Border | Memories - elisa mansutti -
the project
rombon
bovec
kobarid
spring
trenta
Ç so a
isonzo river itinerary fortress
telferage
camping
monastery
skiing
birdwatching
museum
kayaking
fishing
war cemetery
climbing cycle-biking hiking
kobarid
mt kolovrat plain-air museum
tolmin
concentration camp
deskle
mt sabotino peace park trail intersection solkan
nova gorica
gorizia
topografie della memoria
lokve
trnovski godz
foibe mali golak
trnovo crni vrh
concentration camp
gradisca d’isonzo
mt san michele
san michele del carso
trail intersection
redipuglia
doberdò
castellazzo
carso 2014+
bonifica della vittoria concentration camp cona island
punta sdobba fishers’village lagoon of grado
grado
291
the program
the program After having: . mapped the difficult heritage sites (concentration camps and foibe) of the macro-region ‘Venezia Giulia’; . found a connecting element (the Isonzo/Soca river)and determined the area of action; . selected the difficult heritage sites to develop; . selected the other sites of interest after the context analysis; . compiled a file for every site with historic introduction, pictures, and description; . picked out the intermediate places (the bridges) that physically permit to cross the river and to pass from one site to the other; now it is the turn to develop a strategy for the re-narration and re-activation of the territory’s shared memories. The river is the connecting element, the metaphor of the border and the bridges are the physical entities that systematize the memories and the shared sites of the territory bathed by the Isonzo. Therefore the project is constituted by the crossings that introduce the specific sites. The strategy is to define a topic for each spot that will be developed in architectonic means. Every site treats a theme related to its specific past while the bridge connected with it develops a topic that introduces in a general way the specific topic of the site. Both spots (the bridge and the site) give only sinthetic information about the topic, they rather employ architectonic means
to induce sensations, optical and spacial effects that remind the topic. The aim is to lead the individues think during a dynamic fruition of the space. The spots become infrastructures useful to the reactivation of the memory, but in a subjective way: it is up to the individue whether to examine in depth the topic or just to use the infrastructure. With regard to the bridges, the planning strategy is to flank each existent bridge with a pedestrian bridge serving as useful infrastructure (as it separates the pedestrians’ flux to the cars’ one) together with the transmission of information. -
-
292
PART 7|the project
km 38
km 50
km 38
km 50
km 85
km 100 km 85
km 100
km 120
km 120
293
the program
general theme
specific theme
bridge
site history
kobarid
mt kolovrat
propaganda
mt kolovrat open-air museum
the influence of governments on civils’ opinion with the use of censorship and propaganda
the isonzo battles
tolmin
ciginj
victims/perpetrators
concentration camp of ciginj
the contradictory role of every population being them victims and perpetrators during the history
the ignored brief duration of the concentration camp in ciginj
solkan
trnovo
the result of the intimate fear of the elements of a group towards who do not share the same ideals
the murder of the yugoslavian regime’s oppositors
poggio terzarmata
poggio terzarmata
elimination of the diverse
segregation
foibe
concentration camp of poggio t. carso battles
the confinement the populations are forced to withstand because of war events or racial discrimination
the forced reclusion of slavic people in the silk factory due to ethnic reasons
fossalon
fossalon
the relocation of populations due to external causes
the forced-labour camp of slavic people in the reclaimed territory of fossalon
forced/spontaneous migrations concentration camp of fossalon bonifica della vittoria
kobarid
mt kolovrat
KM 37
296
PART 7| the project
(bovec)
bridge kobarid
gener al
itiner ar y
(tolmin)
a
ia
al
ij
en
ov sl it
mt kolovrat
open air museum
297
KM 38
bridge.............................
kobarid bridge
general theme (bridge).............
propaganda|misleading reality
altitude...........................
200 m (asl)
deviation to.......................
kobarid; mt kolovrat plain-air museum of ww1
specific theme (site)...............
the isonzo battles
next stop of the itinerary (north)...
bovec; trenta valley; springs
next stop of the itinerary (south)...
tolmin bridge; ciginj
distance...........................
14 km
altitude gap.......................
1000 m
max altitude.......................
1100 m (asl)
mt kolovrat open-air museum
kobarid ww1 museum
kobarid bridge (m)
1100 1000 500 200 0 0
1
14
(km)
298
PART 7|the project
PROPAGANDA
manipulated information
distorted truth
MISLEADING REALITY
299
KM 38
kobarid bridge [metaproject] PROPAGANDA The bridge of Kobarid is connected to the First World War open-air museum situated at Mount Kolovrat. The general theme handled at the bridge is ‘the use of propaganda in the field of war’. The war forces populations to fight against each other for economical, political, religious reasons and not all the individues agree with the entrance into the war. The governments, to obtain the support of all the people, use the propaganda and the censorship to influence their opinion, often distorting the reality, giving false information and using strategic mottos to deceive the individue. “Propaganda is neutrally defined as a systematic form of purposeful persuasion that attempts to influence the emotions, attitudes, opinions, and actions of specified target audiences for ideological, political or commercial purposes through the controlled transmission of one-sided messages (which may or may not be factual) via mass and direct media channels.” (Richard Alan Nelson)
300
PART 7|the project
reference:
Richard Serra ‘Snake and the Matter of Time’ Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain
301
KM 38
PROPAGANDA || MISLEADING REALITY how to give the ‘impression’ of the theme CONCEPT WARPING/DISTORTING SPACE
when walls, ceiling, pavement do not follow a perpendicular system, the effect on the visitors is that of disorientation What is straight, vertical? A certain way of arranging the elements can determine an alteration of the feeling of the space around, challenging the viewers’ perception of their bodies
z
x
y
plan 1:1500
section 1:1000
n
plan 1:100
view 1:100
section 1:100
PART 7|the project
view AA 1:100
b
a a
section BB 1:100
b
312
313
KM 38
318
PART 7|the project
scheme of the elements
319
KM 38
4
3
2
1
5
detail
steel i-beam (hea 1000), h 1000mm steel plate welded to i-beam, th 15mm steel unequal angle, 100x60x8mm wood panel, 700x150x30mm steel grating, 26x76mm
.1 .2 .3 .4 .5
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
steel grating, 26x76mm wood panel, 700x150x30mm steel i-beam (hea 1000), h 1000mm steel unequal angle, 100x60x8mm steel plate welded to i-beam, th 15mm
b
b
a
a
1
2
3
detail bb 1:10
2 4
5
detail aa 1:10
ciginj
KM 50
324
PART 7| the project
(kobarid)
bridge
ciginj
ex concentration camp
(solkan)
325
KM 50
bridge.............................
tolmin bridge
general theme (bridge).............
victims/perpetrators|opposing paths
altitude...........................
150m (asl)
deviation to.......................
ciginj
specific theme (site)...............
ex-concentration camp
next stop of the itinerary (north)...
kobarid
next stop of the itinerary (south)...
solkan bridge - foibe of trnovo
distance...........................
2,4 km
altitude gap.......................
50 m
max altitude.......................
200 m (asl)
ciginj
tolmin bridge (m)
50 0 0
2,4
(km)
326
PART 7|the project
VICTIMS/PERPETRATORS
rival positions
interchange of roles
OPPOSING PATHS
327
KM 50
tolmin bridge [metaproject]
VICTIMS/PERPETRATORS The bridge of Tolmin is connected to the ex concentration camp placed in the nearby village of Ciginj. The general theme handled at the bridge is ‘the contradictory role of victim and perpetrator that every community plays in the course of history’. As well as the case of Italian and Slavic populations, the role of every community in the course of history is not easy to determine: during a certain period of time they might have been victims, in other perpetrators. It depends on the events that acted during that precise time. If we look at the History from a general point of view (calling it ‘super-history’) we could see the cycling change of roles that ‘erases’ every label. Who is victim now might have been perpetrator yesterday, and so on; so, talking about ‘super-history’, it has no significance calling it just victim or just perpetrator (like -1+1 is equal to 0).
328
PART 7|the project
329
KM 50
VICTIMS/PERPETRATORS || OPPOSING PATHS how to give the ‘impression’ of the theme CONCEPT PERIODIC OPPOSING PATHS
assume two periodic functions one opposite the other (’opposite’ in the sense that their curvature is contrary each other). two points moving along the curves will cyclically change their position being one the opposite the other: sometimes point A will be above point B, other times it will be below point B this idea represents the changing role of populations being them victims and perpetrators during the passing of time
ge
id
d
ol
br
bri dge new
plan 1:1500
section 1:1000
n
plan 1:100
n
plan 1:100
view 1:100
section 1:100
PART 7|the project
view AA 1:100
b
a a
section BB 1:100
b
346
347
KM 50
352
PART 7|the project
scheme of the elements
353
KM 50
3
2
1
detail
prefabricated concrete block .1 steel frame .2 metal grid .3
1. steel grating, 54x80mm 2. reinforced concrete retaining wall 3. steel upn profile, 80mm
a
a
b
b
1 3
3
detail bb 1:10
1
2
1
3
detail aa 1:10
356
PART 7|the project
A TEN-DAYS PAST
stratification of memories one of which is forgotten
FRAGMENTS
357
KM 50
ciginj concentration camp [metaproject] A TEN-DAYS PAST In 1942 the little village of Ciginj, situated in the proximity of Tolmin, hosted a Fascist concentration camp. The specific theme handled at the site is ‘the ignored brief duration of the camp’. The Fascist authorities transformed the military barracks already present in the village into a concentration camp that, because of the closeness with the Partisan movement and the tensions with the local population, worked only for two-three weeks. Later, the camp has been turned into a factory that is still in use. For many decades in ex Yugoslavia the recalling of the Fascist period was silently forbidden to discuss and probably for this reason the difficult past of the site in Ciginj is little aknowledged by the population. With the Yugoslavian dissolution the argument started to be discussed more openly.
The site is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains and oriented along the north-south axe. The ex concentration camp, now a factory, is placed in the northern extremity of the valley. The main road runs along the valley passing in Ciginj’s center and in front of the factory and, despite its narrow dimension, it is highly used by cars and trucks. For this reason, cyclists and pedestrians have difficulties in using that street, instead the secondary road that connects the village of Kozarsce (situated on the other side of the valley in front of Ciginj) to the factory, is safer and more used for hikes. The intent of the project is to provide the area with a cyclepedestrian lane that gives the opportunity to learn the history of the factory with a ‘fragmented wall’ that gives information, separates the lane to the street and hosts a spot where the visitors can stop to watch the landscape and the building mirroring their own image on the fragments. The project is the result of the superimposition of two needs: the need of a footpath and resting area for hikers and cyclists, and the need to remember the past of the site.
358
PART 7|the project
reference:
Rodan Kane Hart ‘Reflection:(strips)’ Cape Town, South Africa
359
KM 50
A TEN-DAYS PAST || FRAGMENTS how to give the ‘impression’ of the theme CONCEPT FRAGMENTED (REFLECTING) WALL
assume a fragmented reflecting surface: the reflected objects appear in pieces, the result is not a right specular image. the aim is to represent the lack of parts of memory of the site stimulating a emotional response through a fragmented reflection
(next bridge tolmin)
ex concentration camp
kozarsce
ciginj
(next bridge solkan)
modrejce
isonzo/soca modrej
most na soci
volce
ex concentration camp
fragmented wall
main street (traffic, no space for bikes-pedestrians)
deviation from the main street
ciginj
iso
nzo
kuk
mengore
kozarsce
the itinerary 1:7000
368
PART 7|the project
369
KM 50
fragmented view + self-reflection
site plan 1:1000
section 1:1000
n
plan 1:200
view 1:200
street limit
1.5m
filter
footpath
filter limit
386 PART 7|the project
5m
2m
3/4.5m
387
KM 50
mt sabotin
trnovski gozd
foibe
KM 75
396
(ciginj)
PART 7| the project
grgar
(poggio terzarmata)
voglarji
ravnica
foiba
solkan trnovo
kromberk nova gorica
smihel
ajsevica
rozna dolina
ozeljan
397
KM 50
bridge.............................
solkan bridge
general theme (bridge).............
elimination of the diverse|scrap
altitude...........................
90 m (asl)
deviation to.......................
trnovo
specific theme (site)...............
foibe
next stop of the itinerary (north)...
tolmin
next stop of the itinerary (south)...
gorizia-nova gorica
distance...........................
14 km
altitude gap.......................
720 m
max altitude.......................
810 m (asl)
foiba
trnovo
ravnica
prevala
solkan bridge
(m)
800 400 0 0
2,5
7
11
14
(km)
398
PART 7| the project
ELIMINATION OF THE DIVERSE
diverse paths/destinies
interrupted lifes
SCRAPS
399
KM 85
solkan bridge [metaproject] ELIMINATION OF THE DIVERSE The bridge of Solkan is connected to the foiba situated in the Trnovski Gozd forest. The general theme handled at the bridge is ‘the elimination of the diverse’. Crowds or certain communities can involve ‘herding behaviour’ that turns violent, particularly when confronted by an opposing ethnic or racial group. This behaviour is due to xenophobia, the irrational fear of the diverse. ‘It can manifest itself involving the relations and perceptions of an ingroup, including a fear of losing identity, suspicion of its activities, aggression, and desire to eliminate its presence to secure a presumed purity’ (Wikipedia).
‘In typical crowd situations, factors such as anonymity, group unity, and arousal weaken personal control by distancing people from their personal identities and reducing their concerns for social evaluation’ (Wikipedia), leading them, in certain cases, to commit crimes. Xenophobia can elicit or facilitate hostile and violent reactions, such as mass expulsion of immigrants, pogroms or, in other cases, genocide.
400
PART 7| the project
scrap scrap
scrap
scrap
401
KM 85
ELIMINATION OF THE DIVERSE || SCRAPS how to give the ‘impression’ of the theme CONCEPT filtering elements
assume a filter only the elements with certain characteristic can pass beyond the filter, the others are scraps instead if the elements are willing to change their conformation they can pass anyway but they have adapt themselves to a ‘nature’ different from their origin
ne
w
br
ge id
ol
d
br
id
ge
plan 1:1500
section 1:1000
n
plan 1:100
n
plan 1:100
view 1:100
section 1:100
418
PART 7| the project
view AA 1:100
section BB 1:100
a
b
a
b
419
KM 85
424
PART 7| the project
scheme of the elements
425
KM 85
5
1
4
3
2
detail
primary steel beam steel c-profile, 100mm steel i-profile, 100mm steel grating, 54x80mm steel sheet (welded to the primary beam), 15mm
.1 .2 .3 .4 .5
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
steel i-beam, h 2700mm steel grating, 54x80mm steel upn profile, 100mm steel sheet (welded to the primary beam), h 2500mm, th 15mm elastomeric bridge bearing
b
a
b
a
1
2 3
detail bb 1:10
4
2
5
detail aa 1:10
428
PART 7| the project
SITE OF DEATH
open-air grave in the forest
need to overcome the trauma
LOOKING FROM ABOVE
429
KM 85
foiba of trnovo
[metaproject] A SITE OF DEATH In the proximity of the village of Trnovo, in the Trnovski Gozd forest, there is a deep carsic cavity, the foiba. The specific theme handled at the site is ‘the murder of the Yugoslavian regime’s oppositors’. The foiba of Trnovo was used to hide several dead bodies of soldiers and it is particularly famous because it was also used to kill and then hide the bodies of the oppositors of the regime. Most of them where Italians. In the past, the foiba, 138 meters deep, had been surveyed but it was not possible to count the exact number of victims. The foiba is situated in a forest interesting for its carsic rocks and richness of trees. The aim of the project is to distance the individues from the painful emotions of the difficult heritage and to look to the past with a general point of view. For this reason a curved path moves among the trees reaching a high position above the foiba, ending with a cantilever towards the outlook.
430
PART 7| the project
431
KM 85
SITE OF DEATH || LOOKING FROM ABOVE how to give the ‘impression’ of the theme CONCEPT EXPLORING THE ENVIRONMENT
assume a difficult heritage site the attention is focused on it, the feelings imply pain because of the sad memory the concept for overcoming the trauma and for going beyond the memorial is to involve the environment, its exploration re-activating the site with diverse layers: the memory and the fruition of the space in other ways one is free to choose whether to remember the past or only to live the place
grgar
isonzo/soca
ravnica
solkan
voglarji
foiba
trnovo
438
PART 7| the project
elevated point of view to the foiba
panoramic point of view
access path to the foiba inclination 8%
439
KM 85
foiba
to trnovo village
foiba
site plan 1:1000
section 1:1000
+5.3
8.8 5.8
foiba
n
plan 1:100
3.5
4.5
n
plan 1:100
view 1:100
section 1:100
PART 7| the project
a
section AA
a
456
457
KM 85
poggio terzarmata
carso
KM 100
464
PART 7| the project
bridge
poggio terzarmata
ex concentration camp
465
KM 100
bridge.............................
poggio terzarmata bridge
general theme (bridge).............
segregation|caging
altitude...........................
150 m (asl)
deviation to.......................
poggio terzarmata
specific theme (site)...............
poggio terzarmata ex concentration camp; carso 2014
next stop of the itinerary (north)...
solkan
next stop of the itinerary (south)...
fossalon
distance...........................
747 m
altitude gap.......................
0 m
max altitude.......................
32 m (asl)
poggio concentration camp
poggio bridge
(m)
0 0
747
(m)
466
PART 7| the project
SEGREGATION
discrimination
separation from the other individues
ISOLATION
467
KM 100
poggio terzarmata bridge [metaproject] SEGREGATION The bridge of Poggio Terzarmata is connected to the ex concentration camp and to the First World War open-air museum situated in the Gorizian Carso. The general theme handled at the bridge is ‘the discrimination of certain groups’. Segregation is the practice of restricting people to certain circumscribed areas of residence or to separate institutions and facilities on the basis of race or alleged race. Ratial segregation provides a means of maintaining the economic advantages and superior social status of the politically dominant group (Encyclopedia britannica). There are different reasons that lead to segregation. In this case two are the situations: the first is related to the imprisonment of Slavic people in the concentration camp of Poggio Terzarmata, the second is the life in a hosting camp situated in Austria of the inhabitants during the WW1. Both segregations, even though are different are similar for some aspects: the depriving of personal freedom, life compelled in a certain boundary, change in the daily habits.
468
PART 7| the project
469
KM 100
SEGREGATION || ISOLATION how to give the ‘impression’ of the theme CONCEPT SPLITTER
‘Segregation’ includes the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines (Wikipedia) Segregation/ to segregate: to keep one group of people apart from another and treat them differently especially because of race and sex; to keep one thing separate from another (Cambridge Dictionary)
first grade of segregation: pedestrians and cyclists are forced to use the new bridge whether they want to cross the river. second grade of segregation: a ‘splitter’ divides the passage into two narrow paths so that the individues walk alone, one in each side, separated reference: Segregation Wall (by Noel Jabbour) picture of the Abu Dis wall between Israel and Palestine
ol
d
br
id
ge
ne
w
br
id
ge
section 1:1500
section 1:1000
n
plan 1:100
n
plan 1:100
view 1:100
section 1:100
492
PART 7| the project
view AA 1:100
a
b
a
b
section BB 1:100
493
KM 100
498
PART 7| the project
scheme of the elements
499
KM 100
2
3
1 2
detail
prestressed concrete beam .1 steel frame .2 metal grid .3
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
reinforced concrete steel unequal angle, l profile, 150x160x10mm steel grating, 54x80mm steel unequal angle, l profile, 350x160x15mm elastomeric bridge bearing expansion joint
b
a
b
a
2 1
3
4
1
5
detail bb
1
6
6
1
5
1
detail aa
502
PART 7|the project
TWO LEVELS OF MEMORY
the past as silk factory
the past as imprisonment camp
INTERLACE
503
KM 100
poggio terzarmata ex concentration camp [metaproject] INTERLACE Between the 1941 and 1942 the silk factory based in Sdraussina (today Poggio Terzarmata) was used as a Fascist imprisonment camp. The specific theme handled at the site is ‘the double level of memory: the building known as silk factory and the building known as concentration camp’. At the end of the IXth century the silk factory was built in Sdraussina and it was used till the First World War when it was severely damaged. Later on, during the Fascist period, the parts of the building still standing were used to host the Slavic people against the regime. When all the conflicts finished, the factory was restored and reused till 2007 when it was definitively closed. Nowadays all the buildings of the site are abandoned. The aim of the project is to link the two memories of the site with the use of ordered rows of poles representing the Slavic individues imprisoned, and the use of interwoven strings representing the product of the factory. The interwoven poles are ordered along a stripe of land situated aside the factory that will serve the pedestrians willing to move from the bridge to the Carso park.
504
PART 7|the project
505
KM 100
TWO LEVELS OF MEMORY || INTERLACE how to give the ‘impression’ of the theme CONCEPT #1 ENVISIONING MULTITUDES + TANGLING UP STRINGS assume a group of vertical elements spread on a ground and disposed regularly following a grid these elements represent the people who were imprisoned in the concentration camp
assume a tangle of strings the string is the product produced in the factory
that
was
CONCEPT #2 HIDING/REVEALING
the interlacing of strings and poles generates screens the playing with the transparency and overlapping of these screens hides and reveals significant parts of the background
romans d’isonzo
gradisca d’ison
sagrado
villesse
sacrario
isonz
o/soc
a
san pier d’isonzo
ronchi
nzo poggio terzarmata
san michele del carso ex concentration camp
ia
ven
slo
ita
lia
san martino del carso
di redipuglia
i dei legionari
doberdo’del lago
doberdo’ lake
512
PART 7| the project )
ry
o ct
e
t
o
c du
he
s
r
g in
st
de
tu
i lt
es
d
or
d
e er
r
s ow
of
l po
(
e th
mu
of
pr
)
rs
ne
o is
(t
pr
of
th
fa
513
KM 100
mp
i
sc
e
s
d te
at
di
il
al
in
o
g ri
bu
s ng
th
ho
th
fa
st
ca
n
plan 1:2000
section 1:1000
n
plan 1:200
plan 1:200 n
section 1:200
section 1:200
PART 7| the project
a
section 1:500
a
530
531
KM 100
fossalon
KM 120
540
PART 7| the project
bridge
bridge
fossalon
ex concentration camp
541
KM 120
bridge.............................
fossalon bridge
general theme (bridge).............
forced/spontaneous migrations|adaptation
altitude...........................
3 m (asl)
deviation to.......................
fossalon
specific theme (site)...............
fossalon ex concentration camp
next stop of the itinerary (north)...
poggio terzarmata
next stop of the itinerary (south)...
fossalon
distance...........................
4,3 km
altitude gap.......................
0 m
max altitude.......................
3 m (asl)
fossalon concentration camp
fossalon bridge
(m)
0 0
4,3
(km)
542
PART 7|the project
FORCED/SPONTANEOUS MIGRATIONS
leaving home
new life in a new place
ADAPTATION
543
KM 120
fossalon bridge
[metaproject] F O R C ED / S P O N T A N E OUS MIGRATIONS The bridge of Fossalon is connected to the ex concentration camp situated in the reclaimed territory nearby the city of Grado. The general theme handled at the bridge is ‘the forced and spontaneous migrations’. The theme was choosen because in Fossalon, three different communities coming from Veneto, Istria and Slovenia, cohabited the land. The migrations can be forced (when a certain group is compelled to leave by another group) or spontaneous (when the individues freely choose to leave in search of better conditions), anyway both cases imply the move of residence from one place to another, the change of habit, the adaptment to different location. Often the migrants arrange new communities, adapting their lives to the new environment assimilating the habit of the new place but also trying to continue their own ones.
544
PART 7|the project
545
KM 120
FORCED/SPONTANEOUS MIGRATIONS || ADAPTATION how to give the ‘impression’ of the theme CONCEPT ‘VEGETALIZING’ THE BRIDGE
the idea around the theme of migration is to communicate the ability of the individues to adapt themselves to different locations, even when these are strongly different from their place of origin ‘Vegetalizing’ the bridge means to grow plants, trees, grass on a platform letting them survive/adapt themselves to the new unusual environment
site plan 1:1500
old br idge
new br idge
section 1:1000
n
plan 1:100
n
plan 1:100
view 1:100
section 1:100
568
PART 7| the project
view AA 1:100
section BB 1:100 a
b
a
b
569
KM 120
574
PART 7| the project
scheme of the elements
575
KM 120
6
5 4
3
2
1
detail
reinforced concrete columns reinforced concrete slab precast concrete block waterproof coating soil plants
.1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
bituminous waterproofing, 3mm precast concrete reinforced concrete slab, 200mm reinforced concrete (column) drainage soil
b
a
b
a
6
5 1
2
3
4
detail bb 1:10
6
1
2
3
detail aa 1:10
578
PART 7|the project
IGNORED PRESENCE
neglection and isolation of the slavic community
TOTAL REMOVAL
579
KM 120
fossalon ex concentration camp
[metaproject] TOTAL REMOVAL Fossalon is situated in the proximity of the city of Grado that, at the beginning of the XXth century, was part of the lagoon. The territory was reclaimed and transformed in a vast agricultural land for the sustenance of the nearby population.
The agricultural complex is placed on the street flaked by the Isonzato river. Along the street there are other buildings with the same characteristics, the only thing that is different is the past as concentration camp of one of them.
Several groups of people coming from different places went to inhabit the district and to work the land; at the beginning there were families coming from the Veneto region to work for the reclaim, later the exiled population from Istria came to inhabit the southern part of the district and to cultivate the land.
Given that its past was ignored in the past and it is still ignored in the present, the aim of the project is to hide it completely to the outside with a dense vegetation. Only when the people are in front of the building they can see it.
From 1941 to 1943 one of the farms was used as internment camp for a group of Slovenian oppositors who worked in the agricultural fields. While the Slavic community inhabited the land the rest of the people almost ignored them. The specific theme handled at the site is ‘the ignored presence of the forced-labour camp of Slavic people at the reclaimed territory of Fossalon’.
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IGNORED PRESENCE || TOTAL REMOVAL how to give the ‘impression’ of the theme CONCEPT HIDING TO THE OUTSIDE
assume an object placed among other objects assume an entity that covers it the object is still present but you cannot define it because you do not see its characters you may say that there is no object under the entity and only the entity exists
ex concentration camp
fossalon
city of grado
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hiding boundary for the total removal of the compound from the neighbourhood
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the agricultural compounds along the street are very similar to each other the only difference is that one of them was temporarily used as concentration camp
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ex concentration camp
fossalon’s centre
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cona island
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fisher’s village
the itinerary 1:20000
site plan 1:1500
section 1:1000
view 1:250
section 1:250
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section 1:1500
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conclusions
conclusions The 1985 the Schengen agreement signed for the dissolution of the borders between Eastern and Western Europe. In less than 50 years we have experienced a shift from an impenetrable iron curtain to a more free ‘air curtain’ as anyone can move from one Country to the other. Furthermore, the entrance of Slovenia and Hungary in the European Union in 2007 has brought down many ideological and political bias that were pretty strong during the previous decades. Nonetheless, tensions, reciprocal resentments and incomprehensions are still present when dealing with the topic of foibe and Fascist concentration camps. The dialogue between Italy, Slovenia and Croatia began later than other European countries such as Germany, and even inside the single Countries the topics were not spoken loud. As the topics are (unfortunately) strictly considered political issues, a open dialogue often involve controversy. The research done at the beginning of the thesis were not easy to fulfill. The sources were sometimes contradictory and it was difficult to obtain specific information from the municipalities. For this reason, the hope of this project is to stimulate a positive debate, (without ideological/ political implications) with the simple re-activation of the sites. Europe, as a Community, needs to heal the wounds of the past if it wants to protract to the future its ideology.
“[...] traces linked to unpleasant memories represent a patrimony that is difficult to manage, they have the potential to resonate beyond their local context and work toward the construction of a collective identity on a European scale.” Schofield, Johnson
“[...] should sites that will serve to remind people of past troubles be retained or removed? Is it better to confront this materiality, or forget it? The possible action could be the reuse and reappropriation of the heritage as a therapy to overcome the never-healed trauma of difficult heritage.” Postiglione Gennaro
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