The first question to answer was how people get to the Island of Poveglia. We took a look at the local transport system which mainly consist of boat and ship lines between the different parts of Venice. In our project we want to offer an alternative for the roughly 2000 students, 200 employees and additional tourists that will access the island on a daily basis.
A floating pier that inherits infrastructure such as power cables, communication lines, water- and sewage pipes connects the islands of Giudecca, La Grazia, San Clement, Isola San Spirito, POVEGLIA, Lido di Venezia, Lazzaretto Vecchio, Isola di San Lazzaro and Isola di San Servolo to create a loop. As “aqua alta” has become a big problem for parts of Venice the new pier deals with this through constantly adapting to the current water level while being protected from storm surges by the soon to be finished flood barrier MOSE. Additionally the pier offers a primary structure for aquaculture such as mussels which can help to clean the lagoon-water and opens up the possibility for a food production industry. This loop is open for pedestrians and bikers alike which can enjoy the different smaller greenspaces along its way whereas boats and ships will still be able to pass through.
While not only connecting Poveglia to the Centre of Venice the loop allows for new development on and around the different islands which it connects. The city of Venice could grow in clusters as it did in the past history when small settlements merged together to become the Venice we know today.
The Loop goes through the island of Poveglia which in itself offers different characters on the three islands which it consist of. Walking or Biking from Isola San Spirito north of Poveglia one first walks onto the green and lush park of the Island were the student accommodations are set more private and hidden in the forest. Crossing the bridge one accesses the main island. From the piazza delle scale you walk through a passage into the large courtyard around which all the University buildings are set. The old facades to the west of the path dominate the courtyard whereas the “green fingers” come in from the eastern side breaking the hard edges of the built structure and allowing for shading and better microclimate. At the Southern end of the courtyard a gateway in the old facade opens up to the sea and the library island which one can access from several bridges. Following the main path one passes a green field which offers places to have a picnic or can be used for sports next to the sea. Leaving the island on the floating pier one will be led to the Lido di Venezia.
The seashore around the whole island is made as a publicly accessible (running) path. It leads people along the park and to the student housings on the Northern Island, connects little Poveglia on the center island with the workshops, multimedia house, terrace and auditorium in the western part and comes back to the library island, the main gate and further to the sport facilities in the east.
The Lagoon Loop sets the island of Poveglia in the context of the whole Venice lagoon. A university can only be attractive for new students when the whole environment adds to a good experience. We aim not only to create a great island for studying but want to add value to the whole city and with that strengthen the role of the University.
Several smaller Islands are located between the centre of Venice and the Landstrip (Lido di Venezia) that separates the lagoon from the open sea. A floating pier connects the islands of Giudecca, La Grazia, San Clement, Isola San Spirito, POVEGLIA, Lido di Venezia, Lazzaretto Vecchio, Isola di San Lazzaro and Isola di San Servolo and creates a loop. The loop inherits different services and offers a primary structure for a food production industry. It is open for pedestrians and bikers alike whereas boats and ships will still be able to pass through.
While not only connecting Poveglia to the Center of Venice the loop allows for new development on and around the different islands which it connects.
The floating pier connects the islands and creates a loop. The loop inherits services such as power cables, communication lines, water- and sewage pipes and offers a primary structure for aquaculture such as mussels which can help to clean the lagoon-water and opens up the possibility for a food production industry.
This loop is open for pedestrians and bikers alike which can enjoy the different smaller green-spaces along its way while boats and ships will still be able to pass through.
The Loop is the primary path that goes through two of the three islands which Poveglia consists of. A secondary connection goes along the seashore around the northern and the central island. Accessing Poveglia from the north one first walks onto the green and lush park of the Island. Crossing the bridge one gets to the main island with the large courtyard around which all the University buildings are set. The old facades to the west dominate the courtyard whereas the green fingers come in from the eastern side breaking the hard edges of the built structure and allowing for shading and better micro-climate. At the Southern end of the courtyard a gateway in the old facade opens up to the sea and the library island which one can access from several bridges. Following the main path one passes a green field and leaves the island.
Besides offering University related facilities the new Design and Arts University also offers a wide range of public accessible buildings such as a tourist info, the island museum, view tower, bike shop, café, restaurant, a public workshop, exhibition areas and a stage where students and external actors can perform. The sport facilities are primarily reserved for the students but also offer publicly accessible amenities such as an outdoor ropes course in the forest or boulder and climbing walls. Furthermore the Guesthouse is the residence of the facility manager and offers accommodation for (visiting) professors or other guests.Another extracurricular function is hosted in the water treatment house which takes care of the black and grey-water.
The existing structures define the outlines of the courtyard around which most of the buildings are placed. Exceptions are the new sport facilities with the rowing boat jetty on the east part of the main island and the new student housings on the north island. New Structures in the north-west and the east of the main island help to define the courtyard. The buildings to the east are west-east oriented and allow for green fingers to penetrate into the courtyard. The volumes are generally set to the west behind the forest to be protected from strong winds from north-east. However the setting of the new structures east of the courtyard allow for some of the wind to get into the courtyard and offer a pleasant breeze in the summer. The quality of sun light into the building and the historic context define the form of the extensions and the new volumes.
The Lagoon Loop offers a holistic approach for this campus. This means the project includes the city and its development into the design of the University and offers more than only being an isolated student Island. It reflects the past through existing structures and street names while at the same time offering modern facilities in the present which can be used by various people but focus on the makers of the future, the students of this University.