THE GREGARIOUS, the introvert & The Flamboyant
In this project I worked on developing one form/shape into a set of different structures on the island of Lido. I’ve done this mainly by exploring different media of model making, where I’ve found inspiration for further development of the structures.
The final project consists of three structures scattered around Lido, made from different materials and placed in quite different contexts. I’ve chosen to call them the gregarious, the introvert, and the flamboyant, based on their context and characteristics.
Lido stands out in the context of Venezia due to its distinctive features. Unlike the other islands, it has a well-developed network of roads, making it easily accessible and a favored destination among Italians. Lido is also the place where the film festival is held, which means it is a place that the wealthy and celebrities visit. This makes Lido a place of strong contrasts in both culture and wealth. It also creates a sense of exclusivity, which can be seen on the beach of Lido, where most of the beach is privatized.
The Flamboyant is built from ship steel plates mounted to a steel grid beneath the sand. The structure is flamboyant in the way it shows off and makes you wonder how it is possible that such small points of steel can be tilting and standing out from the sand. In this way, it is attractive through its confidence and arrogance.
It is placed at the top end of the beach in Lido, in a quite open area. The structure is located in the sand because of the sand’s fragile nature, which enhances the delicate, tilting feeling of the walls.
The building will serve as a break along the long beach walk, where visitors can experience some shade and enjoy a generous space. Hopefully, the space will be filled with activities such as sandcastle building and beach volleyball.
The Gregarious consists of four steel frames mounted onto twelve hinges. The structure is held up using wires. Inside the structure there are wires pulling the structure together, and on the outside there are wires that tension in the opposite direction, similar to the way a tent is built.
As a tent needs, the structure also consists of a couple of layers of translucent cloth which are mounted to the steel frame with a thick blue thread. The translucent fabric creates a diffuse light where you will see the shadow of the steel frame through the rough fabric. The structure is quite understandable because every part of the construction (except for the foundation) is visible.
The Gregarious is placed in front of Palazzo del Casino, which is the neighboring building to Palazzo del Cinema, where the Venice Film Festival is held. The flexible nature of the tent-like structure means that the structure can be put up and taken down depending on the need for it. For example, it can be set up for the film festival, where the tent can host a wide variety of activities.
This could be anything from an extension of the red carpet, where the paparazzi can shoot pictures with great diffuse light, to a food court where the crew working on the festival can dine, or perhaps the Gregarious could be a place for art, such as a light show.
Why the title The Gregarious? The structure is a social structure for all sorts of public activities, both in the way it shows every aspect of its construction and in its highly social placement next to the Palazzo del Cinema. The structure wants to be popular and a place where people want to go for different activities and the popular people it will host.
The Introvert is a concrete structure which leans on an inner core of wooden beams and concrete covers. The four 15-meter-tall concrete walls start thick at the bottom and end up half the thickness at the top.
The structure is introverted in the way its mostly solid concrete facade is not the most inviting. However, as you move into the space, it opens up to the sky and reveals new colors (literally). The covers moving up the structure are not places to stay, but they provide reflections of color from their vivid material, which reflect onto the concrete walls and roofs.
The structure’s placement is also quite introverted. It is placed where it is not immediately visible, but as you walk along the path in the park the structure gradually appears. The structure is located in a residential area on the middle eastern side of Lido. This is intended to give the residents a meeting point.
Because of its placement, the structure can be used as a place for a local market, a place for parties, or simply as a space to take a break from the noisy life outside the Introvert.
