Gianmarco Mei
Architecture Portfolio
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4
Curriculum Vitae
8
Projects
8
Arbour for the “Green Center”
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Know Howse Solar Decathlon Middle East, Dubai 2018
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Cooling bricks: adaptive building envelope
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Building resilience through green-blue infrastractures: an integrated network for Dhaka
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Turning on the limit: Rehabilitation of the industrial Chinatown
38
Athens: new urban scenarios
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Restoration of Palazzo Tassoni-Migliori
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Wood-construction: : food and memory in the countryside
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Living the limit:: dormitory at Ferrara’s dock
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Single family house in the old town
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Resting lulled by the sea: a grave for myself
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Tembodai at Shibuya Crossing
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Recommendation Letters
Gianmarco Mei
Gender: Date of birth:
Male 15 November 1995
Nationality:
Italian
Marital status:
Single
Email: Phone:
giammimei@gmail.com +39 3480179293
WORK EXPERIENCE March - June 2019
November 2018 - February 2019
Academic Tutor for the Course “Representation I and Architectural survey I” prof. M. Incerti, University of Ferrara - Department of Architecture, Italy Academic Tutor for the Course “Design of Structures” prof. D. Capuani, University of Ferrara - Department of Architecture, Italy
August 2018
Internship at Iroshi Nakamura & NAP Tokyo, Japan
August 2019
Internship at Architecture Office “Jörg von Friedrich-Liebenberg” Munich, Germany -> See Portfolio page 4
September 2016 - February 2017 February 2016 - July 2016 June - September 2012 and 2013 4
Collaboration as “senior Student” at the Course “Representation II and Architectural survey II” prof. M. Incerti, University of Ferrara - Department of Architecture, Italy Collaboration as “senior Student” at the Course “Representation I and Architectural survey I” prof. M. Incerti, University of Ferrara - Department of Architecture, Italy Sales personnel Aldi, Cartoceto (Italy)
STUDIES September 2014 - July 2019
Master Degree in Architecture final grade: 110/110 cum Laude at University of Ferrara - Department of Architecture, Ferrara, Italy - Architectural design - Technology for Architecture (construction and engineering) - Urban and Landscape planning - Energy Efficiency Building - Restoration and History of Art and Architecture - Real estate appraisal and economics - Architectural survey, Architecture Photography - Structural design and calculations
February 2019 - March 2019
On-field research for Master Thesis and Urban Planning Project Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Department of Architecture, Dhaka (Bangladesh), prof. Qazi Azizul Mowla, -> See Portfolio page 18
November 2016 - November 2018
Member and Safety Officer of the team “KNOW HOWse”, Solar Decathlon Middle East Dubai, 2018 University of Sharjah, UAE - Research Center Architettura>Energia, Italy -> See Portfolio page 10
August 2018
30 hours construction safety certification - OSHA standards Institute for Safety and Health Management, USA
March 2018 - August 2018
Exchange student at Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering, Dep. of Architecture
April 2017 - August 2017
Exchange student at Technical University of Munich, Germany Erasmus+ program, Department of Architecture
November 2015 - December 2015
Course KlimaHaus: Energy Efficiency Building at the Agency for Energy of SüdTirol- KlimaHaus
September 2009 - June 2014
Scientific High-school for Sciences and Maths Final grade: 100/100 double-language program: English and German at Liceo Scientifico “G. Torelli”, Fano (Italy)
September 2013 - June 2014
High-school Student Representative School Council member and Students Assembly planner at Liceo Scientifico “G. Torelli”, Fano (Italy)
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AWARDS AND PUBLICATIONS June 2019
Publication on Detail, June 2019 issue of a research on climate active bricks for low-tech building envelopes Prof. Philipp Lionel Molter, Technical University of Munich, Department of Architecture -> See Portfolio page 16
May 2019
Photography Exhibition “Postcard from Bangladesh” Department of Architecture, Ferrara, Italy during the event “Interno Verde”,
15 January2016
Winner of the Architectural Prize “Costruire con sistemi in legno” “Building with wood- systems”] 14. Edition, University of Ferrara - Department of Architecture, Ferrara, Italy -> See Portfolio page 54
LANGUAGES Mother tongue: Other languages:
Italian English (level C1) German (level B2)
May 2019
October 2012
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Certificate Score 7,5 - CEFR level C1 (Listening: 8,5/9, Reading 9/9, Writing 6/9, Speaking 7/9) School Exchange in Connecticut, USA Norwich Free Academy, Norwich USA
April 2012
German course, Nürnberg, Germany
July 2010
English course , England, UK
SOFTWARES Autocad
Revit BIM
Rhinoceros
Archicad BIM
Photoshop
Sketch-up
Indesign
Cinema 4D
Microsoft Office
QGIS
Photoscan
Illustrator
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COMMUNICATION SKILLS I have good communicative skill, both oral and written: i can be clear and persuasive. I am comfortable giving public speeches also with a big audience. I mainly got this skill during High School when I was student representative since I had to speak at the School-Council and at the Students-Assembly. In addiction, at the university I got used to explain my work to teachers and other students, having a critical and fertile discussion on it.. Since I was a child, I spent a lot of time in my family’s shop, so I am used to deal with costumers with a professional and friendly attitude. For all my childhood and adolescence I used to play volleyball. Since it is a team-sport, I learned to interact in a group, to collaborate and to make sacrifices.
Organizational /managerial skills I am an organized person. I have always clear what I have to do, also in stressful periods or when I have simultaneous tasks without forgetting anything and I am able to follow schedules. I am used to work in groups, since I had to produce papers in group for finals exams. I think it is stimulating and less hard than individual work because of the group-spirit and critical discussions. I am a collaborative team-player but I also like to be a team-leader, I enjoy to organize and coordinate the work, to divide the task according to the capabilities and peculiarities of each member and to check the working-flow
OTHER driving licences:
A2 (motorcycle), B (car)
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Arbour for the “Green Center”
Regensburg, Germany
Architecture Office “Jörg von Friedrich-Liebenberg Architekt” Munich, Germany August 2017 status: BUILT
The “Green Center” in Regensburg, Germany is a center for forestry and agricultural hosting offices, conference rooms, laboratories and other services. The arbor was conceived as a facility to let workers and hosts enjoy the inner yard also in hot and sunny or rainy days, providing a roofing, different kinds of shading and a flexible system of tables and chair. The project started with different design proposals (various shape and dimensions of the pergola) taking into account the previous arrangement of the inner yard. Than, a further analysis of the elements of the pergola was completed. The shading of different
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wooden-slabs arrangements was simulated in order to lead to the final (and aware) choice. The pillar was design to intensify the idea of lightness and to host a lighting system that enhance his shape. Additionally the of the pergola disposition was
furniture and its chosen.
Finally detailed technical drawings (scale 1:20 - 1:5) about the construction and building instructions were produced
Arbour for the “Green Center”
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5 15 -0,15
-0,18
-0,05
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PLAN 1|20 _ DETAIL 1|5 [Unterzüge]
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4,55 2,20 2
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[Holzlattung] 1|20 plan of the PLAN wooden slabs
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SÄMTLICHE MASSE SIND VOR BEGINN DER BAUARBEITEN VON DEN AUSFÜHRENDE VERANTWORTLICH ZU PRÜFEN, FESTGESTELLTE MASSDIFFERENZEN MIT DER ÖRTL ZU KLÄREN. ALLE FÜR DEN AUSBAU GRUNDLEGENDEN MASSE SIND AM BAU ZU NE ÄNDERUNGEN NUR MIT GENEHMIGUNG DES PLANENDEN ARCHITEKTEN. FÜR DIE AU SIND GLEICHZEITIG DIE DETAILPLÄNE UND DIE PLÄNE DER FACHPLANER VERBIND
3 9 3
5 10
Metalverbindungskasten mit Licht,13x13x5cm, Stahl, Farbe: anthrazit-eisenglimmer DB 703
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"L" Stütze 3x3x1cm, Stahl, Farbe: anthrazit-eisenglimmer DB 703
STAHLBETON
OK ROHKOTE
BETON/ESTRICH
UK ROHKOTE
BETON-FERTIGTEIL
OK FERTIGKOT
BESTAND
UK FERTIGKOT
MAUERWERK
ROHKOTE GR
NATURSTEIN
FERTIGKOTE G
5
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LEICHTBAU-STÄNDERWÄNDE
10 5
15
3 9 3
WERKSTOFFPLATTE
Grundplatte 13x13x1, Stahl, Farbe: anthrazit-eisenglimmer DB 703
HOLZ
20 20
40
DÄMMUNG HART
1
TÜRNUMMER
DÄMMUNG WEICH
1
FENSTERNUMM
xxxxxx MASSKETTE X Y
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3 9 3 2
1
AUSSPARUNGEN /SCHLITZE/ DURCHBRÜCHE
"L" Stütze 3x3x1cm, Stahl, Farbe: anthrazit-eisenglimmer DB 703
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DA DECKENAUSSPARUNG DS DECKENSCHLITZ FD FUNDAMENTDURCHBRUCH FA FUNDAMENTAUSSPARUNG FS FUNDAMENTSCHLITZ WD WANDDURCHBRUCH WA WANDAUSSPARUNG WS WANDSCHLITZ
pillar details
RH ROHRHÜLSE
C
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DETAIL [Stütze] PLAN, ANSICHT, 3D ANSICHT 1|20
B
DETAILANGABE
DD DECKENDURCHBRUCH
Kasteneingebaute Licht, Warmweiß, mittel Intensität
Gianmarco Mei Architecture Portfolio
SCHNITTEBENE
BD BODENDURCHBRUCH BA BODENAUSSPARUNG BS BODENSCHLITZ
Metalverbindungskasten mit Licht,13x13x5cm, Stahl, Farbe: anthrazit-eisenglimmer DB 703 15
10 TAIL 1|5 [Unterzüge]
HÖHENANGABEN BEZO ÖFFNUNGSMASSE SIND HÖHENANGABEN VON O
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DETAILPLAN
E = ELEKTRO H = HEIZUNG K = KLIMA L = LÜFTUNG S = SANITÄR B = BODEN D = DECKE W = WAND A = AUSSPARUNG D = DURCHBRUCH RH = ROHRHÜLSE S = SCHLITZ
Arbour for the “Green Center”
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A
B
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SÄMTLICHE MASSE SIND VOR BEG VERANTWORTLICH ZU PRÜFEN, FE ZU KLÄREN. ALLE FÜR DEN AUSBAU ÄNDERUNGEN NUR MIT GENEHMIG SIND GLEICHZEITIG DIE DETAILPLÄ
4,55 2,20
2,20
STAHLBETON
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BETON/ESTRIC
2%
2%
BETON-FERTIG
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BESTAND
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MAUERWERK
Guttagliss Acryl Profilplatten 1,5mm, Trapez 76/18mm, klar
Guttagliss Acryl Profilplatten 1,5mm, Trapez 76/18mm, klar
NATURSTEIN
LEICHTBAU-ST
Ahornholz 10x2cm
Ahornholz 10x2cm
WERKSTOFFPL
2,95
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15
2,05
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Unterzug, Stahl, Farbe: anthrazit-eisenglimmer DB 703
HOLZ
DÄMMUNG HA
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DÄMMUNG WE xxxxxx
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2,05 -0,18 75
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4,15
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Stütze, Stahl, Farbe: anthrazit-eisenglimmer DB 703
AUSSPARUNGEN /SCHLITZE/ DURCHBR
20 20
Stütze, Stahl, Farbe: anthrazit-eisenglimmer DB 703
2,05
2 3
Unterzug, Stahl, Farbe: anthrazit-eisenglimmer DB 703
15
5
15
1,85
1,85
2,80
15
2,00
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BD BODENDUR
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BA BODENAUS BS BODENSCH
Fertigbetonplatten Beton Schubdorm
2,20
Fertigbetonplatten Beton Schubdorm
75
-3,00
DD DECKENDU
DA DECKENAU DS DECKENSC
FD FUNDAMEN
FA FUNDAMEN FS FUNDAMEN
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40
2
1,20
-3,00
WA WANDAUSS WS WANDSCH
15
2,20
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40 15
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RH ROHRHÜLS
20 20
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2,00
1,20
2,00
WD WANDDUR
2,20
DETAILPLAN
-0,18
-0,05
Grünes Zentrum Regensburg
SCHNITT 1|20
SCHNITT 1|20
Werkplan Brandlbergerstraße 118 | 93057 Regen
plan of the beams
PLAN 1|20 _ DETAIL 1|5 [Unterzüge]
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B
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1
25 0
2 -0,11
3 PLANINHALT
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dp_46_Pergola_16-02
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PLANUNG ARCHITEKT JÖRG VON FRIED TULBECKSTRASSE 5A, 80339
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Pergola
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> 2% [4cm]
PLANNUMMER
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> 2% [4cm] 4
2,20
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0,5
A
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2,00
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DETAIL 1|10 section of[Trauf the_First] roofing
GUNG 1|50
BESCHREIBUNG VORABZUG ÄNDERUNG/ERGÄNZUNG FREIGABEPLAN AUSFÜHRUNG ERST NACH PLANFREIGABE M
-0,07
FREIGABEVERMERKE BAUHERR / FA
-0,07
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PLANDATUM
Mittwoch, 23. August 2017
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Arbour for the “Green Center”
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KNOW HOWse
Solar Decathlon Middle East, Dubai 2018
Dubai, United Arab Emirates University of Sharjah prof. Vittorino Belpoliti University of Ferrara Research Center Architettura>Energia prof. Pietro Maria Davoli prof. Marta Calzolari November 2016 - November 2018 status: BUILT placed 8th at the competition www.knowhowse.ae
The Solar Decathlon is an International student competition that challenges universities from around the World to design, build and operate a energetically selfsufficient house. After two years of design, the final stage of the competition took place in Dubai, in fall 2018. The 22 teams assembled their houses, open to the general public, and have been evaluated over 10 different contest concerning green building best practices: Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Energy Management, Comfort Conditions, Sustainable Transportation, House Functioning, Sustainability, Energy Efficiency, Communication, Innovation
mainly coped with the initial architectural design phase and the structural design. The innovative structural system was based on structural solid cross-laminated timber panels (CLT). The elements have been shipped from Italy to the UAE, pre-assembled in biggest pieces (such as cores and wall), then delivered to construction site, where these elements have been assembled to form the structure of the building. Thanks to this system the prototype house has been built in the limited construction period allowed by the competition. I personally dealt with the development of the pre-assembly and assembly phases and their drawing and communication to ease the processes on building site.
The project aimed at increasing environmental awareness by rediscovering a new dimension of “living small but comfortably�, combining tradition and innovation. KNOW HOWse performed not just as an innovative project, but also as an educational program.
Finally I spent one month in Dubai for the competition. The first two weeks I took part to the construction and supervised the building site as Safety Officer. Then I participated to the contest, taking care of the tasks required by the organization, giving tours of the prototype, during the open-house, and guiding the juries for the evaluation process.
My work as part of the University of Ferrara’s section of the team 14
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Know Howse | Solar Decathlon Middle East, Dubai 2018
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ground floor
first floor 16
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cross section
pre-assembly of the CLT structural elements
assembly of the CLT structure
CLT structure Single family house in the old town
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Single family house in the old town
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Cooling bricks: adaptive building envelope Prof. Philip Molter Technical University of Munich Associate Professorship of Architectural Design and Building Envelope Collaboration with Jakob Fellner Anna Fornili Helena Jimenez Luca Mamoli Summer Semester 2016/17 Publushed after further development on the architectural magazine DETAIL, Germany www.detail.de/artikel/klimaaktive-ziegelfassaden-34040/
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The project has been developed for a course on adaptive building envelopes: the task was to design a facade prototype capable of changing itself to adapt to different in-door and out-door conditions (such as humidly, temperature, light, sound) without consuming any energy. The project consist in a “wet� brick-facade, which reduces its temperature through evaporative cooling. The system is based on the Botjico, an Iberian ceramic vase used to cool down water. The vase is filled up with water, which evaporates through the ceramic in the outside atmosphere. Water passes from liquid state to gaseous and in order to do so, it needs energy that is taken from the water inside the vase. Thus the water remaining inside the vase has at the end a decreased temperature. Its principle is applied to Architecture using porous bricks, which absorb water thanks to a water piping system, The water evaporates as soon as it gets in contact with the outside air. Brick and thus the temperature of the water remaining inside the
Gianmarco Mei Architecture Portfolio
brick is decrease. Consequently all the facade is cooler. Physical experiment to verify the theoretical assumptions have been made. Evaporation process needs high temperatures, therefore, sunlight. The question was what should be the optimal orientation of the bricks, since the conventional way to build brick walls has just one side of the brick that can be lighted by the sun. Through a simulation in Galapagos and Grasshopper we reached the conclusion that an angle of 116Âş is the accurate one. The pillar sustaining each column of bricks is a pipe that humidify the brick. The module is connected to a rain deposit in the rooftop of the building. This way the prototype is passive since we are using the gravity to make the water pass through the pipe. In conclusion the brick-facade prototype reduces the surface temperature of the building. Thus on the outside it tackles the Urban Heat Island Effect and enhances the comfort of pedestrians, while it also reduces the indoor Hvac consumptions.
Cooling bricks: adaptive building envelope
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Building resilience through green-blue infrastractures: an integrated network for Dhaka Dhaka, Bangladesh MASTER THESIS University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy supervisors: prof. Romeo Farinella, prof. Elena Dorato co-supervisors: prof. Qazi Azizul Mowla (Bangladesh Institute of Engineering and Technlogy BUET, Dahaka) arch. Md. Iqbal Habib (Bangladesh Environmental Movement; VITTI Sthapati Brindo LTD) in collaboration with Ontora Rahman September 2018 - July 2019
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With 47,400 people per square kilometer, Dhaka is the most densely populated city on earth and at the same time the fourth least liveable Severe environmental and density-related issues afflict the city, among others floods due to waterlogging, lack of public and green space and traffic congestion. Climate change will further exacerbate this alarming situation by increasing rainfall, temperature and the possibility of extreme weather events. The thesis proposes the implementation of a green-blue network in Dhaka that will act as an integrated solution to the urban issues of the megacity. The project addresses natural disaster risk and the effects of climate change, since the infrastructure, besides being an effective storm water drainage and storage system, is able to reduce the consequences of expected heat waves. In addition the strategy seize this process of urban transformation as an opportunity to provide new and better public green space, to supply a new surface water resource and to re-
Gianmarco Mei Architecture Portfolio
duce traffic by offering protected pedestrian and cycle paths and new waterways for public transport. Historically many canals crossed the city but most of them disappeared due to the rapid and uncontrolled urban growth. The infrastructure is therefore built by connecting the still existing ones and by rehabilitating those in poor conditions in order to create a network of canals, with linear parks along their banks, and major urban water detention parks. The project focuses on the rehabilitation of disappearing urban canals and on the conversion of the old airport into a central detention park. Overall, the project aims to create an urban area able to withstand the present and future chronic stresses and acute shocks, while also increasing the life quality of its inhabitants. Thus, the thesis proposes the implementation of water sensitive urban planning and highlights the importance of natural elements as ecological resources within a dense urban context.
Building resilience through green-blue infrastractures: an integrated network for Dhaka
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Building resilience through green-blue infrastractures: an integrated network for Dhaka
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Building resilience through green-blue infrastractures: an integrated network for Dhaka
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Building resilience through green-blue infrastractures: an integrated network for Dhaka
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Turning on the limit Rehabilitation of the industrial Chinatown
Prato (Florence), Italy Prof. Alessandro Massarente University of Ferrara Collaboration with Eleonora Nappi, Marco Borges Leitao Winter Semester 2016/17
The Chinatown of Prato rises up close to the Old Town, on a big area where the first industrial settlements of the city appeared in the 1800. In fact the peculiarity of this Chinatown is its manufacturing vocation: the first Chinese community established in the former factories that were abandoned after the industries moved in more modern buildings far from the city and created here a textile-industry hub. The fabric of this part of the city is characterized by residential and commercial high-rise buildings along the streets and lower manufacturing building in the middle of the plots. The high-rise buildings represent a discontinuous limit that hides behind itself,
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the industrial facilities that are mostly not visible for people crossing the area. The area has big problem of segregation between the Italian and Chinese communities, due also to the lack of public space. The project aims to enhance the limit: making it more continuous, transforming it from a closed barrier to a porous element that regenerates the area. In order to do that the project consist of new linear facilities built along the streets next to the vacant manufacturing buildings. This new structure contains the utilities and services needed to transform former factories into new public spaces such as library, gym, swimming pool and markets.
Discontinuos limit
Turned-on limit
Rigenerated area
Existing building
New facility on the limit
Penetration of the new facilities
Different arrangements of the linear facility according to the morfology of the manifacturing buildings.
Turning on the limit | Rehabilitation of the Chinatown of Prato
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Library, swimming pool, gym, sports fields Turning on the limit | Rehabilitation of the Chinatown of Prato
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market and vegetable gardens Turning on the limit | Rehabilitation of the Chinatown of Prato
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Turning on the limit | Rehabilitation of the Chinatown of Prato
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Athens: new urban scenarios Athens, Greece Prof. Sophie Wolfrum Prof. Sofia Dona Technical University of Munich Collaboration with Matteo Pelagatti Summer Semester 2016/17
Athens got its current form during the sixties and seventies, as a result of a law that encouraged the transformation of single family houses in multistoreys apartment buildings. So the city had an informal development on its previous fabric without any urban planning and the Polikatoikia system was the basis of the Athens’ society and economy. At the end of the last century, lot of people moved from the city to the suburbs in order to have better facilities and public space, that were lacking in the city center, The economical crisis led the system to collapse. Today public space and facilities are still lacking, the city has no money to improve the situation and lots of apartments are vacant, making the management of these buildings particularly difficult. The peculiarity of these vacancies is that there are not complete vacant buildings but the 40% of apartments inside them are vacant.
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On one hand this prevents from big speculation but at the same time it makes difficult to operate on the city, and solve the situation in which it is stuck. The project focuses on the area of Victoria Square and aims to make it attractive in order to be repopulated. This is made by revitalizing the economy, mixing people of different age and social groups and increasing the public space. The project is divided in 3 sections: 1. economical model to finance project 2. project to use the vacant apartments 3. empty plots are bought and transformed in public spaces. The surface is increased with a structure of scaffolding, hosting public facilities and a landmark/lantern. Different scenarios and developments are shown. Furthermore facilities and furniture are designed according to the analysis of locals’ habits and providing “Athenians qualities”.
Athens: new urban scenarios
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Athens: new urban scenarios
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Athens: new urban scenarios
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Athens: new urban scenarios
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Athens: new urban scenarios
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Athens: new urban scenarios
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Restoration of Palazzo Tassoni-Migliori Ferrara, Italy Prof. Rita Fabbri Prof. Marco Zuppiroli University of Ferrara Collaboration with Eleonora Nappi, Ontora Rahman, Maria Julia Zancanaro Winter Semester 2017/18
Palazzo Tassoni-Migliori is a historical building in the old town of Ferrara, protected by the Italian government as historical heritage. The palace was first built in 1454 and it has been subject to many transformation during the century: though the decorative scheme is mostly lost it is still clear its original spatial arrangement and the main historical modifications. The University of Ferrara acquired the building during the sixties, when it conducted a bad refurbishment to locate here the faculty of Humanities, ruining its historical connotations. The building was damaged during an earthquake in 2012 and since then it is inaccessible. The first step was a research to retrace the history of the building and its transformation, based on archive documents and clue on the building. The architectural project is then developed as follow:
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1. Restoration of the important architectural surfaces (elevations and decorated woodenceilings) with proper techniques for the historical materials. 2. the historical spatial arrangement, missed during the refurbishment by the university, is restored while creating functional spaces for the faculty of Humanities. 3. structural consolidation of the building, respecting the original historical brickwork, to improve its safety after the earthquake. 4. design of a new distribution volume, inside the inner yard, to improve the internal distribution of the faculty.
Restoration of Palazzo Tassoni-Mirogli
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main elevation before restoration
main elevation after restoration Restoration of Palazzo Tassoni-Mirogli
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ground floor
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first floor
Restoration of Palazzo Tassoni-Mirogli
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construction details Restoration of Palazzo Tassoni-Mirogli
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Wood-construction: food and memory in the countryside
Ferrara, Italy Prof. Theo Zaffagnini University of Ferrara single work Winter Semester 2015/16
The building is a hotspot for the promotion of traditional Italian food and agriculture, built where a former rural house was located and just some of its walls remain. It host a conference room, a cooking show area, a cafĂŠ and a belvedere. The project aims to combine together sustainability and tradition, so the new building resembles the former rural house, in order to leave memory of it but also to reuse the environmental design schemes that were originally present in the house. In fact traditional rural houses were built according to certain rules, based on practical experience matured during the centuries, to build an environmentally efficient building (without the modern technologies, such as a/c, insulation material, etc).
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In addiction modern, innovative technologies and materials are implemented to guarantee the maximum of comfort, sustainability and energy efficiency. So the tradition is valued and kept alive not only for its aesthetics but also for its practical side and its wisdom in construction. Sustainability and tradition are considered not as two separate concepts, but as two factors that can together contribute to create a good building nowadays.
Wood-construction: food and memory in the countryside
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front elevation
back elevation
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construciton details
Restoration of Palazzo Tassoni-Mirogli
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Living the limit: dormitory at Ferrara’s dock Ferrara, Italy Prof. Gianluca Frediani University of Ferrara Collaboration with Ontora Rahman Loryann Lehman Summer Semester 2015/16
Ferrara’s dock on a branch of River Po is located just outside the walls of the old town in a strategic position between the city center and the first suburbs. Despite its potentiality, because of its convenient location and the pleasant urban-natural landscape, the area is neglected and the city has progressively lost its relation with the river, which has always been central for the history and development of the city. The project aims to revitalize the area and reconcile the citizens to their river. The building is conceived as a gate to access the dock area, according to the position of the plot which is located at the extremity of the dock towards the city center. Two concrete blocks, where the private functions are located, lay parallel to the river and the main street and they are shifted in opposite directions, in order to
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build a physical invitation to walk between them and reach the dock. Between them is located, a glazed volume, where people can go through and reach the dock from the street. The concrete block that face the river, hosts the bedrooms because it is on the quite side of the plot and it has a nice view. In the block that face the street are located the facilities of the dormitory, such as kitchen, common areas, restrooms and offices. In the glazed volume bridges connect the two blocks and public facilities (gym, study rooms, cafè) are offered to all citizens. In addiction a rowing center and a multi-functional garden are arranged on the riverside, to move people close to the river and let them enjoy this unique urban landscape.
ground floor Living the limit: dormitory at Ferrara’s dock
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view from the street
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Gianmarco Mei Architecture Portfolio
construction details Living the limit: dormitory at Ferrara’s dock
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Single family house in the old town
Ferrara, Italy Prof. Andrea Bellodi University of Ferrara single work Summer Semester 2014/15
The project is based on the concept of fractal, which is an abstract mathematical object used to describe and simulate naturally occurring objects, which show a very complicated shape, that is drawn by the repetition of a simple geometric shape at different scale. The simple geometric shape that was here chosen is a square and the project investigates how the repetition of it with different dimensions can lead to interesting and unexpected morphology of a building.
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Thus, the single-family house could looks at first glance, as a complicated system of different objects, but it is set up only by squares arranged together. Therefore the project investigates the role of geometry and maths in architecture, going beyond the prevalent idea of simple regularity, trying to demonstrate that math and geometry can still be inspirational in contemporary architecture and this relationship between maths and architecture should be researched more.
Single family house in the old town
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Single family house in the old town
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Resting lulled by the sea A grave for myself Wherever by the sea Waseda University Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering Tokyo, Japan concept design single work Summer Semester 2018
The task was to design a grave and I decided to do it for myself. A grave is an intimate space and nobody knows better than me my deepest needs and emotion. The project consist of a room caved into a cliff, with a big glazed wall facing the sea. In the middle of this window lays the coffin, half inside the grave and half outside over the sea. It is suspended halfway between the universe and the people mourning, reminding that the deceased passed away but is still present in the memories of people who loved him. This dichotomy is further enhanced by the material of the coffin. The bronze of which is made will oxidize on the outside, while it will be kept clean and polished on the inside. So the coffin will have two different appearances on the two sides. The space is located at the sea, a natural element with whom I feel a strong connection. I was born and raised in a city on the
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coast, so the sea is where I feel home, where I belong and where I would like to rest forever. The sea symbolizes the infinite, absolute both of the universe and of the time after our death The grave is influenced by the natural tides change. During low tide, the coffin lays over the sea and the room is bright. During high tide, water rises up and cover the window. Therefore visiting the grave during high tide would be similar to immerse yourself in the sea. This relation to tides changes let the deceased be forever involved into this natural cycle, keeping to be a part of the universe and to be linked to its life. It suggests a cyclical concept of time, according to which after death comes life again.
low tide
high tide
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Tembodai at Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Waseda University Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering Tokyo, Japan concept design single work Summer Semester 2018
The task was to design a temboai, a Japanese word meaning a structure built to let the visitors observe a landscape and enjoy the view, Usually tembodai elevate their visitors in order to give them an higher point of view than those possible from the ground on which they are built. The project tries to reverse this usual tendency in designing tembodai, to show the opportunities that a place made for observation could offer. The structure is located at Shibuya crossing, a busy road intersection which is one of the most iconic places of Tokyo. This place is usually observed and experienced by tourists, walking through it when a crowd
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of thousands of people crosses the road at the same time, in many different directions. Some also go up in one of the building facing the road crossing and admire it from a higher point of view, This tembodai instead lowers down the point of view of its visitors, letting them to be truly immersed in the bustle of the city but without being part of it. Tembodai usually make people see a panorama, a big picture of something far away in its context. On the opposite this one let visitors focus on just one part of a scene and induce them to observe details that would have been otherwise missed.
Single family house in the old town
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Recommendation Letters
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Thanks for the kind attention
GIANMARCO MEI Email: Phone:
giammimei@gmail.com +39 3480179293
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