GORIZIA – NOVA GORICA EPICENTER

Project name: INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL IDEAS AND PROJECT COMPETITION
FOR THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT OF PIAZZA TRANSALPINA/ TRG EVROPE

Status: Delivered

Program: Urban development of Piazza Transalpina/ TRG Evrope and Design of the EPICenter

Budget: N/A

Client: Municipality of Gorizia, Municipality of Nova Gorica

Location: Gorizia-Nova Gorica

Design: 2020

Team: Chiara Manca, Elisabetta Paglia, Maurizio Scarciglia

The Masterplan. GO Circular!

The Gorizia-Nova Gorica urban region shows a healthy demographic trend, with a discrete supply of services and a high quality of life. Economically characterized by industry and agriculture, Gorizia-Nova Gorica would benefit of an improved infrastructural cross-border connection, through the reactivation of the Transalpina Station, desirable in the near future to boost its role of European cross-border tourism destination.

We believe that Gorizia-Nova Gorica should preserve this suburban identity, yet aim at the development of functionally complementary centres. The project area would become the new central cluster for the definition of a new stronger urban region, capable of competing on the international market, yet clearly stating a circular vocation. The current climate crisis asks for re-thinking the cities’ future, for this reason, we base the whole master plan on completing the local existing potential. We propose to start the development by defining a light infrastructure for pedestrians and bikes, enabling all residents to move freely between the cities. The layout of this new regional route becomes the spine of the new green and blue strategy.

The plot towards Nova Gorica is completed, creating a clear urban front of new housing and mixed-use buildings which will allow testing different housing types for different family patterns. The public plinth offers continuous commercial spaces to create an active 24/7 urban front. Nova Gorica’s side continues with an elongated park that follows the railway lines, offering agriculture as well as public activities and sports.

Likewise, the Gorizia side is developed longitudinally through the “Makers Campus”. To the south, the park ends with the new EPICenter square and building landmark. We propose to locate the pedestrian and bikes bridge in the area over the railway as this is the densest functional cluster. At the south masterplan, Nova Gorica presents an irregular pattern of private residential allotments. We complete it with clear circular clusters, while the Gorizia side is re-ordered through a patchwork of rural fields, preserving the existing heritage.

Stazione Transalpina square and EPICenter. A vertical landscape

Located at the end of the Makers Park, the square is an extension of the park itself. By spreading the mass horizontally we respect the vertical monumentality of the station, saving its central view from via G. Caprin. By doing so, we define a building composed of light surfaces softly curved to shape a catenary roof. This roof hosts the actual new square: an elevated plateau from which a beautiful view over the borderline will allow an unimpeded perception of the unified cities while offering a protected cosy stage for every possible social happening. A temporary tent fixed to the short sides of the building and on top of the tower (supported by a tensile steel cables structure), will offer shadow in the hot seasons.

In section, the building is characterized by four levels. The underground hosts temporary and permanent exhibition spaces. This floor hosts a simple parking garage that offers easy logistic for the exhibition space.  The square is freed from any car, limiting vehicular accessibility only from the west kiss and ride area and defining a clear pedestrian gallery on lever zero, open 24/7. Emergency exits, ramps and stairs are accurately distributed to preserve all historical trees on the site. The elevated podium’s clear separation makes it easy to achieve an independent operation of social activities. On top, the roof landscape is reachable by means of slow stairs and a long ramp that, starting in the park, allows everybody to reach the upper square even when all amenities are closed.

The tower becomes a landmark, as well as the tool to look over the new unified centre. Besides choosing a traditional structural type, typical of sports halls, with a clear construction process, we chose very few finishing materials, such as concrete and locally supplied wood, aiming at strengthening circularity principles and budget control. The circulation system becomes pivotal for the distribution of the volumes, dissolving the building into a vertical landscape, open to all citizens and symbolic of democracy and European values of solidarity and cooperation.

SHENZHEN – LUOHU CULTURAL PALACE

Project name: 深圳市工人文化宫整体改造工程建筑方案设计国际竞赛
International bidding of Architectural SD for Overall Renovation of Shenzhen Working People’s Cultural Palace Shenzhen Luohu Cultural Palace

Status: Design Proposal

Program: Renovation of Shenzhen working people’s cultural palace

Total built area: 60.000 sqm

Budget: N/A

Client: Shenzhen Luohu Municipality Government

Location: Shenzhen, China

Design: 2019-2020

Team: Elisabetta Paglia, Fan Hao, Maurizio Scarciglia

地面及地下室的交通动线概念，充分考虑到机动车及慢行需求。这种”城市基础设施”在地面层形成了低密度的建筑基底，但整个文化宫建筑群依然具备了现代都市地标形态。

概念:垂直景观

主要的设计理念在于通过分层露台的堆叠形成垂直公共空间，从而形成一个垂直景观系统。露台系统和其体量的变化，有助于建筑遮阳和景观空间的形成，提高建筑群的整体环境性能。
建筑、水元素和景观在场地中形成没有室内和室外空间界限的全新统一空间。

在场地中心—文化、数字化和运动之间的连接处，我们将部分体量进行悬挑。这种“数字云”可以通过各个建筑单体（东部的展览和表演艺术、南部的电影院和剧院、北部的体育和东部的培训中心）或从广场通过专用的自动扶梯和电梯直接到达。这个“数字广场”代表着建筑群的中心，是数字世界的缩影，是深圳新形象的符号。它也成为中央公共空间，将首层和开放屋顶上的广场和花园串联，清晰地表达了整个建筑群。较高的建筑密度通过最大化建筑和景观融为一体的屋顶景观的来进行平衡。

在温度合适的季节，它可以成为当地日常生活和文化活动的理想承载场所。通过对建筑内功能分布的关注，项目场地利用公共空间以及内在关联的广场与花园的系统营造，形成对建筑体量和阴影适当反馈的表达。内湖通过如同项链般环绕水边的广场及各个建筑大堂，形成城市单元的中心元素。数字广场是建筑群的核心，对南侧的湖畔绿洲和北侧线性运动花园开放。运动花园恰好处于大体量室内运动场馆和数字云的遮挡下，形成了一个高效的线性户外运动场集合，即使在炎热的夏季，也有助于露天空间的体育活动开展。

VELIKO TARNOVO – NEW URBAN CENTER

Masterplan New Urban Centre

Program: multifunctional 

Total NUC area: 18,9 Ha

Total built area: 146274 m2

Exposition center

Program: cultural building with 6 events/exhibition halls, flexible to be combines into one auditorium of 1200 seats.

Land plot area: 5,502 m2;

Total Floor  Area: 9674 m2 (excluding underground parking);

budget: N/A

Client: Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Location: Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Design: 2018

The proposal for the new city center of Veliko Tarnovo finds its foundations on a balanced density, proportioned to the existing city center. By analyzing the center of the city and the surrounding districts, Veliko presents the urban fabric of a medium size town, which does have the ambition to find a role in the national and international market but that preserves its authenticity in a powerful relationship with nature and history. 

The new city center, rather than aiming at a metropolitan scale, follows density and scale of the existing center, with some picks of modernity added through contemporary architecture and few landmarks. The multi-functionality proposed in every portion of the masterplan is achieved by mixing uses within every building block, as well as carefully curating a system of public spaces that will allow a 24/7 frequentation of the center. 

The plan is based on the application of sustainable forms of energy, smart mobility, resources saving and circular economy. Veliko will be too a pioneer city in fighting climate change, preserving the environment for its own community. 

MIXED FUNCTIONS

The masterplan is characterized by an homogeneous mixed use distribution, with a vast use of vertical mixed functions. This strategy wills to facilitate the human frequentation of the public space all the time, fighting periodic building vacancy. It increases the participation of private and public stakeholders in the development of the different blocks.

The districts are designed with a functional predominance, from north to south, from administrative-commercial to residential-commercial, till the southern cluster dedicated to the hotel-wellness center. The residential stock is distributed in every district, adapting typologies: in the north, lofts and apartments will fit the work-commercial environment. In the south terrace-apartments and family houses will define a living district with a more domestic character. The abundance of green-permeable areas improves the bio-climatic performance of the masterplan and facilitates rain water collection and discharge. The use of water collectors and wind corridors contributes to fight the Urban Heat Island effect.

DENSITY

When comparing the maximal density allowed by the brief (FAR 3) and the maximal m2 allowed, with the requested built up area, we believe that such a density would not be appropriate for a city like Veliko. Aware of the needs for new services and functions to support the whole city, we propose a FAR of 1.9, giving maximal precedence to residential and productive functions. We believe that a city, to be sustainable on the long term, needs primarily enough residents, who will guarantee its economic growth and stable wealth. This is why we propose to realize the maximal residential and administrative program, rebalancing the other functions to achieve a lower density. 

GREEN AND BLUE STRATEGY

Beside preserving the existing buffer green along the river, we propose to create a network of green and open spaces that crosses the whole masterplan and that allows every district to benefit of a constant relationship with nature. The connection with the surrounding green system (including the Marno Pole) is granted by boulevards, alleys, gardens and parks. The almost 70% of permeable surface is achieved by the extensive use of green roofs, that together with the public green will grant optimal climatic conditions throughout the year. Sun energy and rain water storages will contribute to enhance the sustainable performance of the district. 

SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY

The masterplan provides enough underground parking areas to cover the need for local workers, tourists and residents. This is achieved by splitting the parking system on a peripheral network that will work as transfer hub, forcing everybody (including residents) to leave their car before accessing the very core of the masterplan. This leaves the vehicles traffic within the central area only reserved to logistics and emergency, making the heart of the city center focused on pedestrians and bicycles. We envisage a system that can easily absorb the future innovations in the fields of sustainable urban mobility. 

PHASING

The development is articulated is such a way that every phase of realization can offer functions and interventions useful to activate the area since the beginning. This means that every phase offers a mix of functions that wills to make each realized portion autonomous from the rest of the masterplan. Given the fact that the functional distribution in the proposal is quite homogeneous, the masterplan will never suffer mono-functionality, thus allowing the frequentation of the realized public spaces at all times. The administrative district (including its residential stock) will start up the process, favoring the private-public participation. Similarly, every phase is inclusive of green and public space portions, as well as commercial and leisure activities.

THE EXPO-CENTRE 

The area designated for the Expo Centre is very limited, making necessary to compose the building as a compact and efficient machine. The terrain slope between south and north side of the plot, requires attention on how to solve technically and functionally the site depression. For this reason we imagine a centric system in which the main hall becomes the starting point of the Floor plan. 

The T shaped halls host spaces for different performances and events: a cinema, a black box/podium, a theatre with possible orchestra pit, an auditorium and 2 exhibition halls. All these spaces can benefit of the site height difference, being supported by a lower efficient system of logistic and parking areas. In fact, the lower levels provide a dedicated logistic entrance from east, the access to the basement of the podium/stage, as well as all support and technical spaces below the theatres, making the centralized position of the podium accessible from every side. A system of sliding walls allows the partial or unified use of the spaces, transforming the center into a forum capable to host up to a maximum of 1725 seats (when even exhibition halls are integrated to the auditoria), 1220 seats with the three auditoria united, as well as 6 separate rooms. The center can thus host concerts, musicals, theatre pieces, cinema, music events, fashion catwalks, commercial fairs. The terrain slope allows to concentrate 3 underground parking levels with a total 210 parking places only within the building boundary. For this reason we free the north side of the building from additional parking use, maximizing the green surface and giving back this public space to the adjacent north district.

The west side of the building, facing the VTU, hosts the main lobby, perfect arrival from the city as well as the from NUC. The south side offers an additional public entrance under the cinema hall, making it suitable to welcome the visitors if the central hall would be used as exhibition space or temporarily closed. This entrance reconnects to the main hall, which is split on two levels.

The roof of the hall hosts a semi covered square and an auditorium suitable for open air events during spring and summer. At the north side, a volume separates this space from the city center, defining a urban living room. The north volume hosts café-restaurant, as well as administration, rehearsal rooms and a roof exhibition/lounge, which offers a spectacular view towards the historical center of Veliko. The truss roof structure is used as lighting and sound system for the open air events, duplicating the capacity of the lower covered hall, while defining an iconic hollow space, visible from the city center, establishing a dialog with the rest of the urban fabric.

ARIANO IRPINO-AGRISCHOOL

TORINO – PASCOLI SCHOOL

Competition proposal

Program: Renovation of an existing secondary school

Total Museum area: 2000 sqm

Budget: 2,6 ml €

Client: Municipality of Torino

Location: Torino, Italy

Design: 2017

The project wills to create an exciting creative and communal educational.The access, designed as plastic and iconic object, touches the original facade respecting its volumes and openings. The entrance object is shaped into a light staircase, a climbing ramp, a seating and a roof deck, integrating into its structure the lighting system and the new school signage.

The classrooms are defined as spaces for traditional teaching, in which the furniture elements change the perception and use of spaces, while the workshops, rest areas and circulation are shaped as multifunctional spaces, becoming meeting points between the different classrooms and the community. The proposed layout consolidates all the functions destined to extracurricular activities, offering the left spaces to the neighborhood.

The spaces are organized to give priority to the collective spaces, where all students and users of the building are free to express themselves during the learning process.

As a gaming system, with respect to the spaces and internal volumes, it is proposed to insert an internal wayfinding signage system, which visibly connects the exterior of the building with the multiplicity of its interior spaces, simplifying the circulation, driving efficiently the students’ daily flows and occasional community flows.

RABAT-ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM

Restricted Competition

Program: Archaeology and Natural Sciences Museum of Rabat

Total Museum area: 13600 sqm

Landscape: 20400 sqm

Budget: 24,5 ml €

Client: Moroccan Government

Location: Rabat, Morocco

Design: 2014

The building is designed as a metaphor of an archaeological ruin, composed by layers of limestone. Their horizontal layout allows an optimal functional organization, with a gradual passage from public to private spaces, connected with the back logistics. The volumes are very integrated with the surroundings and their limited density.

The main exhibition space is a square independent volume that sits on top of the lower layered rectangles. The plan is organized as a concentric system, articulating the museum with two types of space: a central one, illuminated by zenithal natural light, and the perimeter ring, illuminated by a continuous window. The roof is covered with a pattern of circular dome shaped skylights, which are cut on the north side, offering the best natural light to the interiors. By this way, centralizing the plan and opening multiple connection routes, the visitor will choose his criteria to visit the museum, having the possibility to change as well the curatorial route, from chronological, to thematic to random. The finishing materials are intended to make a reference to local techniques and colors, without losing sight cost-effectiveness of the work.

建筑设计为由石灰石层组成，作为历史考古遗址的象征。水平方向设计可有不同功能的组织排列，并通过从公共空间走向私密空间并且连接博物馆后面的服务空间。建筑体量与周围环境相融合一体。

主要的展览空间位于下层矩形空间的顶部是一个独立的正方形空间。平面以同心圆的方式组织，将博物馆与两种不同类型的空间联系在一起：中心空间，由天顶自然光照明，同心圆的周长边缘由连续窗口照明。穹顶南边玻璃可以为室内空间提供最好的自然采光。这种同心圆式的平面布局可以提过开放的流线，参观者可根据随意的参观博物馆。材料选参考利用当地的技术及颜色。

PALMA – THERMAL BATH

International architecture competition
Palma, Thermal bath complex
Total floor area: 5000 sqm
Budget: 5900000 €
Location: La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
Design: 2015

The project is planned in a particularly delicate landscape, south of La Palma island, in the Canary Islands archipelago.
The site, adjacent a stunning beach, imposes to think about a seamless and discrete intervention that does not compromise the view from the coast way.
The proposal envisages a volume that follows the natural contour lines of the volcanic landscape. This volume presents a continuous façade with a generous view to the sea, while its face towards the landscape operates an accurate carving of the ground in order to hide inside the land the most intimate functions. The functional layout is simple and linear. Wet and dry areas are accurately separated to facilitate maintenance and logistics, while optimizing costs and construction.
The project offers a sense of luxury and comfort in its interiors, while preserving a minimal impact on the delicate landscape.

西班牙拉帕尔马岛温泉度假村策略提案
项目数据:
地点：拉帕尔马岛，西班牙
设计时间: 2015
面积： 5000 平方米 (包含停车场)
内容：度假酒店复合体
状态： 进行中

该项目计划在西班牙加那利群岛最风光明媚的南拉帕尔马岛，设计一个特别精致的温泉度假村。
度假村位于岛上最迷人的海滩,让旅人在度假村里坐拥海岸美景,而度假村的建筑却不打扰其他游客观海的视觉景观。
建筑布局根据当地火山景观和自然地势做最有效的利用。建筑设计盖念以一个简约的连续水平立面，让广阔的海景尽收眼帘，然而建筑量体却隐密的隐藏在火山脚下,成为自然景至中和谐的一部分。
度假村以简约的直线布局，并考虑优化管理成本和使用方便，将温泉泳池按摩服务区和餐饮放松服务区分开的内部乾湿分离设计。
该项目提供豪华舒适的室内装饰，同时将对秀丽的景致环境影响降到最小。

NAPOLI – SCIENCE CENTRE

NAPOLI – SCIENCE CENTRE

Competition project
Program: Design competition for the New Science Centre Naples – Phase 1
Total floor area:  sqm
Location: Naples, Italy
Design : 2015

BIELLA – WOOL CITY

International urban planning competition.
THIRD PRIZE
Urban strategy for the re-use of a former hospital site with monumental buildings.
Program: Textile Museum, Textile Innovation Center, incubator, housing for starters, retail, offices, hotel with wellnesscenter and congressfacilities, parking garage and landscape design.
Total floor area: 35.000 sqm.
Location: Biella, Italy.
Year: 2013.

The brief asked for a complete re-thinking of the former structure of the hospital, currently relocated in the outskirts of the city. The total floor area includes 35.000 sqm of vacant space. The heterogeneous and chaotic complex includes some prestigious buildings from the forties and a massive slab from the sixties with a very high landscape potential.
NAUTA’s proposal extends the existing social pattern of the small city by adding students, researchers, entrepreneur starters, tourists, workers and boosts the economical power of the province, historical leader in the Italian textile market. Biella plays as well a pivot role in the tourism of the region, being close to the Alps and several skiing locations.
NAUTA’s strategy transforms the hospital into a new pole of excellence for International textile trading and research, students accommodation, incubator for textile and fashion entrepreneurs and a new hotel-wellness center, capable to complete the offer for the new international market, yet promote the local beauties and traditions.

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