ARCHIVE

ARCH IVE

ARCH IVE

THIS DOCUMENT AIMS TO EXPLORE THE ARCHITECTURAL VISION AND EXPERIENCE I HAVE ACHIEVED DURING THE ACADEMIC PROCESS, FOR THIS REASON THE RECOLLECTION OF PROJECTS PRESENTED BEGINS WITH THE MASTER AND BACHELOR THESIS – THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS OF RESEARCH, CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND KNOWLEDGE GROWTH. THIS PORTFOLIO, BY ASSEMBLING A SHORT COLLECTION OF PROJECTS PERFORMED DURING MY ACADEMIC COURSE AT POLITECNICO, IS CONCEPTUALLY ORGANIZED INTO ARCHITECTURAL SCALES - OR RATHER THEMES. THE FOCUS IS TO HIGHLIGHT AND VISUALIZE WITH FEW DRAWINGS AND IMAGES THE PARALLELS BETWEEN DIFFERENT SCALES IN ARCHITECTURE. EACH PROJECT HAS A DIFFERENT UNIT OF MEASUREMENT, SO AS TO DEMONSTRATE A FLEXIBLE KNOWLEDGE BETWEEN DIFFERENT TOPICS.

THE ACADEMIC PROJECTS ARE A SET OF OPPORTUNITIES, GENERATION OF PROCESSES, VIBRANT TENSIONS OF CREATIVITY.

IN THE SELECTED PROJECTS PRESENTED IN THIS BOOK THE DESIGN TRANSFORMS THE SPACE IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND TIMES, ON DIFFERENT SCALES, IN PLACES AND TERRITORIES WITH DIFFERENT CONFORMATIONS. THERE IS NOT JUST ONE WAY TO TRANSFORM A PLACE, BUT IT IS ARTICULATED AND IT DEPENDS ON MANY FACTORS. TRANSFORMATION IS ALWAYS FOCUSED IN FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSFORMED AND THE EXISTING, IN RESPECT OF THE TERRITORY AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. EVERY PROJECT WORKS TOWARDS THE CREATION OF A SPATIAL CONSTRUCTION WHICH AIMS TO RIGENERATE THE SITE, INSIDE A FRAMEWORK THAT BRINGS A STRONG SOCIAL DYNAMIC. THE COMMON THREAD THAT UNITES THE PROJECTS LIES PRECISELY IN THEIR DIVERSITY: THIS HAS ALLOWED ME TO UNDERSTAND HOW DESIGN IS A STRONG AND ADAPTABLE TOOL IN CHANGING THE IDENTITY OF A PLACE. IDENTITY OF PLACES CAN BE CHANGED AND RECONSTRUCTED: THIS IS SEEN AS CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING DYNAMIC CHANGES IN REAL LIFE THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATION AND THE ARTICULATION OF SPACES. IN THIS SENSE, IDENTITY IS AFFECTED BY ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTION - THAT IS AN UNFIXED, UNFINISHED AND VARYING PROCESS, THAT INFLUENCES BOTH THE PLACE AND THE SOCIETY.

THIS PORTFOLIO CONTAINS SOME SELECTED WORKS FROM THE DESIGN PROJECTS DEVELOPED WHILE PURSUING A BACHELOR AND A MASTER’S DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE AT POLITECNICO DI MILANO. THE PROJECTS ARE CHOSEN TO HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT SCALES AND APPROACHES ENCOMPASSED IN MY DESIGN EDUCATION. EACH PROJECT IS PRESENTED USING ONLY A FEW EXPLANATORY DRAWINGS AND IMAGES EXTRAPOLATED FROM THE COMPLETE PROJECT, SO AS TO HIGHLIGHT THE GENERAL FEATURES OF THE PROJECT, OR SOME FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS.

THE PROJECTS COLLECTED IN THIS ARCHIVE ARE CONNECTED IN TERMS OF RESEARCH THAT INVESTIGATES THE INFLUENCE OF URBANISM AND ARCHITECTURE IN TRANSFORMING A SPACE AND CONSEQUENTLY ITS OWN SOCIETY. THIS BOOKLET AIMS TO BE A RECOLLECTION OF PROJECTS ORGANIZED FOLLOWING A SCALAR APPROACH. THE TOPIC OF ARCHITECTURAL SCALES AND THE MULTI-SCALAR POSSIBILITIES THAT A PROJECT COULD CONTAIN IS THE MAIN TOPIC ON WHICH I BASED MY PERSONAL RESEARCH DURING THE LAST YEARS OF ACCADEMIC STUDIES.

WHEN I AM THINKING ABOUT ALL FIELDS OF ARCHITECTURE AND STARTING A PROJECT, I TRY TO CREATE A PERSONAL INTER-DISCIPLINARY NETWORK - DRAWING FROM DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES, INVESTIGATING THE PROJECT IN QUESTION AT DIFFERENT SCALES. IN THIS YEARS OF UNIVERSITY I HAD THE POSSIBILITY OF TACKLE DIFFERENT PROJECTS, WHICH DEALT WITH THEMES OF DIFFERENT SIZES. FROM THE SMALLER SIZE, THAT I RECOGNIZED IN THE WORLD OF INTERIORS, ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION AND EXHIBITION – UP TO THE UNIVERSE OF URBAN PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE.

IN THIS YEARS MY GOAL WAS TO DEEP INTO EACH SIZE AND ACQUIRE AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE AS POSSIBLE, IN ORDER TO COMPLETE MY PATH AND BE ABLE TO TACKLE A COMPLETE PROJECT. A PROJECT THAT KNOWS HOW TO DEAL WITH ALL ARCHITECTURAL SCALES, THAT DRAWS ITS CONCEPTS FROM VARIOUS CREATIVE FIELDS AND ENDS IN AN ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT BUILT FOR THE EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE THROUGH IT. AT THE END OF MY STUDIES, I APPLIED THIS NETWORK TO MY THESIS PROJECT, WHICH I DEVELOPED IN PORTUGAL WITH THE SUPERVISION OF A PORTUGUESE ARCHITECT, ANTONIO S. F. CARVALHO - WHO HAS BEEN ALSO MY MENTOR DURING MY MASTER’S DEGREE, AND I CAN’T WAIT TO APPLY IT TO THE REAL WORKING WORLD.

LAND(E)SCAPE

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN BROADEN MY KNOWLEDGE ON COMPETITIONS IN THE ARCHITECTURAL CONTEXT AND EXPAND IT IN A TEORETICAL AND CRITICAL WAY. I CONCEIVE IT AS A STRATEGICALLY MADE EXCERCISE AND AN IMPORTANT LINK TO MY POST-ACADEMIC FUTURE WORK. BY SIMULATING A COMPETITION AS THE ENGINE OF MY MASTER THESIS, I AM TRYING TO FIND SOME METHODS APPLICABLE TO THE FUNDAMENTAL TOPICS IN THE ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE: (1) THE PROFUND KNOWLEDGE OF A TERRITORY AT VARIOUS LEVELS, (2) THE MEANING OF SITE-SPECIFIC DESIGN AND THE RESPECT OF THE CONTEX AND (3) THE CONSEQUENCES OF PLACES’ ABILITY TO INFLUENCE INSTINCTUAL BEHAVIOUR ON THE DESIGN. AS THERE ARE SPECIFIC LIMITS AND DIMENSIONAL PARAMETERS REQUIRED FROM THE COMPETITION, THE PROJECT STARTS BY CONSIDERATING THEM IN RELATION OF THEIR SPATIAL, FUNCTIONAL AND ENERGETIC CONSEQUENCES. THE THESIS INVOLVES A SPATIAL AND SOCIOECOLOGICAL PROJECT THAT IS BOTH AN URBAN REDEVELOPMENT, AND AN ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL PRACTICE GENERATED BY CREATING RECIPROCAL RELATIONS BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE, HUMANS, AND LANDSCAPE.

THE RESEARCH PROJECT IS A PRODUCT OF CRITICAL INVESTIGATIONS AROUND ARCHITECTURE, CREATIVE PRACTICE AND ANALYSIS ON THE TERRITORY DEVELOPED OVER A YEAR. IT IS BUILT ON A TRANSDISCIPLINARY METHOD THAT STRAYS FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE: THE PROJECT IS DEVELOPED CRITICALLY AND CREATIVELY THROUGH A INTERSCALAR APPROACH. THE PROCESS TAKES PLACE THROUGH FOUR DIFFERENT ALTITUDE POINTS, FROM WHICH THE ENTIRE LOGICAL DEVELOPMENT CAN BE OBSERVED AT DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS. ONE CAN THUS PERCEIVE ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TERRAIN IN WHICH IT INTERSECTS, THE AREA WITH WHICH IT INTERACTS AND THE TERRITORY THAT SURROUNDS IT.

THE FOUR ELEVATION POINTS THEREFORE BECOME MACRO THEMES WITHIN THE THESIS RESEARCH AND ASSUME THE IDENTITIES OF: GEOGRAPHY, GEOMETRY, FORM AND LOGIC. EACH CORRESPONDS TO A UNIT OF MEASUREMENT AND TOGETHER THEY FORM A FUNDAMENTAL HIERARCHY THAT DEFINES THE COMPLETENESS OF THE PROJECT.

THE PROJECT INVESTIGATE THE FUTURE OF THE EXAMINED SITE LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF ALMADA – IN THE METROPOLITAN REGION OF LISBON, THAT IS AFFECTED BY THE SPATIAL EFFECTS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC PHENOMENA OF THE SOUTH BOUND OF LISBON - THE OUTCOME OF THE PROCESSES OF GLOBALISATION, PLANETARY URBANIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL MIGRATIONS. THE EXPLORATION OF THE UNKNOWN AND FRAGMENTED TERRITORY OF ALMADA GOES FROM THE CONCEPTUAL PROPOSITIONS TO THE TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE IDEAS, PROVIDING THE FINAL DESIGN AND PRESENT ATION OF THE CRITICAL RESEARCH. THE PROJECT PROPOSES A SIMPLE, ADAPTIVE FRAMEWORK THAT UTILIZES AN INTEGRATIVE DESIGNRESEARCH METHODOLOGY, STRUCTURED IN FOUR PARTS AS FOUR SCALES: THIS CONCEPTUAL APPROACH IS THE ORIGIN OF THE THESIS’ CREATIVE PROCESS TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND THE CORRECT SCALE TO USE FOR EACH PART OF THE SPACE. FOCUS OF THE RESEARCH IS ARCHITECTURE AS A MEDIATOR PHENOMENON BETWEEN HUMAN BEINGS AND NATURAL SCAPE: THE RESULT IS AN OPEN-ENDED EXPLORATION CONSISTENT INTO THE (RE)INTERPRETATION AND (RE)ORGANIZATION OF THE SITE, FOUNDING THE ROOTS ON A LONG-LASTING, SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION THAT EMERGED IN RESPONSE TO A DEMOGRAPHIC DEMAND - AND SO IT IS ABLE TO PERMANENTLY ACT, CHANGE, ADAPT THROUGH TIME AND SPACE.

LAND(E)SCAPE SURVEYS ARCHITECTURAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FORMS OF COLLECTIVE HOUSING THAT DEMONSTRATE HOW THE TRANSFORMING UNDERSTANDING OF NATURE CAN MODIFY THE WAYS IN WHICH WE ORGANIZE, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT BUILDINGS, BOTH IN CONCEPT AND IN PRACTICE. THE THESIS AIMS TO SHARE ANALYTIC TOOLS SUCH AS OBSERVATION, TERRAIN EXPLORATION, ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS TO EXTENSIVELY PROJECT NEW FUNCTIONAL DEMOCRATIC URBAN LANDSCAPES. IT IS MADE AS A LINK BETWEEN SMALL AND LARGE SCALE SYSTEMS WITH THE AIM TO INVESTIGATE ON THE URGENCY FOR BUILD A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR ALL INHABITANTS - IN THE END IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE REFLECTION ON A CULTURAL, SOCIAL, SPATIAL AND ECOLOGICAL LEVEL.

EAST RIVER PARK

THE METROPOLITAN NATURE/EAST RIVER PARK IS AN EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT, AND IT IS ALSO A THEORETICAL AND CRITICAL INVESTIGATION BASED ON THE REDEVELOPMENT OF AN AREA BY DESIGNING A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN A METROPOLITAN CONTEXT TO REMEDY A SITUATION OF URBAN CONGESTION. THE PROJECT EXPLORES URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, THAT INTEGRATES ECONOMY, SOCIAL EQUITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE TRANSFORMATION IS AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL: THE PROJECT SITE IS COMPLETELY RETHOUGHT, THE MODIFICATION PUT DEEP ROOTS AND WANTS TO COMPLETELY CHANGE THE IDENTITY OF THE SITE. FIRST OF ALL, THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON NEW YORK CITY, WHERE URBAN DEVELOPMENT HAS FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC CONCERNS RESULTING IN UNINTENDED AND CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES.

THE SITE WHERE THESE THOUGHTS ON SUSTAINABILITY BORN, IS ROOSEVELT ISLAND, WHERE ALSO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY - WITH SOME SITE INSPECTIONS, TO INTERACT WITH ITS COMMUNITY AND TO SEE THE ACTUAL CONFORMATION OF THE ISLAND: THE PRESENT ASPECT AND THE LACK OF VEGETATION IS DUE ONLY TO HUMAN INTERVENTION. THE INITIAL IDEA WAS TO MAKE POSSIBLE THE EXPERIENCE OF NATURE IN WAYS PEOPLE DON’T TYPICALLY HAVE NOW ON THE ISLAND, AS I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF BRINGING NATURE INTO ARCHITECTURE AND I THINK WE NEED TO CREATE MORE PUBLIC GREEN SPACES IN CITIES.

PUBLIC PARKS, ESPECIALLY IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS NEW YORK, ARE NECESSARY SANCTUARIES FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS. YET THE PROBLEM MANY CITIES FACE IS A LACK OF SPACE TO CREATE THEM.

THE VISION FOR THE SITE IS A SUSTAINABLE PARK: THE EAST RIVER ECOLOGICAL PARK IS A 3.2 KM LONG SHOWCASE OF SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE IDEAS AND RESOURCES. ROOSEVELT ISLAND IS INSIDE A URBAN MECHANISM, WHICH HAS GONE THROUGH AN UNPREDICTABLE EVOLUTION. THIS PHENOMENON, WHICH EVOLVED IN TIME, BECAME THE STARTING POINT FOR THE DEFINITION OF A CONTINUOUS GREEN CORRIDOR AS THE MAIN ASSET OF THE SITE. THE ISLAND REDEVELOPMENT AND THE INTRODUCTION OF A GREEN LINE RUNNING THROUGH THE CORE OF THE SITE PRESENTS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTEGRATE THE EXISTING BUILDINGS INTO A DEFINED NATURAL URBAN PARK, EXPRESSING THE CHARACTER OF ROOSEVELT ISLAND AS A GREEN OASIS OVER THE YEARS. THE OLD SITE VEGETATION AND ITS ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE HABITAT COULD BE PRESERVED, PROTECTED AND ENHANCED.

THE PLAN INCLUDES ALSO A SET OF DESIGN ELEMENTS: A NEW GREEN AVENUE, WALKWAYS, RESIDENTIAL SERVICES AREAS AND FACILITIES, CULTURAL AND GREEN AREAS FOR PUBLIC USE. THE NEW GREEN PLACES WILL NATURALLY BECOME SOCIAL EXCHANGE HUBS AND AREAS WHERE SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED. AFTER THROUGHT THE ANALYSIS OF THE AREA I UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE THE COMMUNITY HAS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND I BASED THE PROPOSAL ON ENHANCING THIS THROUGH A CONSISTENT APPROACH TO URBAN DESIGN AND LANDSCAPE AS WELL AS RECOGNISING THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF THE AREA. THE PARK WOULD BE A VIBRANT PLACE FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY - ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND VISITORS IN ACTIVITIES TO SHOW HOW NATURAL AND URBAN AREAS CAN CO-EXIST IN A POSITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE WAY.

SITE

SPAZIOFUORITEMPO

THIS PROJECT WAS BORN AFTER A RESEARCH ON THE METHAFORS BUILT BY ETTORE SOTTSASS IN 1972 ACCOMPANIED BY AN IN-DEPTH RESEARCH ON THE ARCHITECTURE ARCHETYPES AND AN ANALYSIS OF THE MORPHOLOGICAL HISTORY OF LANZAROTE.

THE CONSTRUCTION IS A FENCE THAT RE-PROPOSES, BOTH IN PLANIMETRIC FORM AND IN ITS MEANING, THE SACRED ARCHITECTURES THAT WERE BUILT IN THE ISLAND CENTURIES AGO. IN THIS CASE THE AIM OF THE TRANFORMATION IS THAT OF CHANGING THE PLACE IN A SOFT AND SUPERFICIAL WAY, STARTING FROM A NATURAL AND PRISTINE TERRITORY - THAT FOR THIS ASPECT IS OFTEN A TOURISTIC ATTRACTION. USING NOTIONS FROM THE INTERIORS’ KNOWLEDGE, THE MAIN IDEA WAS BUILDING SOMETHING THAT NO ONE EVER EXPECTED TO SEE, MAKING PEOPLE WHO VISIT THE PLACE HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE OF IT. THE FOCUS IS TO PLAY OUT TRANSFORMATION TO MODIFY THE FUNCTION OF THE AREA FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IN FACT, THE CONSTRUCTION HAD TO BE EPHEMERAL: COMPLETELY REMOVABLE, TO BRING THE PLACE BACK TO ITS COMPLETE NATURAL STATE AFTER 48 HOURS.

THE CONSTRUCTION IS ITSELF A RESEARCH ON THE INTERIORS: A SMALL-SCALE PROJECT [1:1], WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD WITH OUR OWN HANDS. THERE IS A LOT OF ATTENTION TO DETAILS, MATERIALS AND PERCEPTIONSTHAT ARE CREATED BY LIGHTS AND SHADOWS. THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT WAS DEVELOPED IN MILAN, DURING THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO OF INTERIORS, WHILE THE CONSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE IN LANZAROTE, ON A JOURNEY MADE IN NOVEMBER 2018. THE LIFE OF THE INSTALLATION LASTED FROM 18 TO 20 NOVEMBER, A PERIOD AFTER WHICH THE PLACE HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE AND ALL THE MATERIALS USED HAVE BEEN DONATED TO THE DANCE THEATRE OF LANZAROTE.

< THE PRIMORDIAL LANDS OF LANZAROTE RESOUND WITH ANCIENT PRACTICES. IN ANCIENT TIMES, THE INDIGENOUS TRIBES OF THE ISLAND EXPRESSED THEIR VISION OF THE SACRED THROUGH THE ARCHETYPE OF THE EFQUENE, A RITUAL FENCE WITH A CENTRAL STRUCTURE, WHICH WAS PLACED AROUND AN IDOL, DEFINING A MAGICAL AND PROTECTED TERRITORY. THE MEMORY OF THIS ANCESTRAL RITE ALLOWS US TODAY TO REFLECT ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN, LANDSCAPE AND TIME -INEVITABLE HORIZONS OF A CONTEMPORARY REFLECTION ON THE DIVINE >

THE REGION OF THE MATABURROS, MAJESTIC AND FRAGILE BASALTIC ROCKS - SUBJECT TO WIND EROSION, BECOME THE IDEAL SPACE TO EXPRESS THE THEME OF THE PROJECT. THE FRAGILITY OF THIS MYTHICAL LAND IS INTERPRETED AS A METAPHOR FOR A CONDITION TO BE PRESERVED, ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT AN IMMINENT FUTURE IN WHICH THE CONSUMPTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES WILL MARK A NEW ERA FOR THE PLANET. THE SACRED FENCE CLOSES AROUND ONE OF THESE ROCKS DESTINED TO DISAPPEAR: ANOTHER SPACE IS SHAPED, MADE PENETRABLE THROUGH 12 TRILITHIC PORTALS. AT THE CENTER, AS AN ICON OF A FRAGILE DIVINITY, AN EGG IS PLACED, AS AN ANTITHESIS, A TOTEMIC AND ANCESTRAL ELEMENT, WHICH REFERS TO FERTILITY, LIFE AND THE ETERNAL. THE INTERPENETRATION OF THE TWO SYMBOLS TIGHTENS THE QUESTION AND MULTIPLIES THE POSSIBLE ANSWERS.

CHEMISTRY X HEALTH

CHEMISTRY OFFERS TO MEDICINE A HUGE NUMBER OF PRECIOUS MOLECULES THAT, COMBINED CORRECTLY, ALLOW THE CREATION OF INTENDED PHARMACOLOGICAL SUBSTANCES TO INCREASE THE LIFESPAN. THE APPLICATION OF CHEMISTRY IN THE MEDICAL SECTOR IS ESSENTIAL FOR EVERY HUMAN BEING, BUT DESPITE THE STRONG INTERSECTION OF THE TWO WORLDS, THE GAP BETWEEN THEM IS EVIDENT.

THE EXHIBITION THEREFORE AIMS TO BRING THE INDIVIDUAL CLOSER TO MEDICINE AND ITS CHEMICAL ROOTSWITHOUT WHICH IT WOULD NOT EXIST, AND AIMS TO DO THIS BY INVESTIGATING THREE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES OF CHEMISTRY IN RELATION TO HEALTH: DRUGS, VACCINES AND THE GLOBAL CHEMICAL IMPACT OF THE SECTOR. ADVANCES IN CHEMISTRY, ALSO AND ABOVE ALL THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES, WILL INCREASINGLY FAVOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICINE OVER THE YEARS, IMPROVING HUMAN HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE. THE EXHIBITION LAYOUT DESIGNED INSIDE THE GIULIO NATTA BUILDING IS TITLED CHEMISTRY FOR HEALTH AND AIMS TO RECOUNT THE WORLD OF MEDICINE RELATED TO CHEMISTRY, THEREFORE THAT OF THE CHEMICAL-PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY.

THE TOPICS COVERED WITHIN THE EXHIBITION ARE THREE AND ARE DEVELOPED IN THREE EXHIBITION SECTIONS, SINCE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE TWO INTERNAL COURTYARDS AND THE GLASS CORRIDOR OF THE G. NATTA BUILDING AS THE IDEAL LOCATION FOR THE EXHIBITION. THIS SPACE HAS A PARTICULAR CONFORMATION, AS IT CONSISTS OF TWO OPEN SPACES - THE COURTS, AND ONE CLOSED - A CORRIDOR, WHICH BEING GLAZED HAS A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COURTS, ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO DIRECT ACCESS BETWEEN THEM. IN ORDER TO BETTER EXPLAIN THIS THEME, IT WAS DECIDED TO USE PNEUMATIC STRUCTURES AS THE MAIN TOOL FOR THE SETTING UP, AS THEY ARE ABLE TO RECREATE ASEPTIC, STERILE, ALMOST COMPLETELY WHITE SPACEBRIGHT OR NOT, DEPENDING ON THE LIGHT THAT PENETRATES, WHICH CAN BRING BACK THE SAME ENVIRONMENTS THAT CHEMISTS WHO WORK INSIDE THE LABORATORIES LIVE. BY COMBINING THE TWO WORLDS, WE WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THAT THE USER CAN BECOME DESTABILIZED WITHIN THE SPACES AND CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE COVERED TOPIC. THE PNEUMATIC STRUCTURES ARE USED IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS: BY INFLATING THE ENTIRE PNEUMATIC STRUCTURES INSIDE THE TWO COURTYARDS, SO AS TO GIVE SHAPE TO THE VOID OR EXPAND THE SPACE OF TRAVEL WITHIN THE EXHIBITION, OR USING THEM IN A LESS SIZE BY HOOKING THEM TO THE CEILING IN A WAY THAT, THANKS TO THEIR SHADOW, CAN DEFINE A SPACE. IN THE FIRST EXHIBITION SECTION, AN ELLIPSOIDAL PNEUMATIC STRUCTURE DEVELOPS AND THE TOPIC OF DRUGS/MEDICINES IS ADDRESSED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION TO THE EXHIBITION. THE SECOND SECTION DEALS WITH THE TOPIC OF VACCINES, TOLD THROUGH A HISTORICAL EXURSUS ON THE PANDEMICS THAT HAVE CHARACTERIZED THE HISTORY OF THE LAST CENTURIES. FINALLY, THE EXHIBITION ENDS WITH THE LAST EXPOSURE SECTION THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE SECOND EXTERNAL COURTYARD, ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THAT THE CHEMICAL-PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY HAS - AS THE DISPOSAL OF THE DRUGS AND SOME USED CHEMICALS THAT ARE RELEASED INTO THE ENVIRONMENT CAUSE GREAT DAMAGE. AT THE END OF EACH EXHIBITION SECTION, A SHORT SPACE IS DEDICATED TO THE ANALYSIS OF INNOVATIONS AND POSSIBLE FUTURE SOLUTIONS THAT RESEARCH IS DEVELOPING.

HONG KONGFLU–(1968-1969)H3N2 AVIARIA–(2004-2005)H1N5(2019-INSARS-COV-2 CORSO)

SPANISHFLU–H1N1 (1918-1920) ASIATICFLU–H2N2 (1957-1958)

CHEMISTRY 4HEALTH: INTRODUZIONE ALLA MOSTRA

CREAZIONE UNFARMACO

COMPOSIZIONECHIMICA

ECHIMICAAMBIENTE LOCALEIMPATTO AMBIENTALEINQUINAMENTO SANITARIRIFIUTICHIMICI FORMULECHIMICHE

PERSOLUZIONI IL FUTURO

PRODUCTION USE DISPOSAL

CHIMICA

PNEU1

PNEU2

R / ECO / SYSTEM

THE PROJECT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE BUILDING CURRENTLY USED AS A CIVIC LIBRARY, LOCATED IN RESCALDINA, WAS CONCEIVED WITH THE AIM OF INSERTING A SYSTEM WITHIN THE CITY FABRIC MAKING THE BACKBONE OF THIS PUBLIC AND MEETING PLACE ON ITS OWN SELFSUFFICIENT BUILDING BOTH FROM A FUNCTIONAL AND BIOCLIMATIC POINT OF VIEW. THE BASIC IDEA DOES NOT END IN THIS, BUT CENTRAL IN THE DESIGN WAS THE OBJECTIVE OF STIMULATING THE POPULATION TO BE PART OF THIS SYSTEM, THROUGH AN INITIAL PHASE OF SELF-CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING AND PARTICIPATING IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS - AN ASPECT STUDIED WITH ATTENTION FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF CONSTRUCTABILITY.

IN A SECOND PHASE, ARCHITECTURE IS ACTIVATED FOR PEOPLE: THE SET OF FUNCTIONS ORGANIZED WITHIN THIS PUBLIC SPACE, AS IN A CIRCULAR ECONOMY, WORKS AS A SYSTEM TO OFFER THE CITY NEW SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES AND A RENEWED CENTER OF SOCIAL AGGREGATION WITH A LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. THESE FUNCTIONS DEVELOP AROUND THREE FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS: THE CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, THE PROCESSING AND THE PREPARATION OF FOOD ZERO KM - USING INNOVATIVE AND ECO-SUSTAINABLE METHODS SUCH AS HYDROPONICS AND AEROPONICS, PARTICULARLY ATTENTIVE TO THE TOPIC OF SOIL AND RESOURCE CONSUMPTION WITH THE GOAL OF MINIMIZING THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT OF FOOD PRODUCTION.

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES

THE TWO MAIN ELEMENTS THAT PERFORM A BIOCLIMATIC FUNCTION IN THE ARCHITECTURAL APPARATUS ARE THE GREENHOUSE AND THE PATIO. THE FIRST, EXPOSED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING, IN ADDITION TO THE PRODUCTION FUNCTIONALITY ALSO HAS A CLIMATIC ACTION: AS A PASSIVE SOLAR SYSTEM WITH DIRECT GAIN, IT ACCUMULATES HEAT. THE LABORATORY PLACED BETWEEN THE GREENHOUSE AND THE PUBLIC PART IS EQUIPPED WITH SLIDING WINDOWS THAT ALLOW HEAT TO PASS THROUGH OR TO ISOLATE THE PUBLIC SPACE ACCORDING TO SEASONAL NEEDS, THUS ACTING AS A FILTER FOR THE THERMAL REGULATION OF THE ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEM. THE PATIO, SHAPED AS A SUBTRACTION FROM THE OVERALL VOLUME OF THE SAME SIZE AS THE LABORATORY, AS WELL AS BEING AN IMPORTANT POINT OF SUPPLY OF LIGHT AND AIR FOR THE TWO RESIDENCES, FAVORS WITH ITS CONFIGURATION A NATURAL VENTILATION AND COOLING OF THE ROOMS THAT OVERLOOK IT. THE CORRECT ARRANGEMENT OF THE PREMISES IN THE BUILDING PLAN SEES THE APARTMENTS FACING SOUTH-EAST AND THE PUBLIC SPACES ON THE LESS SUNNY FRONTS, THIS CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE STRUCTURE FROM A CLIMATIC POINT OF VIEW. PARTICULAR ATTENTION WAS PAID TO THE THEME OF THE INSULATION OF THE BUILDING ENVELOPE, WITH WALLS MADE ACCORDING TO THE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE OF THE PLATFORM FRAME, WHICH IN ADDITION TO BEING AN EXCELLENT SOLUTION FOR THE SELF-CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING, ALLOWS TO CONTAIN INSIDE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF INSULATION. FINALLY, THE THERMAL REGULATION OF THE BUILDING IS ALSO GUARANTEED BY THE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS - THAT CORRESPOND RESPECTIVELY TO ELECTRIC RESISTANCE RADIANT FLOOR PANELS AND TO A MECHANICAL VENTILATION SYSTEM THAT RUNS IN THE FALSE CEILING. TO ENERGETICALLY POWER THE STRUCTURE IS THE SET OF PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS ON THAT ROOF TO COMPLEMENT THE SUPPLY OF THE ELECTRICITY GRID.

CAMERA 12 MQ RAI 0.333

BAGNO 5 MQ RAI 0.200

CAMERA 9 MQ RI 0.500 RA 0.250

12 MQ RAI 0.333

CAMERA

ZONA

CUCINA

INGRESSO

BEYOND / BUILDINGS

THE DESIGN PROCESS ALWAYS MOVES FROM THE DYNAMIC INTERACTION OF THE EXISTING CONTEXT OF THE SITE WITH THE NEW ONE. IN THIS WAY, THE PROJECT TRIES TO BUILD AN INTERACTIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXISTING LAYERS OF THE PLACE AND BRINGS A COMPLETELY NEW PERCEPTION OF THE OPEN SPACE. THE URGENCY FOR MORE AFFORDABLE INTER-GENERATIONAL HOUSING PROJECTS STARTS FROM AN ASSUMPTION: MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WILL LIVE IN MILAN IN THE INCOMING FUTURE. LAMBRATE IS ONE OF THOSE RESILIENT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED AN INDEPTH URBAN REDEVELOPMENT, BOTH IN TERMS OF URBAN SPACES AND URBAN LIFE, AND OF HOUSING CONDITIONS. DESIGNING A HOUSING COMPLEX THAT PROVIDES HOMES THAT LAST OVER TIME AND ADAPT TO THE NEEDS OF THE CONTEMPORARY LIFE TO THE TIME PHASE – IN CONSTANT EVOLUTION, IS THE FOCUS OF THE PROJECT. THE URBAN AREA HAS BEEN FIRSTLY ANALYZED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THOSE WOUNDS THAT ARISE TODAY. LAMBRATE IS A MILAN’S GATE-NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HIGH POTENTIAL. THE PROPOSAL CONSISTS ON A HOUSING COMPLEX THAT – AS A UNIQUE METABOLISM – STITCHES UP THE URBAN FABRIC OF THE AREA BY INSERTING ITSELF INTO THE ACTUAL URBAN VOID. THE NEW CONSTRUCTION FITS INTO THE URBAN FABRIC INCORPORATING AND TRANSFORMING AN EXISTING BUILDING OF THE AREA, WHICH HAD THE FUNCTION OF A GARAGE, INTO THE PROJECT. THE BUILDINGS ARE ARTICULATED AROUND SHARED SPACES DIVIDED BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE: THERE ARE TWO HIERARCHIES OF COMMON SPACE, THE OPEN TO EVERYONE AND THE INTIMATE. THE INTIMATE COMMON SPACES - DEDICATED TO RESIDENTS ONLY, START FROM LEVEL ZERO GOING UP TO THE UPPER FLOORS, THEY ARE LOCATED IN DIFFERENT FORMS AROUND THE LIFT CORES AND EXPAND TO THE THIRD FLOOR TO ATTRACT OCCUPANTS FROM THE ENTIRE BUILDING, ENCOURAGING INTERACTION AMONG DIFFERENT LEVELS. THE OPEN COMMON SPACES EXIST IN THE FORM OF THE ACCESSIBLE GARDEN OF THE COURTYARD, IN ADDITION TO THE CULTURAL SPACES LOCATED ON THE GARAGE GROUNDFLOOR. THE NEW AXES OPENED IN THE GARAGE CREATES A DIRECT PASSAGE TO THE BUILDING AND ACCESSIBLE SPACES EXTENDED FROM THE CITY TO THE COURTYARD, WHICH PROVIDES SPACE FOR SITTING, CHATTING, PLAYING, AND SO ON.

THE BUILDING HAS - AS ITS MAIN FEATURE - THE ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENT OF THE RAMP WHICH ACTS AS AN EFFECTIVE MATRIX OF THE ENTIRE DISTRIBUTION OF SPACES, HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY. THE CONCEPT FROM WHICH THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT DERIVES IS THOUGHT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE BUILDING MORE INTROVERTED TO THE CONGESTED URBAN SIDE WHILE IT IS EXTROVERTED TO THE SIDE FACING THE NEW NATURAL LANDSCAPE OF THE COURTYARD. IT INCLUDES THE SIMULTANEOUS WORK ON PLANS, SECTIONS AND FACADES OF THE BUILDING. INTIMATE COMMON SPACES ARE MOSTLY ENCLOSED BY THE FACADE, THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO LET THE INTERIOR SPACES BE PERCEIVED FROM THE OUTSIDE BUT IN REALITY IT HAS A VITAL CORRELATION WITH THEM. AS LAST TOPIC, THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, AND FOR MY DESIGN GOALS - AS ARCHITECTURAL PLANS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE GRAPHIC ELEMENT OF ARCHITECTURE IN WHICH I BETTER FIND MY EXPRESSION. DURING THIS PROJECT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESEARCH THE WAY OF LIFE AND EXPERIMENT ON THE HABITAT OF THE PLACES OF LIVING: THE DESIGN OF THE DWELLINGS FOLLOWS THE IDEA OF CREATING A CENTRAL FUNCTIONAL NUCLEUS THAT CONTAINS THE DAMP ROOMS AND SERVICES [BATHROOMS, KITCHENS, WALK-IN CLOSETS], SO AS TO LEAVE THE REST OF THE HOUSE FREER AND MORE FLEXIBLE. THE CORE IS THE DESIGN MATRIX AND EVERYTHING IS CONCEIVED AND DESIGNED TO BE FUNCTIONAL AND ACCESSIBLE AT THE SAME TIME. IN THIS WAY IS POSSIBLE TO CREATE MANY HOUSING TYPOLOGIES AND A CERTAIN DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY, WHICH WILL PROVIDE A WIDE VARIETY OF USERS.

Docenti: António Carvalho, Francesca Lanz

SCALE LANDSCAPE / URBANISM

I DECIDED TO INCLUDE THIS PROJECT IN MY PORTOFOLIO AS I CONSIDER THE REPLANNING OF CITIES AN IMPORTANT TOOL THAT AN ARCHITECT HAS TO CHANGE THE URBAN AND SOCIAL SITUATION OF A PLACE. THE TERM MASTERPLAN, FOR ME, CONTAINS A MULTITUDE OF MEANINGS, TRANSLATABLE INTO PROCESS. PLANNING A CITY MUST NOT BE JUST AN OBJECTIVE BUT A CONTINUITY OF ACTIONS IN CONSTANT TRANSFORMATION. FOR THIS REASON I CONSIDER EVERY URBAN PROJECT AS A METHODIC PROCESS CONSISTING OF ANALYSIS, DESIGN ACTIONS, IDEAS, CONSIDERATIONS ON THE TERRITORY AND ON THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE.

THE URBAN PROJECT CARRIED OUT IN THE AREA OF SCALO PORTA ROMANA IS A RESEARCH THAT STARTS FROM A REFLECTION ON THE PHYSICAL AND PERCEPTUAL ASPECTS THAT DEFINE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE RAILWAY AND THE URBAN STRUCTURE AND ARRIVES AT THE DETERMINATION OF NEW STRATEGIES FOR THE SITE DURING THE COURSE OF TIME, WITH THE FINAL OBJECT TO FUNCTION AS THE OLYMPICS VILLAGE IN 2026. THIS IS THE PLACE OF CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE LOCAL DIMENSION OF THE URBAN STRUCTURE AND THE DEGRADED RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE - THAT OPERATES ON METROPOLITAN AND REGIONAL SCALE. THESE CONTRADICTORY CHARACTERISTICS MAKE IT A HYBRID SPACE OF ENORMOUS POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL RESOURCES, BUT ALSO FOR THE EXPERIMENTATION OF INNOVATIVE PRACTICES FOR A NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CITY, GREENERY, ENERGY, MOBILITY AND METROPOLITAN COMMUNICATION. WHAT WE HAVE CHANGED WITH THE PROJECT IS THE VISION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE MEANING IT INTENDS TO COMMUNICATE.THE PLACE IS A SPACE OF POSSIBILITIES IN WHICH EVERYTHING IS POTENTIALLY IN AN UNDERGOING TRANSFORMATION. THE IDEA IS TO COMPLETELY RENEW THE AREA AND MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE, KEEPING ITS CHARACTERISTICS AS A WHOLE. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT IS TO BUILD AN ISOTROPIC AND CONTINUOUS PUBLIC SPACE. ISOTROPIC MEANS HOMOGENEOUS IN EVERY DIRECTION, A SPACE THAT IN EVERY PLACE CAN OFFER THE SAME DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL. CONTINUITY IS A BASIC FEATURE FOR DESIGN AN ACTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE PUBLIC SPACE THAT CAN TRULY IMPROVE THE LIVING CONDITIONS, ALLOWING A HIGH FLEXIBILITY OF SPACE AND A HIGH LEVEL OF SHARING. THE MASTERPLAN DEFINES A HIERARCHY OF FLOWS BASED ON DIFFERENT SPEEDS RATHER THAN FUNCTIONAL SEPARATIONS. THIS STRUCTURE LEAVES OPEN THE POSSIBILITY FOR USERS TO TEMPORARILY SUBVERT THIS ORDER BY TAKING POSSESSION OF THE SPACE. GREEN AND SUSTAINABILITY REPRESENT THE FOCUS OF THE MASTERPLAN, WHICH AIMS TO INTEGRATE A CONTEMPORARY URBAN AND ARCHITECTURAL VISION WITH A DEEP ATTENTION TO FLEXIBILITY OVER TIME. THE DESIGN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE PORTA ROMANA RAIL YARD INVESTIGATES A COINCIDENCE OF ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. THE PROJECT PROPOSES THE REINTRODUCTION OF GEOGRAPHY AND ECOLOGY INTO THE CONTEMPORARY CONFIGURATION. SO THE TOPOGRAPHY WILL EMBRACE A MORE ORGANIC THREEDIMENSIONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE LAND. BY EXTRUDING AND INFLECTING THE PRESENT MORPHOLOGY INTO FLUID FORM, AND TRANSFORMING SURFACES FROM PAVED HARDSCAPES TO SOFT GREEN-SCAPES, A PROVOCATIVE DIALOGUE AND CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE NATURAL AND THE ARTIFICIAL GENERATES A MORE ECOLOGICALLY ORIENTED FUTURE FOR THE PLACE. AREAS OF THE SITE BECOME A DIALECTIC BETWEEN THE NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL, AND TRANSFORM THE RAIL YARD PROGRAMMATICALLY, INTRODUCING MUCH NEEDED PARK SPACES, LOCAL AGRICULTURE, AND ENERGY RESOURCES, GENERATING A NEW TOPOGRAPHICALLY SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE. THE PROJECT USES THE PLACE’S POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A NEW CONDITION OF ENERGY. IF WE UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AS A CONTINUUM OF ENERGY AND INFORMATIONS THAT INTERACT IN ECOSYSTEMS OF VARIOUS KINDS, THAN THE LANDSCAPE, THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE UNBUILT TERRITORIES CEASE TO BE A MERE GROUND ON WHICH TO CREATE AN EVENT: RATHER, THEY ARE THE PROJECT ITSELF. WE COULD IMAGINE THAT AFTER MILLENNIAL OF EXPANSION OF THE ARTIFICIAL OVER THE NATURAL, THE BASIC ELEMENT OF A TERRITORY – ITS GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, BOTANY, CLIMATE – ARE NOW A PERFORMATIVE MATTER CAPABLE OF BEING DEVELOPED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND OF ACTING BOTH BY TRANSFORMING THE HISTORICALLY CONSTRUCTED ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS AND BY CREATING NEW HYBRID NATURES THAT EMERGE ACCORDING TO A NATURAL LOGIC. WE USE THE IDEA OF THE NATURAL TO REFER TO THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THINGS OR PLACES, WHICH ARE IN MANY CASES RELATED TO GEOLOGICAL OR BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES, AND IN OTHER CASES TO RELATIONAL, SOCIAL OR CULTURAL ISSUES GOVERNED BY LOGICS THAT WE FIND IN NATURE. THE PROCESS OF THE PROJECT THUS PROPOSES TO OPERATE ON THE BASIS OF A MATERIAL THAT IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ORGANIC AND GEOLOGICAL, BY WAY OF A SET OF STRATEGIES THAT RANGE FROM THE REFORM OF THE TOPOGRAPHY AND OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND THE CREATION OF NEW SETTLEMENTS ON THE BASIS OF NATURAL LOGICS. THE FIRST TRANSFORMATIVE ACTION IS THE RIDEFINITION OF THE SITE EDGE. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE EXISTING PERIMETER WALLS GIVES TO THE BOUNDARY SPACES A CRUCIAL ROLE IN DEFINING THE VALUE OF THE TRANSITION OUTSIDE/INSIDE, IN ADDITION GIVE IT THE POTENTIAL TO DEFINE PLACES OF CONNECTION BETWEEN THE URBAN AND THE NATURAL, AND ALLOWS ACCESS TO SPORT AREA, CULTURE AND LEISURE. FURTHERMORE THE NEW BORDER CONNECTS FLOWS THAT OPEN UP RELATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND MAKE USE OF SPACES RICH IN NATURAL ATTRIBUTES, USED BY CITY DWELLERS AS PARKS. FINALLY TREES - AS IF THEY WERE LIVING BEINGS, ARE ELEMENTS THAT DEVELOPED AND EVOLVED IN RELATION TO THE LOCAL GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS. THERE ARE AS MANY TYPES OF TREE AS THERE ARE CLIMATES, LANDSCAPES AND TERRITORIES ON THE EARTH.