Precedents + Site

I chose the site located near the Arsenale. It goes along with my interest in Venetian boats, and I feel inspired by the spatial relationship from one side of the water to the other. The differences between the public side and private side are noticeably expressed in spatiality, materiality and scale, and I expect to uncover more dimensions of disparity as I continue to document and construct the site. 

With this project I hope to address the issue of mitigating public-to-private by creating a shared space that contributes to the local life. Additionally, I want to explore the unique nature of Venice and it's complex relationship with water. 

Precedents / Preliminary Ideas

Venetian water basins were crucial to the design of the city, and they personify the dualistic relationship between the city and the water. 

The G-Cans project in Kasukabe, Japan is the largest flood diversion project in the world -- and wow, just look at it.

This facility aids in preventing the overflow of Kasukabe's major waterways, and the resultant space is very inspiring. I have no idea what kind of space would be required to make any sort of difference in my site, but I'm excited to uncover those answers. Many characteristics of Venice and it's buildings have developed directly in response to the unique situation of the city -- so, above all, I want the city to tell me what to do with these ideas. 

Material Catalog

The Arsenale is a Byzantine-style construction, dating back to at least the 1200's. The bearing walls are of weathered brick, patched up in several places and reinforced with steel ties. The styles of the windows vary -- some have wooden shutters, others are aluminum-frame, some round and some square, suggesting that this wall has been modified many different times. The brick is constructed with lime mortar, to allow for the shifting settlement, and is trimmed with Istrian stone. The Arsenale walls are crenelated with a unique geometry. 

These Arsenale walls are the majority of the architecture that frames the approaches to the site. It is bold, bright, large-scale and highly geometric. Piping for electricity and water are exposed on the exterior of these walls.

On the other side of the canal the architecture is in a much different state. Mostly made up of residential buildings, they are constructed with brick and stucco. The stucco is very dated -- it is chipped and discolored, particularly on the first floor of each structure. The roofs are patched and re-patched, with additions and subtractions leaving evidence of a lot of renovations over time. Laundry lines hang out of windows. Signal receptors haphazardly jut out of the roof line. Many windows are lined with Istrian stone and possibly other limestones. Dentils ornament the underside of the roofs. 

Venetian Vocab
Patere are small circular reliefs made of stone that decorate the exteriors of buildings throughout Venice. They are the oldest form of Venetian public art. They almost always depict some sort of fauna, but occasionally the subject matter is a person or plant. The circular shape derives from the fact that they are a section of a circular column. 

Masegni are the historic pavement stones of Venice. They're made out of a particular type of volcanic rock called trachyte, because it's surface stays rough despite the amount of foot traffic over time -- particularly useful in preventing slipping.

Passerelle are the elevated temporary sidewalks we saw, put up on high-traffic routes during flooding.

Paved streets are referred to as Salizada.

Moto Ondoso are the waves that are caused by motorized boats. 

And here is a section of a typical canal: 

"Pozzi" -- Venetian Cisterns / wells

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