around the town. The neighbourhoods are configured by the inhabitants allowing common ground between architecture and the people including green spaces, agriculture, infastructure, energy supplies and waste management.


Chipperfield wanted the projects exhibited in this years biennale to “look seriously at the meaning of spaces.” Architecture is internally connected, and can define the common ground of the city.

Urban Think-Tank have exhibited a project that encompasses every aspect of common ground, collaberating with different professions for the project and creating an emotive campaign about a building that is common ground to many people. I think that this project defines the meaning of common ground, and portrays the ideas that Chipperfield hoped to exhibit through the 2012 Architecture Biennale.Urban Think-Tank are a Venezuelan architect firm, and have this year won the Golden Lion award for best project. Working as a collaberation (reiterating the ‘Common Ground’ theme) with Justin McQuirk a London-based architect, and Iwan Bann a Dutch photgrapher, Urban Think-Tank have explored the ‘Torre David’ through photographs and installations for the biennale. The ‘Torre David’ is an unfinnished, abandoned building in Venezuela. Reaching 45 stories the building functions today as an improvised home for 750 families, being described as a ‘vertical slum’.There has been much controversy about the project, as the award was given for the emotive response to the theme of the biennale, however there is some injustification as to whether the use of high quality glossy photographs glorify the situation, instead of presenting the raw emotion of poverty and community.

The 13th architecture biennale 2012 is directed by Sir David Chipperfield; entitled ‘Common Ground’. Through this topic, Chipperfield is exploring, not only the idea of common ground through public place and architecture, but he is also creating a collaboration between architects themselves from all ages, geographical bases and disciplines, aiming to promote a sharing of ideas and working across borders. The topic of ‘Common Ground’ is difficult to define as it has many layers and levels to what can be classed as ‘Common Ground’ however many architects, practices and national participations have achieved some strand to the theme.Urban Think-Tank is a Venezuelan architect practice participating in this years’ exhibition of Common Ground. I believe that through their installation they have thoroughly defined all aspects of common ground and are absolutely deserving of the Golden Lion award for this years’ best project. Their proposal exhibits a wide collection of research based on the ‘Torre de David’; an unfinished and abandoned forty-five -story building in the heart of Venezuela. The originally designed bank is now inhabited by 750 families that are now squatting in the ruins of the building, which is being described as a ‘vertical slum’. The families have themselves created a common ground throughout the building, creating their very own sufficient community, using some rooms as homes for families, and others as small businesses such as restaurants and cafes.As an extension to the film footage and photo posters displayed in the exhibition, Urban Think-Tank have also installed a fully functioning temporary cafe within the Arsenale, typical to that found in the Torre de David. Urban Think-Tank have displayed the idea of common ground in many aspects of their project; through the representation of the common ground community in the Torre de David; through their installation and creation of their own social space within their exhibition in the Arsenale; and through their collaboration across professions in compiling the research for their scheme, working with printers, photographers and architects. If I were to improve the project with this in mind I may have created the exhibition in more sombre tones lowering saturation to create more of an emotive tone through the presentation to fully show the nature of these families.


An Exploration of Common Ground

common ground Web definitions

a basis agreed to by all parties for reaching a mutual understanding.

How do I define the ‘Common Ground.’How does urban space and common ground affect the everyday?

The common ground through architecture begins to look at public space. This public space looks into not only the buildings and the built environments, but also the space around these. Public space is designed for user experience; inclusive of all. Human perception of space begins to explore architectre and the built environment through the reality of enclosure and this identification of space. Walls create enclosure; whether dividing internal or external space. The idea of urban space is one of a public realm.

ur·ban

Adjective1. accustomed to2. characteristic of3. designating to a town or city

Urban space is divided by walls and rooms, however constatly portraying the potential for connectivity of space. A room is divided by internal walls.Urban rooms are divided by exterior walls.An urban room is public space which allows a space for meeting, greeting and exchange.Space can define everyday interaction, and vice versa.

“The man made components of the built environment, coupled with the characteristics of the space between defines the

Common Ground.”-Lauren Di Pietro

Copy all cards about common ground onto Post it Notes and arrange in artist way, photograph and put here.

Mapping People

I went to Venice a few days earlier than the designated trip in order to explore the idea of Common Ground, and to observe and understand the Venetians’ everyday.

I studied specifically how people move through squares and campos in Venice, and documented how these spaces may then begin to influence the Common Ground.

My first study looked at people moving through St Marks square from an aireal perspective. St Mark’s square is the greatest tourist attraction in Venice. I have then contrasted this square with a campo further into Venice and also studied how people move and use this square as the Common Ground.The study was interesting as the people in St Mark’s square were almost all tourists. This showed a much different contrast of how tourists use the Common Ground to how Venetians use the Common Ground.Tourists seem to be always moving through the spaces, without much meeting within the space, whereas Venetians are much more likely to gather and meet truely making the space a Common Ground for gathering and everyday exchange.

Theory of Public Space

public space

Web definitionsA public space is a social space such as a town square that is open and accessible to all.

Public space is defined as social space; open and accessible. This could also include public buildings. The theory of public spaces lies in a number of disciplines; philosophy; urban geography; visual arts; cultural studies; social studies; and urban design.

Public Space = Gathering Space

Public space acts as common ground for the people; a political, social and cultual arena as a root to civic life. People apply a meaning to public space. Through my studies I noticed that the public space was not just limited to public buildings and exterior squares, but also to streets, bridges, boats and many other places, where Venetians gathered and met.

Streets as Connecting space

Comparison of Squares

I created a short film looking into how Venetians’ use public squares and spaces, in comparison with how people in Leeds use squares.

I found that the square in Leeds was used as a passage from one building to another, however the square in Venice was used a meeting place for people to gather, and children to play together.

Leeds vs. Venice

Film Stills

Chance Meeting

As I walked down the streets in Venice, I found that many of these had doors facing straight onto the street.This provided an interesting aspect of meeting; chance meeting.This is where people can meet unexpectedly, and hence create a meeting place outside their front door. Due to the close community feel between the Venetians, I feel that this concept is one that I will employ into my own design project for Venice.

Doors connecting diagram

My door photographed and photo-shopped

Reflections of Venice

Venice is a beautiful place; in terms of culture as well as setting. As I explored the Venetian everyday life, I found myself feeling as though this was a simple and uncomplicated way of living in comparison with the everday of England. A Venetian will typically work as a fisherman within the lagoon, waking early morning and carrying out a job of high manual labour. They then live in a community where everybody knows everybody else. Meeting people and gathering is a large proportion of Venetian everyday.In England people are consumed by consumption. English everyday consists highly of a complicated technological life with little face to face meeting and communication; instead largely unsociable by the use of cyber communications.However, between the beauty of Venice, there is one underlying problem.This is the tourists.Tourists are ruining the beauty of Venice. They crowd the street and take over the public space of Venice. this has led to use of the public space in Venice to begin to act similar to the public space of Leeds where people use the space as a passage from one place to another, instead of a gathering space.

Chioggia

Chioggia My site is in a city called Chioggia, nearby to Sottomarina at the bottom on the Lido in the Veneto region of northern Italy, 25km south of Venice, 50km by road.

With a population of around 50,000 throughout the whole city, the area is small and has a rich sense of community through the locals and residents.

I am interested in the Old towm of Chioggia, in particular Isola Saloni, which is predominately an industrial town with its fishing industry, brick-making, steel and textiles. The heart of the old town is a wide boulevard running central to the island, of which are civic buildings, surround by the residential buildings on the outer of the island.

My scheme and master plan are based on the idea of community and education through the everyday.

The small island is the southern entrance to the Lagoon of Venice.

Chioggia is a smaller version of Venice, with only a few canals, chief among them the Canale Vena, and the characteristic narrow streets known as calli.

Historical Context

Historically Chioggia dates from 6th century AD, where it is first mentioned in ancient records as part of the Byzantine Empire.

Chioggia was destroyed in the 9th century, but later rebuilt around a new industry of salt pans. It produced, for a long time, large quantities of salt; in the period of peak production - the 12th century - the southern lagoon was almost lierally covered with salt pans, over 100 of them, providing the republic’s single most valuable export.

Chioggia was surrounded by around 119 salt beds in the 20th century, of which 63 were directly around chioggia.

Another major commodity for Chioggia is fish. Much of their catch was sent to Rialto, in the centre of Venice, to supply the capital; the rest was salted and exported over much of the Veneto and Lombardy.

Chioggia was an important inland port for the Veneto region. Venice exported many goods to the south and imported much of its wheat and grain from Romagna and The Marches - the bulk of this trade channelled through Chioggia. Waterways were, and still are, the major mode of transport around the lagoon, and as Chioggia is the southern entrance to the lagoon, this made it an incredibly important city.

A Sense of Place

My reflections of Venice were of the beauty but ruined by the booming tourist industry here.After visiting Chioggia it seems that this is the Venice withou the tourists. Chioggia is how I imagine Venice was before the tourist industry took over. Chioggia seems to be a smaller version of Venice, still with the same building and canal typology, just fewer canals.This means that in the city of Chioggia, cars are quite common! After spending a week in Venice, seeing cars in Chioggia felt like a different place altogether. However in the Old Town of Chioggia, it seems that cars are unnecessary as there is only two routes that cars can take, and instead it is mainly a pedestrian area.Chioggia has a strong sense of place and community where the whole city knows each other.

Speaking to a local of Chioggia, he stated that “Chioggia is not the little Venice, but [instead] Venice is the big Chioggia.”

As I was walking through Chioggia I actually saw a car driving past a cyclist, and the driver slowed his vehicle to match the cyclist’s speed in order to talk to each other. The car was holding up traffic, however nobody seemed to think this was a strange concept for a driver to be driving alongside a cyclist chatting.

“Chioggia is not the little Venice, but Venice is the big Chioggia.”

Venice vs. Chioggia

Whilst in Venice and chioggia i undertook a study showing the comparison of the two places. Within in this i looked at similar aspects of the places, and how these were used across the places.The places included:• A public Square - St Marks Square in Venice in contrast with Piazza Vigo in Chioggia• A tourist shop - One in Venice Centre, and one in Chioggia centre• A bridge as a connecting space - The Calatrava Bridge in Venice in comparison with the Vigo

Bridge in Chioggia• A main tourist promenade - Riva Degli Schiavoni in Venice, and Corso Del Popolo in

Chioggia.

Here photograph comparison photos in resin

Film Stills

Isola Dei Saloni

Isola Dei Saloni

For my master plan I will be looking in particular at Isola Dei Saloni. This is the industrial island next to the old town of Chioggia.

As Chioggia was forming, the residences built there were in need of an industry in order to allow the economy to boom. This was decided to be built as a separate island adjacent to the Old Town of Chioggia, however only connected by one bridge in order to isolate the industry and work from the living and residential quarters of the area. Due to it’s location it also meant that any pollution for the industry did not directly affect the people living in Chioggia.

Throughout the history of Chioggia, the port was the most influential area for the city economically. The port of chioggia is located on Isola Dei Saloni - a link between the Veneto lagoon and the Adriatic Sea.

When the port was in use, it’s area spanned over 100.000 metres squared, with 1350m of piers, and 47.000 metres cubed of private warehouses.

However, as the industry began to boom, the port on Isola Dei Saloni was no longer big enough to meet the demands for export and import for the Veneto region. The port was therefore relocated within the city of Chioggia, at Val Da Rio. This has a 350.000 metre square area, 2000m of pier, 16.500 metres squared of warehouses, 4500 of crossing, 4200 metre squared of office districts, and 1200 metre squared of docks. However, the port at Val Da Rio is in the process of expansion, and is currently still using 1750 metres squared of docks at Isola Dei Saloni, and currently transports two million tons of cargo per year.

The disuse of the port on Isola Dei Saloni had led to the abandonment of an old salt and cement factory located there.

Masterplan Manifesto

• For my master plan I will design a community college on Isola Saloni in order to create an education for the people in Chioggia.

• The fundamental purpose of a Community College is to provide an acedemic education to a community who may otherwise not have the opportunity to gain an education.

• The benefit of a Community College is to educate the community for the direct benefit of the community.

• My master plan aims to bring a new function to a declining part of the city, developing on the existing as well as incorporating new proposals.

• I aim to create an integration between the community and education. I want to create an extension to the development of the University of Padua’s university campus development. As there is a lack of professional jobs within the area, and a lack of educational facilities, I want to educate the community of Chioggia to be able to create these jobs and sustain the economy of the area.

• Through spatial syntax studies I will create strong axial and convex plans, based on integrational aspects and connectivity with the rest of the city.

• I will establish consistency of the plan through my architectural language, combining the idea of education with community.

• I will be sensitive and respectful to the existing buildings in Chioggia. It is important to keep the old cement and salt mill on Isola Saloni. I feel that this building is a key element in the history of the area, and should therefore be treated with importance in order to ground Chioggia. After speaking to some locals, they also feel that the building should remain as a landmark for Chioggia.

• I will aim to demolish as little as I can, to be sustainable with my design, but also sensitive to the area.

• I will create a sensitive response to the domain of public and private use.• To create a safe and friendly College campus for students and residents of the area.

“Aim to provide students with both professional training and a solid cultural background.”

-Misson Statement for Community College

Concept images for masterplan

Response

My master plan manifesto directly responds to the problems that I found in Chioggia.The relocation of the port out of Chioggia and the decline of salt production has led to an economic decline within the city. This has caused a lack of jobs within the industrial trades. Although fishing is still the most dominant trade in Chioggia, the fishermen now have to venture to the sea to collect fish instead of the lagoon, due to the poor conditions of the lagoon. Chioggia also has a failing economy due to the comparisons made with Venice. Although the tourist indurty appears to be ruining Venice as a sense of place, it is however the main industry within Venice, allowing for an income which Chioggia does not have.The Community College that I am proposing to design for my master plan aims to create an income and industry within Chioggia, without ruining the sense of place that is so important to the community.

I found that when I was in Chioggia I felt unsafe in certain parts of the area, more so in the private areas. I felt that these were run down and derelect due to the privacy of the industrial sites, and therefore i want to combat this problem by exploring the domain between [public and private.

The environment is quite derelect due to the failing economy. I propose that the income generated by the developed education of the community can help to rennovate and reguvenate the area of Chioggia.

facade study

facade study

facade study

Current Planning of Chioggia

Chioggia is cuurently planned so that the industrial island -Isola Dei Saloni - is separated in typology from the Old Town of Chioggia. Currently there is a lot of private land on Isola Saloni, and this doesn’t feel like part of the community. Isola Dei Saloni currently feels very isolated and detached, and is thus becoming quite derelict and in need of a new function to reconnect to the community.Through my master plan I will look at connecting these back together through a series of bridges as meeting and gathering spaces as well as connecting spaces.Chioggia is also planned on a zoning urban plan, however I will incorporate the ideas of integration into my plan in order to connect the community together through the Common Ground.

All of the buildings in the Old Town of Chioggia are very high dense, however on Isola Saloni, and towards the mainland of Sottomarina the buildings become medium density. This is due to the fact that the Old Town has become over populated, and as a quick reponse to this problem, new houses were built quickly on Isola Saloni when the industry declined. However these houses were never properly planned, and are now insufficient for use. Through my masterplan I will aim to create careful planning of the residences to allow for future expansion, in case a similar problem arises.

There is not a lot of green spaces within the Old Town or Isola Saloni. The majority of the existing green spaces are all private gardens, creating a lack of public space meeting points within Chioggia. I aim to define more of a Common Ground through the use of gardens and squares in the area.

Image to show planning through zoning [like I did with IDW current planning]

The existing Common Ground in Chioggia consists of two main boulevards which provide passage through the Old Town from one end to the other. These streets are both wide streets, thus allowing me to explore the idea of the infastructure as the Common Ground as well as just squares and green space.The only real Common Ground on both Isola Saloni and the old Town of Chioggia is Piazza Vigo, situated where the two boulevards meet by the vaporetto station into Chioggia [highlighted by the red square on the Common ground diagram].Piazza Vigo is the main meeting and gathering space in Chioggia and is used as this at all times of the day. It is therefore important through my master plan to incorporate more areas like this that can be used as the public space Common Ground.

Looking at public space as the public buildings within Chioggia, these are all located along the main boulevard running through the centre of the Old Town -Corso Del Popolo. This street provides a meeting and gathering space, serving as another asoect to the Common Ground. This is a very clever way of designing the public buildings, as these lie along the area of public space, making them easy to identify and navigate to. I will consider implementing a strategy similar to this for my master plan.

The infastructure is essential to the Community Campus aspect of the master plan to allow people to navigate easily around, as well as ground a sense of place through the area. The current main streets of Chioggia are not easy to navigate, and lead to a lot of dead ends. The transport to Chioggia also needs expanding for my masterplan in order to account for the expansion of the population, and students of the Community College. I will implement another vaporetto stop en route to the Community College Campus, and possibly extend the railway station at Sottomarina.

Current Planning of Chioggia

Spatial Syntax

I explored techniques to aid my irban planning of chioggia, which would help me to create an integrated community.I have therefore used the integration aspect of spatial syntax studies, focusing on axial and covex routes.

Spatial syntax is an architectural theory and set of techniques that analyse spatial configurations and simulate likely effects of human activity. The implication of spatial syntax in urban planning and design can predict correlations of spatial layout in respect to social effects of spaces. The theory was created by Bill Hillier, a professor of Architectural and Urban Morphology in the University of London, in the 1970’s. Analysis of spatial configurations is extracted and presented through a series of maps and graph diagrams. Spatial syntax looks particularly at the analysis of human choice regarding which route to take, distance depth, and spatial integration. This idea of choice comes through environmental psychology of choosing routes, orientation and segregation of public and private spaces. Spatial syntax aims to predict pedestrian routes, thus concluding the easier the route is to navigate, the more people that will use it for access. For example a long straight path that may interact with more minor paths, such as Oxford Street in central London, will contain more pedestrian access than a winding narrow path. Spatial syntax can also identify areas of a design with spatial segregation and helps designers create more interactive cultures.

A Node map indicates where two axial points meet. Nodes aim to identify the integration of an area, and possible social meeting places and interaction.A Convex map highlights all areas of occupiable voids within the built environment. These are mainly open public spaces, possibly used for socialising, gathering and meeting.An Open Spaces map can be seen as similar to a convex map, however this more easily identifies the relationship of open space to the buildings which define them. This type of data analysis can also show the proportion of open space in relation to closed space; also seen as positive and negative space.A Building Use map segregates public and civic buildings from private residential buildings in order to suggest how people may use the built environment, and possible areas of public interaction and congregation. The best urban plan for integration with the context and the community is the least number of routes, or axial paths, taken to reach each large open space, or a convex space, and the most number of nodal points to create user interaction.

Current Spatial Syntax of Chioggia




Axial Diagram of Chioggia

Convex Diagram of Chioggia

Spatial Syntax of Isola Dei Saloni

The Old Town of Chioggia is much better spatially planned than Isola Dei Saloni. This could be due to the fact that the Old Town area was originally intended for residential purposes, whereas Isola Dei Saloni was intended for separate industrial use, and since this decline residences have been built here as a quick fix solution to the growing population numbers. I will therefore incorporate aspects of the plan in the Old Town onto Isola Dei Saloni, and manipulate areas with good existing spatial sytax in order to achieve my master plan.

Chioggia Old Town area 1.19 Buildings14 Axial Routes23 Convex Spaces

14/19 = 0.74 AxialityA good value of routes around buildings.23/19 = 1.21 ConvexityMore open spaces than buildings, possibly unecessary.14/23 = 0.6 IntegrationHowever this is a great plan for integration, which is my primary aim.To improve this area further I can increase the amount of buildings in the area, thus creating a need for the open meeting spaces, with more people to inhabit them.

Chioggia Old Town area 2.14 Buildings11 Axial Routes11Convex Spaces

11/14 = 0.79 Axiality11/14 = 0.79 Convexity11/11 = 1 IntegrationTo improve this area for my proposal it would be better to have a greater number of convex spaces to improve integration.


8/6 = 1.33 Axiality17/6 = 2.83 Convexity8/17 = 0.47 IntegrationHowever this is a great plan for integration, which is my primary aim.To improve this area further I can increase the amount of buildings in the area, thus creating better axiality and convexity.


15/18 = 0.88 Axiality20/17 = 1.18 Convexity15/20 = 0.75 IntegrationTo improve this area for my proposal it would be better to have a greater number of convex spaces to improve integration, and more buildings in order to improve axiality and convexity.

Axial of Isola Convex of Isola

I have looked at many university campus’ to get an understanding of how the spatial syntax numbers would work for an acedemic environment, however I have only included some of these.

A sample of Cambridge University, UK

95 Buildings34 Axial Routes25 Convex Spaces

Convex Spaces/Number of Buildings=25/95 = 0.26 ConvexityThis means that there are a lot of open meeting spaces within the area.

Axial Routes/Number of Buildings=34/95 = 0.36 AxialityAs this is a low value, this means that there are few routes to be taken between buildings.

Axial Routes/Convex Spaces=34/25 = 1.36 IntegrationThe amount of axial routes in relation to convex routes shows how easy it is to navigate to open meeting places, and is therefore a show of integration within the area. This value is high in comparison, and shows that it is not easy to navigate to the open meeting place, making the area quite segregated and exclusive only to those who know their way around.This is the value that I want to achieve as the main driving point for my master plan as the scheme is all about integration of acedemic life within the community.

Headingley Campus, Leeds Metrpolitan University, UK

19 Buildings18 Axial Routes20 Convex Spaces

20/19 = 1.05 Convexitythis indicates that there is potentially too much break up of space between and around the buildings, meaning that navigating may be difficult. However there are a lot of social gathering spaces for interaction.

18/19 = 0.94 AxialityA higher value of axiality also shows more break up between the spaces.

18/20 = 0.9 IntegrationHowever this is quite a good level of integration between the two, meaning that is easy to take an axial route to lead to a convex space for meeting and interaction, however the smaller this m=number is, the better it would be for integration.

In order for headingley campus to be improved, there should be more convex spaces, instead of just a few larger ones, thus giving a better value for integration on campus.

Precedent Study

The Common Ground

“The man-made components of the built environment, coupled with the characteristics of the space between,

defines the Common Ground.”

-Lauren Di Pietro33308831

As part of my master plan response I built a 1:1000 model of Isola Dei Saloni and the Old Town of Chioggia. [The model measures 2400mm x 1200mm]I looked at the idea of Common Ground running through the planning and typology of Chioggia, especially focusing on the idea of water, land and buildings as separate but connected elements of the Common Ground.

Image of 1:1000 model

Final Master Plan

Master plan image[maybe double page dependent on scale]




diagrams of Masterplan




New Syntax

BA3 TEST

Documents

Transcript of BA3 TEST