Waterproof - International design competition

Description

The idea of this contest has a particular story, and it is certainly interesting to tell, in order to help the participants understand the purpose of the work they are preparing to play. Organizers did not start from the need for redevelopment of a specific building, but from the desire to bring the world of professional architects and designers closer to the world of manufacturing. The theme building of the contest becomes a design opportunity to imagine a different way of approaching the project, starting from the known materials, technologies and the connection between the detail and the whole project. We are convinced that this important occasion can be a stimulus for young architects and designers to test not only on project design but also on its feasibility.

Dialogue with partner companies, discovering and working on their production processes, realizing a prototype, understanding if things really work, is the goal we hope each competitor picks up and that is what will be most appreciated. The contest begins from these considerations, towards engaging dialogue between professionals and some of the historic representative companies of Made in Italy. In particular of the Venetian productive area, with the aim of meeting the know-how of companies and innovative ideas.

The design theme is an ancient building, one of the venue of the Università Iuav, located in the historic center of Venice.

IDEA

The aim of the contest is to create a link between the world of design and production, and stimulate innovative solutions that start from the knowledge and from the eventual customization of materials used for the project. The design theme is Palazzo Ca’ Tron, location of undergraduate degree programme in Planning and Urban Design at Università Iuav di Venezia, located in the historic center of the city.

The redevelopment project must consider the multiple functions that are attributed to the building. The University wishes to go beyond the traditional boundaries of the academic establishment to create a hybrid space, a place of relationships and a synergic exchange between students and the social and productive context of the territory. Palazzo Ca’ Tron will have to assume the characteristics of a place of knowledge and active promotion for the ongoing urban transformations.

Competitors must have to design a new addition of the building: about 5% of the total volume. This operation can become an opportunity to support new spaces with specific features. Given the peculiarity of the intervention, one of the project constraints will be to create a dialogue between contemporary architecture and historical pre-existence.

Competitors are invited to create a functional-model, well balanced among its various components, in order to get to an idea of innovative space management, which knows how to connect the university spaces towards the public uses. The functional-model should also include external courts, which are an integral part of the project.

Within the project, it is mandatory to use the materials of all business partners for at least one application. The products can be used by selecting them from the partners catalogues, or otherwise, by proposing a customization to stimulate product innovation.

GOALS

Open a reflection on the digital manufacturing theme applied to the world of architecture, stimulating a single language in constructive processes between partners and competitors;

Take advantage of the opportunity to make product and process innovation with the know-how of venetian historical companies, that can support the designers throughout the design process;

Imagine a coherent system of macro strategies, which must be able to interact with the existing building and the surrounding historical fabric, and micro solutions of technological and constructive details, which must be part of a single project and easily achievable;

Obtain ideas that think of an innovative way of recovering a Venetian historic building, while maintaining a respectful dialogue with pre-existence. The possibility of adding a new construction will be an incentive to give a unique appearance to the building, making it the symbol of the synergic relationship between history and contemporaneity;

Promote a new use of an academic space, which must become a reference for students and citizens in Venice. This innovative place must become also an example of flexible intervention, capable of adapting to climate change and the global environmental challenges.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Continuity between micro and macro strategies, including ideas for innovation of construction components and plant detail that are strictly consistent with the overall design concept;
• Coherence between innovation and the historical constraints of the building, respecting the urban context in which it operates and synergic relationship with the Laguna element;
• Sustainability of the project that takes into account the entire lifecycle of the building, how it will be used, and how to maintain it;
• Feasibility and economic sustainability of the proposals;
• Compliance with the functional program.

REQUIRED MATERIAL

• Model size 30x30x30cm (not more than 1:10 scale)
• n°2 project boards size UNI A1 vertical layout
• n°12 technical boards size UNI A3 horizontal layout