On the Edge of the Venice Lagoon

On the Edge of the Venice Lagoon

A feasibility study on new economic development models for an area on the edge of the Lagoon Davide Argentieri

On the Edge of the Venice Lagoon

A feasibility study on new economic development models for an area on the edge of the Lagoon Davide Argentieri

Index

-INTRODUCTION Veneto 2010: A brief description.

-PART 1 Overview on the Current infrastructure regional system -PART 2 Overview of the regional settlement pattern and its tourism potentialities -PART 3 Landscape: A morphological -ecological analysis -PART 4 Project proposal for Dogaletto -CONCLUSIONS -CREDITS -REFERENCES

Introduction

Veneto 2010: A Brief description

The history of Veneto, in the north-east of Italy has always been influenced by the dynamics between two different worlds: the aquatic world of Venice, the capital, that was the commercial and military stronghold and leader of the Mediterranean region and its mainland colonial regions.

During the 1000 years that Venice ruled the mainland regions , the landscape has been transformed to economically serve and defend Venice’s interests: rivers were diverted in order to protect the equilibrium of the strategically important lagoon and new canals were built in order to exploit it’s agriculture resources.

The transformation of the mainland landscape has always centred on water infrastructures, from Venice to the inside favouring the interests of the capital.

A notable example of these interventions is the Brenta Canal, which was built to connect Venice with Padua and is flanked by a number of Palladian villas. It was a sort of a natural extension of the grand canal across the countryside and it was in these lavish mansions Venetian patricians spent their spare time.

In 1797, when the Venetian Republic was defeated and conquered by Napoleon, the rule of Venice and the mainland regions were transferred to the Austrian Empire, which terminated the Venetian’s Republic’s supremacy on the sea and as a consequence the strategical importance of the mainland was emphasised. The landscape was once again transformed, however, this time it was not through water infrastructures but through railways and military fortresses.

In recent history, from the 1950’s onwards, Venice has been even more reduced to a mere tourist theme park, and the once agricultural and poor mainland has become the centre for economic and industrial transformation . A spider’s web of medium to large industrial areas has replaced the agricultural landscape, and new motorways, railways and canals were built to connect these centres with each other and the rest of Europe.

Small towns and villages suddenly found themselves surrounded by a suburban landscape and new rhizomatic urbanization phenomena were triggered.

In 2010, the de facto situation it’s a widespread metropolitan city where existing infrastructure and a number of proposed not cohesive metropolitan developments divide the landscape in fragments much like a broken mirror.

The landscape itself is a mixture of agricultural wastelands; small to medium industrial production sites and dormitory suburbs. The primary method of transportation is the automobile.

The recent, present and future economic models of the region are based on building more and more connections, highways and railway without considering the impact on the territory and the landscape.

The purpose of this work is to analyse the weaknesses and possibilities of a representative section of mainland territory around the Venice Lagoon and to propose a different model of urban development based on improving the existing conditions, re-use and re-connect spaces, and economical development through eco-tourism. This project will respond to the two following questions: Can the existing and proposed infrastructures be re-used in ways that are sympathetic to the territory they inhabit?

Can the environmental connection and dialogue between Venice and the mainland be restored?

Part1

Overview on the Current infrastructure regional system

The current urban system of the region is composed of different urban settlement systems superimposed one on top of each other. There are two large metropolitan cores (Verona and Padua-Mestre); a network of defined and interconnected medium towns and a micro pattern over the entire territory, of a spontaneous and erratic mixture of small villages, isolated homes, small factories and agricultural wastelands.

In order to connect these metropolitan layers a number of large scale infrastructure systems were proposed and built by the regional government. Furthermore, the European Transport Commission has described the region as strategically important due to its geographic position, central to both panEuropean and pan-Asian networks . Before we can consider the developmental potential of this region it is important that we consider the three most important transport methods in depth.

Motorways Veneto is home to many important industrial sites and the freight system is largely lorrybased, a network of motorways was created over the years for the purpose of connecting these industrial sites with other Italian metropolitans and enabling the export of goods abroad.

The region accounts for 15% of the national freight tonnage and motorways are still seen as central to the economic development.

The main infrastructure network is made up by two axis: West to East (Milan to Venice) and North to South . These two axis convey goods to Venice where they are met by maritime and railway infrastructures.

This current system is being improved by the regional government and extended with the addition of a large motorway to bypass Venice-Mestre, to offer a quicker connection to the eastern part of the region and to eastern European markets. Similarly, a new ring road around Padua will connect the centre of the city to its industrial hubs.

A new motorway is currently being proposed to connect Padua and Venice-Mestre, as a result of the saturation of the current infrastructure it would be located alongside to the existing one. A new connecting motorway towards the South is to begin in Venice-Mestre in order to connect its large commercial seaport with other Italian ports along the Adriatic coast.

PROPOSED HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE _PADUA-VENICE REGION

Padua Mestre

Venice

PROPOSED HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE _PADUA-VENICE AREA

Mestre

Railways The current railway system is a mixture of large scale high speed and high capacity European connections and a rail infrastructure that connects small and local metropolitan system. Both systems are being developed at the same time and both reuse existing infrastructure.

A high speed freight-passengers line is currently being constructed along the MilanVenice-East Europe axis, as a raised double track line flanked by tall concrete walls on both sides and only a few stations. The high speed railway is being built alongside the existing one, creating a long 4-6 tracks route across the region.

The local metropolitan system is being developed by linking the patterns of existing railway lines together creating a regional network, which connects the local settlements with the main hubs. Consequently, a network of double track railways and new stations are being built across the region.

PROPOSED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE _PADUA-VENICE REGION

PROPOSED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE _PADUA-VENICE AREA

Maritime Infrastructures Internal Navigation

and

Internal navigation has always been hugely important in the history of the region and many canals were built during the Venetian Republic.

From the 1950’s motorways and railways were preferred. However in the same period a new canal, the Idrovia Canal, connecting Padua’s industrial area with the VeniceMestre port was proposed.

The canal, which was originally supposed to be 27 km long, was only completed at the starting point in Padua and at its end point next to the lagoon, the long central section was left incomplete.

Over the years many proposal have been submitted to complete the canal or re-use it as a street or railway and the future of this infrastructure is currently unclear.

The completed sections and riverbanks are today used for leisure activities, such as fishing and jogging, by the local residents.

Further, a new cruise terminal is being proposed in the Mestre area. This will allow Venice port and the Venetian canals to be protected from large cruise liners that pose a serious threat to the delicate equilibrium of the historical city. Cruise liners will moor in the new terminal located below the large industrial port of Mestre-Marghera, and from here tourists will be transported to Venice.

Part 2

Overview of the regional settlement pattern and its tourism potential Historical and current fabric comparison

urban

To understand the regional urban transformation happened in modern times, we can take as an example the evolution of the urban fabric along the Brenta Canal.

According to a 1887 map of the mainland, the urban fabric was aligned with the historical water way from Venice towards Padua. A few important settlements can be noted along the Brenta canal: these town are here described as isolated settlements, mainly rows of houses along the canal or along important streets leading from the mainland to the coast.

Settlements are often compact and situated near intersections of trade routes, large portions of countryside are left unaltered.

In modern times, since the car became the main mean of transportation, the urban fabric also became less centred around the canal and dispersed itself along the newly created roads.

Urban rhizomes stemmed from the compacted towns discussed above, and merged with each other into a continuous

suburban system on both sides of the canal.

This development is exemplified by the modern times transformation of the Brenta Canal towpath into a heavily trafficked road This large urban system currently ends in the vast industrial area below Mestre, called Porto Marghera, which was built on reclaimed land. This is where, since 1917, a newly created large chemical industrial facility harmed the natural relationship between the mainland and the lagoon, which was once mediated by large areas of marine swamps crossed by the Brenta canal.

Alongside to this metropolitan system along the canal, an erratic and dispersed pattern of isolated dwellings is interspersed within the fabric of the agricultural landscape.

Contrary to what can be observed on the 1887 map, the current complex urban fabric offers no distinction between borders of a town and the beginning of the next one, and no distinction can be made between urban and agricultural landscapes.

1887 IGM MAP _PADUA-VENICE AREA

2010 _PADUA-VENICE AREA

CURRENT URBAN SETTLEMENT EXTENSION _PADUA-VENICE REGION

Tourism potential The ancient Brenta waterways is today used for tourist purposes. For examples, tours are offered on canal boats starting in Padua that; take tourists along the canal where a number of grand Palladian mansions can be seen.

As previously argued, these mansions where built by Venetian patricians and were easily accessible from Venice via the canal. Today the canal has been abruptly interrupted by the industrial area of Porto Marghera, and the villas can, paradoxically, only be reached from Padua . This is a large section of the tourism market which is actually not very well connected to the large tourism market of Venice.

One way to increase the tourism economy of this area would be to restore the connection with Venice, making the Brenta waterway once again a natural extension of the Grand Canal.

A number of ancient paths starting from the Brenta Canal lead to the inner recesses of Veneto’s largely agricultural south, where archaeological settlements and remains were found.

These ancient routes and sites are now enclosed by private agricultural estates and are not accessible to tourists. These areas have a huge tourism potential and visitors could discover them from the Brenta Canal by walking or horse-riding.

The Idrovia Canal is found on the Southern border of this area. As previosly discussed, this is a unfinished commercial canal was built in the 1950’s to connect Padua and Venice-Mestre’s industrial areas. The landscape around the canal was fortunately left unaltered, and there is a breath-taking view of the lagoon at is ending.

Today, the banks of the canal are used by locals for leisure activities such as jogging and fishing. Due to its proximity to the lagoon, a number of small boats are moored on the side of the canal. It is also important to mention that the portion of the lagoon near this area is incredibly rich in biological diversity.

We can note that ancient infrastructures (The Brenta Canal) and modern ones (the Idrovia Canal) can represent a good opportunity to encourage tourists to visit this unique area positioned in between two beautifully preserved areas of agricultural and lagoon landscapes. By reusing and transforming these infrastructures, a tourism driven form of economy can be offered to this area.

HISTORICAL TRADING ROUTES _PADUA-VENICE REGION

LOST RIVERS AND WATERWAYS _PADUA-VENICE AREA

Part 3

Landscape: A morphological - ecological analysis

Ecological network

Land subsidence issues The Venice lagoon was formed 6000 years ago, its perimeter was closed by strips of land towards the sea and a wetland buffer zone towards the mainland. These wetlands mediated the relationship between the salted water coming from the lagoon and the freshwater coming to the lagoon from the many rivers running across the mainland.

The buffer zone increased or decreased in size depending on variations of the water coming from both directions.

During the Venetian Republic, many of the rivers flowing into the lagoon were diverted to ensure that the strategically important aquatic region was not filled with debris arriving from these rivers, as it was important to keep the lagoon clear and fully navigable for defence purposes.

Furthermore, the Venetian eliminated the wetland buffer zones, and instead built a long embankment between the mainland and the lagoon. In the 20th century, the portion of mainland around the lagoon have been heavily exploited by the mechanised agriculture.

These large-scale transformations ruined the geo-morphological equilibrium between the mainland and lagoon and caused significant land subsidence issues.

To foster agriculture, large quantities of water is being withdrawn from the existing aquifers, which cannot be refilled at the same speed as they are emptied. As a result, the land levels are steadily decreasing and the fresh water aquifers are coming into contact with the deep salty water layer.

Part of the area been described in this work is below sea level and flooding phenomena pose a real threat, as it can be noted on the Land Elevation and Flood Risk maps enclosed.

It is therefore necessary that a more sustainable use of the land is found to undo the subsidence effects.

Biodiversity is defined by the variety and distribution of types and numbers of plants and animals in a territory.

The Veneto region is rich in biodiversity, despite the destructive landscape transformations that has occurred. The ‘Natura 2000’ project, which is implemented by the European Commission, is a network of protected and conservation areas. The project defines as ‘Ecological Corridors’, those areas which are of a vital importance for the connection of different habitats, migration and genetic exchange. In the region discussed here, corridors are spread along the waterways and through certain agricultural zones.

Farming can be threatening to the equilibrium of animal and plant habitats, and for this reason it is important to connect the Ecological Corridors in a network and minimise human presence across them. In short, it is important to promote a use of territories that help to preserve the biodiversity of the region.

Part 4

Project proposal for Dogaletto

Dogaletto town The small village of Dogaletto is located in the area between the Brenta Canal and the Idrovia Canal.

Its conditions are representative of the region analysed above: • It is surrounded by large scale territorial infrastructures: a heavily trafficked road on the western side and the Idrovia Canal on the southern side • The urban fabric is dispersed and erratic: isolated houses and lack of social structures typical of a dormitory suburb.

• The settlement is surrounded by large areas of enclosed agricultural estates and the territory is subjected to regular flooding and problems related to subsidence.

• The incompleted Idrovia Canal; is today used for leisure activities.

• The territory is rich in biodiversity and it overlooks the lagoon. It is easily accessible from Venice and has got great tourism potential.

In an area (54000sqm; 5HA approximately) next to the village, a small tourist port, a park and mixed use tourist accommodations are proposed in order to stimulate eco-tourism in the area, which would improve the social conditions of the small town and preserve its natural territory and habitats.

WEAKNESSES

NEEDS

POTENTIAL

Large scale infrastructures cutting the territory

Good connection to the Mainland

No Connection to Venice

Proximity to Venice and its large tourism/artistic market

Disperse/erratic mooring facilities

Need for new mooring facilities

Poor local economic development

Creation of new mooring facilities

PROPOSED MARINA & LEISURE CENTRE

1 Creation of social facilities for locals

Need for social facilities for the local community

Housing typology based on ‘Large family house in gated plot’ model

Need for different housing typologies for a changing society

Large areas of intense farming estates

Need for an areas freed from intensive farming for territory regeneration

Idrovia canal riverbanks not easily accessible and poorly mantained

Creation of a connection to Venice

Generally well preserved landscape

Disperse/Erratic existing settlement, no social facilities

Land Subsidence

DESIGN INPUTS

Need for areas of biodiversity conservation Need for improvement to Idrovia canal riverbank accessibility

Breath taking view to the Lagoon

Creation of different types of housing typologies

People is already attracted to Idrovia c. riverbank for leisure

2 ECO & CULTURAL TOURISM PROPOSED PARK

Biodiversity richness

Proximity to Brenta Canal villas and Archaelogical sites

PROPOSED HOUSING & STUDIOS

3 Creation of a large open area/park PROPOSED RIVERBANK PARK Creation of a different accessibility to the Idrovia c. riverbank

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Proposal for the Idrovia canal riverbank and lagoon embankment:

Proposal for the agricultural area

The Idrovia Canal riverbank is three meters taller than the village and is currently not easily accessible, it is poorly maintained and erratically used for jogging and fishing activities. The proposal is for the creation of a urban park on the riverbank, to serve the Dogaletto village, the new accommodations and the newly created port.

The accessibility of the riverbank would be enhanced by newly created paths leading to the village and the surrounding areas; new piers are proposed to accommodate fishing activities and facilitate mooring; the size of the riverbank is increased towards the village offering more room for leisure and fitness activities.

Lastly, benches paved areas and play areas are also provided. The lagoon embankment, which is current used as a mooring spot is strengthened with a number of newly created piers and rows of boathouses. From the newly created piers on the water a beautiful view to the lagoon can be enjoyed.

The triangular area (approximately 54000sqm; 5 HA) between Dogaletto and the Idrovia Canal is currently heavily used as a farming estate.

As said before this type of intense usage of the territory is causing phenomena of land subsidence and flooding.

It is here proposed a changing of the use of the land, to develop this agricultural area into a large natural park in order to undo the problematic land subsidence phenomena and offer new spaces to maintain the biodiversity of the area in the long term This area is located next to a ‘Natura 2000’ identified Ecological Corridor, and for this reason a large number of birds and animals would benefit from this newly created natural oasis. The park will be created through a dense plantation of medium to tall sized local plants and a network of paths allowing visitors to enjoy it.

Proposal for a new tourist marina

1

A newly created marina will sit on top of lagoon embankment. This building will act as a gateway or connecting point for people travelling to and from Venice and the lagoon.

The purpose of the structure will be to attract visitors, encourage them to explore the local area and the natural environment through horse-riding, trekking and bird watching, and to offer amenities such as a bar and a restaurant overlooking the lagoon and Venice.

This marina would also offer some social recreational structures to the nearby village of Dogaletto. A part of the building is reserved to leisure activities for the local community and contains a meeting room, a communal gym and a new function room for the local canoeing club.

This building will attract visitors, offer new employment opportunities and improve the social conditions of a remote and poorly serviced village.

NEW TOURIST MARINA Artist’s impressions On the left: View of the building from the newly created park. A ramp crosses the building connecting the lower level of the park to the decking overlooking the lagoon.

Above: View of the building from the lagoon.

2

Proposal for a mixed use small scale village The current urban fabric of Dogaletto is made up of isolated houses surrounded by gated gardens and small estates. The urban landscape is not permeable and the villagers live isolated in their properties. Dogaletto is mainly residential and the inhabitants have to travel long distances by car every day to reach their workplaces in other towns. During the evenings the village is completely silent and no leisure activities are available .

This proposal suggests a new model of residential settlement for this area through by a mixture of four types of houses: a 300sqm countryside houses, 1 and 2 bedroom flats and ateliers with ancillary accommodation.

These houses are positioned in rows and the newly designed semi-urban environment is meant to be permeable. New paths lead from Dogaletto, through the village to the marina and park allowing people to meet.

This mixture of accommodation will promote the creation of a socially diverse village: the 300sqm houses will be offered to tourists and the flats will be offered to local professionals and young families. The ateliers will attract new employment possibilities to this dormitory town and some of them can be offered on a temporary basis to some of the artists that wish to live and work near Venice .

As the town itself is lacking in local amenities, such as grocery stores and supermarkets, community allotments are provided in order to promote a more sustainable and sociable way of life.

Conclusions

This project offers a new way to live and experience this territory. This proposal for the small village of Dogaletto can be easily applied to many places with similar characteristics and by working with the existing infrastructures, acknowledging the weaknesses and potentials of this landscape, new economic and territorial models can be created.

In this proposal a newly created connection to Venice could trigger a new type of development in an area where the economy has only relied on agriculture and smallscale industrial practices.

As existing and proposed infrastructures can offer an opportunity to interact with the territory rather than simply crossing through it, the incomplete Idrovia Canal can become a natural extension of the Venice Grand Canal and foster a tourist economy alongside it.

Making connections within isolated places can foster economic development on both sides. A more responsible use of the territory may trigger a natural tourism economy which is way more sympathetic to the landscape and its habitats.

References

Credits This work was developed under the guidance of prof. Umberto Trame and the coordination of Sebastian Nicolai and Nicola Barbugian.

Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3: These parts are the result of the work of a team of 7 I was part of.

Tea Kostantinovic Giovanna Favaro Paola Testa Gloria Zennaro Annamaria Simioni Giulio Vezzani Editing and translation from Italian by Davide Argentieri.

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