Reshaping the Politeama into a symphony of open spaces by Enrique López Oropeza

Politecnico di Milano Scuola di Architettura Civile Laurea Magistrale in Architectural Design A.A.2015-2017 Relatore: prof. Christina Pallini

RESHAPING THE POLITEAMA INTO A SYMPHONY OF OPEN SPACES Laureandi: 853241 850812

Enrique Lรณpez Oropeza Junmeng Zeng

“If Music is a Place — then Jazz is the City, Folk is the Wilderness, Rock is the Road, Classical is a Temple.” Vera Nazarian

Index

Project Statement Background About the actual sociopolitical climate Lake Como, Italy Community center Como’s Politeama History Federico Frigerio Actual condition

The Project Case Studies “The Fourth Wall” studies Architectural The plaza & the courtyard Concept & Characteristics The symphony Main features

Final Boards Bibliography

Project Statement

Making the world great again About the current sociopolitical climate

It is fair to say that since the beginning of this century the ideal of a globalised world was almost a given fact. It is in fact almost a standard way of thought in younger generations. The rise of the internet and the access of information came with a certain freedom to think, shop and travel around the world. Most countries aspired to this system which was led by both the establishment of the European Union and the growing capitalist economics of the United States.

for becoming the idea of progress in the first place.

It is fascinating to wonder how history will look upon such turbulent times. For some political commentators society is not exactly experiencing the fall of western civilization but the rise of the east and a more competitive and democratic society bound by rules and laws that are yet to be defined. So even though some politicians may preach about returning to the greatness of the past it is way more likely that the first quarter of the XXI century will be looked upon It is unthinkable then that in such a short time this model is as merely a transition point in being threatened by no other the internal working of human than those who pushed for it society.

1. Rapoza, Kenneth (2017). The Future: Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rise, Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Decline < https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2017/03/26/the-future-chinas-rise-americas-decline/#eafe00c3b2f6>. 2. Image courtesy of http://pictoline.com/7733-es-oficial-donald-trump-ha-decidido-que-estados-uni-

About Brexit and the European union

Both the european and american anglo-saxon main countries have encountered important yet overly simplistic conservative decisions that are powerful enough to mark the future of each nation and of those that are considered their direct allies. The refugee issue and the fear of terrorism in Europe is also a subject that is driving the right and the left parties in most developed countries apart. For the past years this has been a main subject of discussion and extremist points of view among the common society and its leaders, leaving meanwhile 65 million people wandering and looking for an

immediate shelter or at least having the short-termed assurance of where to live and eat the following days and weeks. As some humanitarian rights programs have established, being in a constant divisive “us and them” rhetoric is threatening the foundation of communities and the stability of our societies.

1. Luce, Edward (2017). Why is America so alarmed by a Brexit vote? < https://www.ft.com/content/d509ceee-2ef211e6-bf8d-26294ad519fc >. 2. Don’t be divided – Stay UNITED! (2017) < http://www.unitedagainstracism.org/blog/2017/01/25/dont-be-divided-stay-united-european-action-week-against-racism-2017/ >.

A natural frontier Lake Como, Italy.

Como is a city of Lombardy, at the southern of Alps, in northern Italy. Situated at the southern tip of the south-west arm of Como Lake. It is located 40 kilometers north of Milan. The city proper borders is Switzerland. Sits on the Como Lake made Como a tourist destination with more than 200,000 overnight guests every year, which was the fourth most visited city in Lombardy after Milan, Bergamo and Brescia.

became subject to the Romans. The town center was situated on the nearby hills, but it was then moved to its current location by order of Julius Caesar. He laid the plan of the walled city in the typical Roman grid of perpendicular streets. The newly founded town was named â&#x20AC;&#x153;Novum Comumâ&#x20AC;?.

In 774, the town became a center of commercial exchange because of the surrendering to invading Franks led by CharleBecause its privileged location, magne. In 1127, Como is lost in hills surrounding the current the war with the nearby town of Milan. location of Como have been inhabited since at least the Bronze Age. Around the 1st century BC, the territory

Como has a humid subtropical climate, winters are not long, but foggy, damp and cold, with the average degree of around 2ยบ.Spring and autumn are well and pleasant with the average degree of around 23ยบ with frequent rain. Summer After that, for a long time, can be quite oppressive, with Como was under the French the average degree of around invasion and the Spanish 30ยบ, hot and humid with a domination, until 1714, when the territory was taken by the little wind. Therefore, open Austrians. Finally in 1859, with spaces have to deal with crethe arrival of Giuseppe Garib- ating a balance in its interior aldi, the town was freed from temperature in order to control the results of cold winters the Austrians and it became and hot summers. part of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy. Frederick Barbarossa promoted the construction of several defensive towers around the city limits, until now the Baradello is the only one remained.

1. Como, Italy weather (2017). < http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=592828&cityname=Como-Lombardy-Italy >. 2. Image courtesy of http://www.argalombardia.eu/2014/06/14/lombardia-expo-tourdomani-quinta-tappa-a-como-al-teatro-sociale-dibattito-su-frodi-alimentari-e-mercatino-a-km-0-in-piazza-cavour/

Teatro Sociale, Como Lake.

Como covers an area of 146 square kilometers, which is the third great lakes in Italy. Lake Como is the world famous scenic tourist attractions and holiday resorts, surrounded by several mountain and segmentation, is a long and narrow â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yâ&#x20AC;? shape lake. Lake Como is known for its climate and rich vegetation, the climate is warm and humid, which promotes the lush growth of plants. Como has been host of some of the biggest film productions. Used primarily for its natural scenery and its relation with traditional and historical northern italian architecture.

Most of the lakeside villas which are visited by tourist all across the globe every year caught the attention of celebrities whom have invested in real estate properties in the area. This facts, although banal and superficial at first glance can be considered essential for the image of the town and therefore beneficial in the economic development through tourism.

1. Como, Lake Experience, 2017 < http://www.visitcomo.eu/en/enjoy/culture_in_como/ >.

Villa La Gaeta

Casino Royale Dir. Martin Campbell

Villa del Balbianello

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Dir. George Lucas

Villa Erba

Oceanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Twelve Dir. Steven Soderbergh

Some of Como’s main monuments and landmarks are the Cathedral, the Stadium, Casa del Fascio, the ancient town hall, known as the Broletto. Most of them found around or inside the original city’s wall. For cultural and social activites it’s common to visit Museo Storico Giuseppe garibaldi, Piancoteca Civica,Tempio Voltiano, Villa Olmo, Educational Silk Museum, Marsiglione Arts Gallery among others. There’s also a great number of institutions that are meant for the learning of cultural activities

like the Cultural center of Chiostrino Artificio and Biblioteca comunale di Como. Some renowned schools such as Collegio Gallio, Dedalo school, the Scuola Elementare Statale Nazario Sauro, Istituto comprensivo Como centro citta, Polo di como, the Association of Giosue Carducci, the University degli studi dell’Insubria, the Institute of Dante Alighieri among others. As for theaters, the most representative are, Teatro Sociale, Cooperative Teatro Citta Murata and Politeama.

1. Lake Como, A world within a world 2010 < http://www.lakecomo.it/en/festivals_and_events >.

SÃ£o Paulo Art Museum, Lina Bo Bardi

Community Center Bringing people together

By definition, a community or social center is a space where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. Sometimes they even may be open for the whole community or for a specialized group within the greater community.

Currently architecture with only this purpose includes activities such as eating halls, classrooms, sheltering or even sport facilities. However, a case can be made that any open encountering place can be regarded as a community center since they create a meeting point in order for society to happen.

With the current social and political situation in european cities it seems not just relevant but actually vital for every society to consider the utility of such buildings. Historically there are countless of spaces that is fair to label as such typology.

According to Jane Jacobs â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybodyâ&#x20AC;?. Therefore it is possible to solve one of the main problems of misunderstanding between communities by simply letting them integrate themselves freely.

1. The International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers (2017) < http://www.ifsnetwork.org/ifs/>. 2. Jane Jacobs, quotes (2017) < https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/17285.Jane_Jacobs >.

Arcibelleza community center Milano, Italy.

Teatro-Cinema Politeama A theater for all

The theater was realized thanks to the initiative of a group of professionals that wanted to revive Como’s cultural life. Especially after Teatro Cressoni and Teatro Sociale were closed for some time due to some refurbishment works. The objective was to create a modern structure that could work any time of the year and offer affordable prices and a wide variety of showings. Therefore in 1908 the Politeama di Como Society was founded with the purpose of organizing representations of prose and music, dances and concerts to be held in this theater. However, there was still the

need to build physically a theater. Ans it is here where the previous experience of architect Federico Frigerio proved to be the appropriate in order to en commend him with the design alongside with engineer Andrea Valli. Together they were able to create the first ever reinforced concrete building in Como, an absolute novelty for the time. The theater was inaugurated on September 14th, 1910 with a presentation of Puccini’s “La boheme” with great success from the public. And so it continued running through its first years until some new historical happenings came in the way of its planned operation.

1. Fent, Davide, Teatro Politeama di Como. < http://www.museoreinasofia.es/en/museum/history >. 2. Vahidi Monfared, Shaghayegh (2015). Una scena fissa per Politeama di Como. (Unpublished master thesis). Politecnico di Milano

Throughout a century a wide diversity of functions were established in the building that complemented its original use as a theater. Beginning with a caffé and restaurant and a fourteen room inn alongside a bar in the 1910’s. When WWI blew out it also affected Politeama directly in the sense that the italian army requested to use its installation and transformed into a hospital during wartime. The rise of the film industry and its public appeal also in some manner asked for some film showing to be held inside. Ironically this would become the main use Politeama held in its final working years.

Because of new security laws, some areas were deemed unsafe and therefore closed to access. Therefore its main capacity and use as a theater diminished and only the restaurant and bar with direct access from the street was opened alongside periodic showings of films ending in 2005 with Martins Scorsese’s The Aviator. Today Politeama does not host any cultural activity nor a commercial use that can sustain a proper maintenance. And so the building has remained closed for more than 10 years now, waiting for a refurbishment or complete replacement.

There is a strange parallel between reality and fiction in relation to Politeama’s current decadent state in Paolo Virzí’s film “Il Capitale Umano”. It’s curious that in spite of more than a hundred years of history, one of its more renowned features would be its appearance in this film which was highly regarded by critics and audiences alike. In there one of its main storylines revolves around the desire of one of the characters to fund a renovation of the theater to recover its former glory.

1. Vahidi Monfared, Shaghayegh (2015). Una scena fissa per Politeama di Como. (Unpublished master thesis). Politecnico di Milano 2. Images courtesy of https://www.delcampe.net

Building’s timeline

1920’s

1950’s

1910’s

1930’s

10 years in, Politeama had already worked also as a hospital aiding the italian army during WWI. The rise of popularity in the film industry had arrived at Como and the first projections were held in this theater.

The theater started sharing some of its spaces for assemblies and various public gatherings.

1960’s

Some of the most important film showings of the century were held here, specially those related with Italian neorealistic directors of the decade.

1. Cani, Fabio(2014). Politeama: teatro popolare del novecento < http://www.jsc15.it/terre/luoghi/319-politeama-teatro-popolare-del-novecento?showall=1&limitstart= >. 2. Vahidi Monfared, Shaghayegh (2015). Una scena fissa per Politeama di Como. (Unpublished master thesis). Politecnico di Milano

1990’s

2000’s

Today

1980’s New security norms forced the theater’s main function to close and eventually to be used only as film theater hall limited only to the stalls and the first level balcony.

The restaurant and the main hall used for film projections were used lastly in 2005.

The last main cultural happening related to the building was that of a film set for some scenes in 2013’s Il Capitale Umano.

Connection with the city

Federico Frigerio (Milano, 1873- Como, 1959)

Federico Frigerio is considered as one of the key intellectual and artistic representatives in Como’s history. He completed his studies at the Royal Institute Superior Tecnico (later Polythechnic) of Milan in 1896. Later that year he also obtained a historical, artistic and technical diploma kit at the Accademia di Brera. After graduation he immediately had the opportunity to work in Como. He would be in charge of some structural renewal projects such as the replacement of sections of the Duomo with reinforced concreted trusses and cladding. It was until 1920 when he was

able to design and build the first ever structure made entirely of reinforced concrete in Como, the Politeama theater. He would continue to use this technique in other buildings such as the Institute Comacini Magistri and the Italian Commercial Bank suring the 1920’s. Later this decade he created what is considered his masterpiece the Volta Temple which guards the relics of Alessandro Volta. Even though he is regarded as a pioneer in new structural techniques it’s in the formal where he was more in keen with keeping a conservationist perspective rather that a progressive modernist one.

1. Paolo Donà, Federico Frigerio (1873-1959) and the monumental area of Como, in “ ‘ANAGKH”, No. 6, 1994. 2. Comum. Miscellaneous writaings in honor of Federico Frigerio, publishing Typography Antonio Noseda, Como, 1964

Tempio Voltiano, Como, Italy.

Actual condition A decadent abandoned-like building

Currently Politeama is closed to the public and its maintenance is limited to any immediate repair is required. Comoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government council has appointed an individual as the person in charge of any possible outcome or need. However no future refurbishment nor rehabilitation project is being considered. Some areas are severely damaged, specially some sections in the second level, the central rooftop and in the stage area. However, most of the barroque decorations are practically intact and need the minimum intervention.

Considering the cultural and historical importance of the building, most of it should be kept and replace some sections of it in order to bring out its best qualities. A community center is a clear option as a new main use for the building considering the current sociopolitical situation of the area and the great number of possibilities and openness that such typology carries. 41

The Project

Case studies

Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg

Klaus Frahm “The Fourth Wall” series

For his ongoing series The Fourth Wall, Hamburg-based photographer Klaus Frahm shatters the illusion of stagecraft by taking us behind-thescenes of several European theaters. Shot from the vantage point of the stage looking toward the audience, the photos reveal the stark contrast of ornate auditoriums and the technological scaffolding that facilitates a major theatrical production. Frahm captures the elaborate configurations of lights and the surprising enormity of the fly space hidden just behind the red curtain that can be up to three times larger than the seating area.

Frahm says the intention behind his photography “is to give way for a new perspective, to entertain, to offer a fresh sight on familiar things,” and to “reveal something laying under the surface.” The Fourth Wall project began in 2010 when he was documenting a new theater for an architect which involved a series of shots facing the wings and other angles from the stage. When reviewing his polaroids later that day he was immediately struck by the image-within-an-image contrast of the warm, fully-lit theater seats and the cold, hidden infrastructure.

1. Williams, Holly (2015). Klaus Frahm’s The Fourth Wall < http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/ features/klaus-frahms-the-fourth-wall-a-new-theatrical-perspective-from-the-depths-of-backstage-10441310.html >. 2. Images courtesy of https://www.lensculture.com/articles/klaus-frahm-the-fourth-wall-stages

Thus Klaus had ingeniously turned the tables: suddenly the audience was the spectacle and the stage was reality.

CuvilliĂŠs Theater, Munich

Such a novel approach to the way we experience this type of buildings is an element that is taken as a key design reference in relation to the experience of a space in this project. The contrast between the practical and industrial with the elegant and carefully decorated.

Hamburg State Opera, Hamburg

Oper Frankfurt, Frankfurt

Margravial Opera House, Bayreuth

Neue Flora, Hamburg

Alvar Aalto Opernhaus, Essen

Reina Sofia Museum Madrid, Spain Jean Nouvel

Before becoming a museum, this building served as a hospital since its inception in the sixteenth century. It was in 1980 when it was encharged to make a renovation of the instalations in order to become a cultural center. Throughout all these years the museum had been gathering and increasing its collections, temporary exhibits, audiovisual activities and services until an extension was necessary. Jean Nouvel created a structure between the buildings enclosing and creating a new courtyard. This space combines two different kind of languages: traditional neoclassicism and posmodern.

1. History of Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia < http://www.museoreinasofia.es/en/museum/history >. 2. Diagram image courtesy of < http://elmundo.es >.

Bank of London Buenos Aires, Argentina Clorindo Testa

The original design brief for the bank called for setting the facade of the building back to create a wider street space, but the architects wanted to respect the example of the neighboring neoclassical buildings that form the narrow streets in the banking district. Instead, arrays of thin and deep concrete columns were placed at the street edge, while the glass facade is set back, creating a sort of portico. This arrangement provides a more generous pedestrian space at the ground level, but still maintains a consistent streetscape.

1. Douglass-Jaimes, David (2015). AD Classics: Bank of London and South America / Clorindo Testa + SEPRA < http://www.archdaily.com/774458/ad-classics-bank-of-london-and-south-america-clorindo-testa-plus-sepra >.

UK Pavilion Milan Expo 2015 Wolfgang Buttress

This pavilion presents certain characteristics that are used in the project. Especially that of having a complex structure as a protagonist yet demonstrating the way it can be design in a manner that transmits lightness and even the perception that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s floating. For Politeamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s project this elements are present in the new area yet in a more traditional form and organization. So in some way what should be taken from this project is the materiality of glass having direct contact with a light metallic structure and the central point within the heart of the project.

1. UK Pavilion - Milan Expo 2015 / Wolfgang Buttress < http://www.archdaily.com/627728/uk-pavilion-milan-expo-2015-wolfgang-buttress >. 2. Images courtesy of https://www.lensculture.com/articles/klaus-frahm-the-fourth-wall-stages

Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain.

The plaza & the courtyard Open spaces in different countries.

A plaza is a wide open area which hosts political, economic, cultural and other social activities or usually by a large number of people and traffic. It is essential as an element in an urban context as it often becomes the focus of the city’s social affairs.

pool for the recollection of rain water.

The interpretation and definition of such open spaces are slightly different depending on the country and culture one is referring to. Chinese traditional dwellings have “tianjing” and “four water return Whereas a courtyard refers an halls”. They use the courtyard for lighting, and can achieve open space enclosed and directly related to the building. a ventilation purpose. The One of the earlier examples of courtyard houses in the north is roughly same, but the gena courtyard typology can be eral layout is compact, yard remounted to the early Roman times with the main hall area is small, so as to adapt to or interior of a typical roman the local population density is higher, requires less characterhouse. With the open sky in the center it worked not only istics of farmland. for ventilation but also as a

1. Tim McNeese (1999), History of Civilization - The Ancient World, Lorenz Educational Press. 2. Image courtesy of droblo.es

The main entrance of the residence is on the central axis, the front room is the hall, and the second floor of the courtyard is lower. The courtyard, surrounded by four houses, is usually a shared space for four different families. Even though at first it was only for lighting and drainage, as time passed by it also became the shared public space for each family, therefore it is not to far-fetched to name this space as a small yet effective community center.

Ancient roman housing typology

Chinese housing typology

1. Choy, Howard. Lijing Old Town and Naxi Local Style Dwelling Houses (2009) < https://howardchoy.wordpress. com/2009/03/18/lijing-old-town-and-naxi-local-style-dwelling-houses/ >.

Borujerdis House, Kashan, Iran.

National Palace, Mexico City, Mexico.

Concept & project features

Puccini’s original libretto for “La Boheme”

A symphony of spaces A metaphor for connecting open areas

A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often used for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning common today: a work usually consisting of multiple distinct sections or movements. Such metaphor is made first of all because of the relation between the Politeama and music. It’s first event was that of a performance of Puccini’s La Boheme. So, starting from there music is related to the

essence of the building. Such essence is to be treasured and guarded through the development of the project. The word symphony is derived from the Greek word symphonia, meaning “agreement or concord of sound”, “concert of vocal or instrumental music”, from symphōnos, “harmonious”. Therefore throughout the project the old and new proposed elements are meant to be in balance and each has a moment to predominate and be appreciated for what it is.

1. Anon. 2008. “Symphony.” The Oxford Dictionary of Music, second edition, edited by Michael Kennedy, Oxford Music Online 2. Image courtesy of http://www.lagazzettadilucca.it/cultura-e-spettacolo/2012/12/la-boheme-ritrovata-un-autografo-inedito-riscrive-la-storia-dell-opera-di-puccini/

Overture

The urban context is clearly a vital element for the project so the immediate open spaces are taken as part of the journey a user will have when experiencing also the interior sections. By having such a great diversity in spaces it becomes a necessity to establish a differentiation, this is achieved by using the different sections of narrative found in music-themed pieces of art, which in this case they become the Overture, the Preludio, the Climax, the Coda and the Finale. The Overture in the project and in other artistic works is the piece of orchestral music containing contrasting sections that is played at the beginning of the piece; more

Climax

Coda

Preludio specifically Cacciatore delle Alpi plaza right in front of the main entrance to Politeama.

Finale through the rooftop is both iconic and awe-inspiring.

The Preludio is an introductory performance, action, or event preceding and preparing for the principal or a more important matter, now part of the main narrative of the piece. The original entrance of the theater with its limited height fits this description also because it leads directly to:

The Coda is a passage that starts bringing a piece or a movement to an end. It may be as simple as a few measures, or as complex as an entire section. Architecturally speaking it is opted for complexity with a free ground floor and three added levels with contrasting materials and a whole new structure system.

The Climax, meaning reaching to the most important or exciting part. The main audience hall is clearly this part both originally and naturally kept the same. Its circular and triple height qualities as also the way the light enters

The Finale as its name suggests is literally the end of the piece. The experience is over and now the audience is able to continue with its own life, though now already experienced a complete piece of music.

1.Benward & Saker (2009). Music in Theory and Practice: Volume II. Eighth Edition.

Preludio

Sendai Mediathec Sendai, Japan.

Climax

The pantheon Rome, Italy.

Coda

Vienna Opera Vienna, Austria.

Project features Materials, distribution & design

The project is a community center focused in cultural activities given its history. Theater, teaching rooms, galleries and library among other functions are offered so that diverse activities happen throughout the day and it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t deteriorate as it did before. The open theater area is also the main open area so that a different type of showings are held in here. In this way the alternative nature that gave birth to Politeama is taken a step further by offering a complete 360 stage with the audience all around, a methodology that is nowhere to be found in Como, nor usually in any city.

Volumetry study evolution

Closed & open spaces diagram

Existing and new structure

The Climax and the Coda are the biggest spaces in area, light capacity and in height. The main difference between them though is that the coda has a direct interaction with the exterior both in a vertical and horizontal manner. Even more than that, the materials The structure itself leans more and the feeling they convey are almost opposite. The towards a conservationist Climax uses existing tradipoint of view where the demolished structural elements tional neo-classic elements are kept to a minimum and as a symbol of reverence to the new structure is limited the original use and history mostly to the original stage of the theater. The Coda then and back of the theater. transmits an industrial and functionality sense very keen to that of Klaus Frahmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photographs. The added section was studied in a manner that the point was never to overcome the existing theater. In the end the old and the new find a balance and both of them can be considered as equally important access to the building.

The new facade comes from the idea of having a layered design composed of a transparent material covered by a light structure with its own rhythm. In order to find out this rhythm a study was made using the original existing language of Politeama and then reinterpreted to a cleaner and more simple sequence of solids and voids. This relation between the proposed and the existing one is essential mainly because of direct contact that the building has with its surroundings so there has to be some sense of understanding of identity to the site.

Sun study diagram

In the Italian region of Lombardy the U value for thermal transmittance has a limit of 1.4 W/m2K. The project demands for a translucent material in most of its new facade in the added sections especially as a mean to give the impression of a floating box. The material chosen is U-glass which features thermal insulation qualities that improve over common glass. Natural lighting is a vital element to be considered which is used through this material in a subtle manner by using an opaque finishing that also by night helps by giving a bit more of privacy to the users inside.

U-glass thermal qualities

1:100 physical model

Final Boards

Board 01

Urban context

Board 02

Area study

Board 03

Concept & ground floor

Board 04

Concept & volumetry

Board 05

Floor plans

Board 06

Activities & structure

Board 07

Preludio

Board 08

Climax

Board 09

Coda

Board 10

Facade design & details

100

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The authors would like to thank the academic fellowship of Politecnico di Milano, especially to Prof. Cristina Pallini and her studio team for being a great support and a constant driving force to become better architects. Also to their respective families and friends for trusting in their capability to go through these two years in a foreign country and a different culture.â&#x20AC;? Acknowledgment from the authors.

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