Stage 5 Winter Portfolio

STAGE 5 WINTER PORTFOLIO

HENRY CAHILL 150271350

STAGE 5 WINTER PORTFOLIO

HENRY CAHILL

STUDIO Oikos Transformed Rachel Armstrong & Juliet Odgers

CRITICAL INTRODUCTION

7

‘FURNITURE’

11

VENICE

27

THE JEWISH GHETTO

49

‘LAYERS OF VENICE’

71

REFLECTIVE CONCLUSION

99

Amended work New work

6

CRITICAL INTRODUCTION

OIKOS TRANSFORMED

Starting the academic year, I selected Oikos Transformed as the studio I would be a part of through Stage 5. The studio responds to the Open Letter to the architectural community for curriculum change; acknowledging architecture’s role within the ongoing ecological crisis.

More specifically, the studio explores the origin of economy within the human house; the oikos. Moreover how the oikos can be the starting point to understanding the household of nature and offer clues for ecological living.

Oikos within the studio is ‘taken as the paradigmatic social unit of mutual dependency and care, a microcosm contained within a permeable boundary that separates and connects the “family-like” unit to the wider polis and to the “economy” of nature itself.’1

Venice during Acqua Alta (left).

The studio takes the city of Venice as its place of study, with particular investigation of the Jewish Ghetto. The Jewish Ghetto in Venice is the oldest ghetto in the world, it is believed the word ‘ghetto’, in fact, comes from this place. The sites now occupied by the Jewish Ghetto – Ghetto Nuovo, Ghetto Vecchio and Ghetto Nuovissimo – was once used as a foundry (“geto” in Venetian dialect) and over time the word was linguistically evolved to ‘ghetto’ by the neighbourhood’s polyglot residents.2 ‘Layers of Venice’ intends to interact with the rich history of Venice; particularly the layers of this historical palimpsest of a city. Having explored the ritualistic craft of weaving earlier in the semester, I became very interested with the filtering of light and shadow. Whether this be through woven elements as shown earlier in the portfolio, or more widely with the layers of the city and the historic Jewish Ghetto as explored over the following pages.

The city of Venice is made up of hundreds of islands separated by rios and canals. The traditional way of making one’s way around the city is on the water, once the arterial routes of Venice providing access for merchants of goods from all over the world. Within this proposal centred on the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo within the Jewish Ghetto, the map of Venice is inverted; with the islands now becoming a waterscape and, in turn, the rios and canals becoming pathways.

Furthermore, the proposal is thought of with the Acqua Alta at its heart; the phenomenon of routine flooding that occurs as a result of the tide of the Venetian Lagoon and is aggravated by weather in the Adriatic Sea. Whilst the city is used to extensive flooding, shops are barricaded at the doors when Acqua Alta is anticipated and elevated pathways are put out along fondamentas and through squares, the events that occur can be catastrophic. (See photographs opposite and on following pages).

During our study trip to Venice in November 2019, waters reached 1.87m (their secondhighest levels since records began in 1923), the worst Acqua Alta for over half a century in 1966 when waters reached a record 1.94m.

‘Layers of Venice’ provides a new mesh level raised 0.2m above the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, meaning there is provision for the Acqua Alta (which, in November 2019, saw the Campo 20cm under water). However, this proposal intends to create a positive interaction with the Acqua Alta – inviting the square to flood informs a ‘puddlescape’ allowing visitors to splash within an inverted map of Venice.

An accessible high level walkway is provided 2.5m above the campo providing a dry route through the square at all times, future-proofing this section of Venice from risk of increased flooding in the future.

1. Oikos Transformed Studio Brief, Rachel Armstrong & Juliet Odgers 2. 500 Years of Jewish Life in Venice, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes. com/2016/03/13/travel/veniceitaly-jewish-ghetto.html, David Laskin, March 2016

At points of intersection formed by construction lines drawn from the existing buildings of the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, ecological pools are sunken within the campo providing areas for fish fry that thrive within the Venetian waters. These pools provide opportunities for human interaction with the ecology of Venice within a public urban space in the city.

The proposal intends to make the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo a place to visit and be at one with the unique qualities in the city of Venice, rather than the somewhat austere atmosphere one currently experiences as a result of half a millennium of segregation from the surrounding city.

7

8

Venice during Acqua Alta.

9

10

‘FURNITURE’

Hand woven wooden dowels, weave experiments (left).

WEAVING

Investigations within the studio began with making ‘furniture’, defined here as an object or membrane for interacrtion with the body (whether that be human or other) or within the oikos. I explored the craft of weaving, beginning with the weaving of wooden dowels (shown left) as a layer for interaction with the human body, with the initial idea being that the weave itself may be a permeable membrane allowing air and small amounts of light through.

Further explorations were undertaken using wooden lollysticks (seen overleaf) as a start to create something decorative from a mundane material. This more decorative solution became the basis for further developments within a range of materias including leather, paper and timber (as shown on the following pages). The idea of using woven leather panels as a substrate for the growth of plants was also explored as a possible use within the oikos.

The weave experiments became a tool for the manipulation and filtering of light and shadow, and provided an investigation route that would assist the study trip to Venice. The city of Venice explores many layers of filtration of light from its highly glazed facades to the interiors of its many palazzos.

11

12

Hand woven wooden lollysticks, (left). Hand woven wooden lollysticks and dowlels (right).

13

14

Hand woven leather and wooden dowels in waxed iroko frame.

15

Light and shadow pattern experiments.

16

17

Weaving pattern development, paper.

18

19

20

Hand woven leather in cane weave on plywood frame. Sketch showing woven panel as a possible substrate for growth.

21

Light and shadow pattern experiments, woven leather.

22

Woven leather experiment.

23

24

Leather weaving experiments.

25

26

VENICE

STUDY TRIP

Piazza San Marco, Venice (right).

During the study trip to Venice in November, I visited a number of works by the seminal Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa. Including the Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Negozio Olivetti (the Olivetti Showroom) and his interventions at the Ca’ Foscari. I was particularly interested in his use of water at the Querini Stampalia and how he invites it into the structure rather than keeping it out. Furthermore, his work at the Ca’ Foscari resonates with the ideas I had been exploring earlier in the semester. Scarpa filters light (and sound in this case), providing an ante-lobby to one of the halls within the building.

I also visited Palazzo Fortuny, the home of spanish fashion designer and artist Mariano Fortuny. His mastery of fabrics was something that interested me following the weaving I had experimented with earlier in the semester. Moreover, his designs of fantastical stage sets provided some inspiration for how I might treat the intervention I have designed for the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo in the Jewish Ghetto (shown later).

OMA’s interventions at the Fondaco dei Tedeschi are also shown, their works included reprogramming vertical circulation and creating a new rooftop terrace above the renovated 19th century pavilion on a new steel and glass floor high above the central courtyard.

27

28

FONDAZIONE QUERINI STAMPALIA

CARLO SCARPA

29

Images of Carlo Scarpa’s interventions at the Querini Stampalia, Sketch plan (right).

30

31

32

NEGOZIO OLIVETTI

CARLO SCARPA

33

34

CA’ FOSCARI

CARLO SCARPA

35

36

PALAZZO FORTUNY

MARIANO FORTUNY

37

38

Costumes and tapestries adorning the halls of the Palazzo Fortuny, Internal courtyard (top right).

39

40

FONDACO DEI TEDESCHI

OMA

41

42

Eroded brickwork (left and below), View showing typical Venetian chimneys (right).

43

Typical Venetian rooftop terrace extension (top), Scala Contarini del Bovolo (left), View of the Grand Canal (opposite top), Bridge of Sighs (opposite bottom).

44

45

46

Scala d’Oro, Palazzo Ducale (left), External view of the Palazzo Ducale (below), Entrance to the Arsenale (opposite top), Basilica di San Marco (opposite bottom).

47

Venice Aerial View, Cannaregio and Jewish Ghetto outlined

48

THE JEWISH GHETTO

VENICE

The Jewish Ghetto, Cannaregio

The Jewish Ghetto, located within the quiet north-western Cannaregio district of Venice, provides the main site of investigation for my work over this semester. This began with detailed studies of the existing fabric within its urban context, including mapping, site modelling and photohraphy (shown on the following pages).

The Jewish Ghetto was established on 29th March 1516 by decree of Doge Leonardo Loredan and was one of the first places of segregation for people of religious difference.

The ghetto was once home to 5000 Jews from Italy, Germany, Spain and the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century and each maintained their own synagogues (examples shown later).

1. 500 Years of Jewish Life in Venice, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes. com/2016/03/13/travel/veniceitaly-jewish-ghetto.html, David Laskin, March 2016

Jewish merchants and bankers were vital to the flow of commodities in the city of Venice as usury was banned for Christians and so it was the Jews who were forced into money lending and pawnbroking. The Banco Rosso in the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo (literally ‘red bank’) is thought to be where the modern day term ‘in the red’ comes from.

It was not until Napoleon arrived in the city of Venice in 1797 that the gates to the ghetto were torn down. Now, only around 450 Jews remain in Venice with only a handful residing in the ghetto. Although an eery atmosphere still hangs in the ghetto, 500 years of history leaves its mark on the place.1

49

Rio

de

San

Giro

lam

o

Campo di Ghetto Nuovo

Ca

na

le

di

Ca

nn

ar eg

io

ande

Canal Gr

50

Rio

dell

aM

iser

icor dia

1:500 Site Model (above).

Ghetto Nuovo Ghetto Vecchio Ghetto Nuovissimo

1:2000 Site Map showing the phases of the Jewish Ghetto in context (left).

51

52

53

Reflections within the Ghetto (left top and bottom), Characteritic tall buildings of the Ghetto (below right), Entry and exit point from the Ghetto Vecchio onto the Fondamenta Cannaregio beside the Canale di Cannaregio.

54

55

Orignal entrance to the Jewish Ghetto: Sotoportego de Gheto Novo (above), Synagogues in the Jewish Ghetto - Schola Canton (left), German Schola (below left).

Spanish Schola (below).

56

Existing temporary bridge to Campo di Ghetto Nuovo.

57

58

Orignal entrance to the Jewish Ghetto: Bridge to Sotoportego de Gheto Novo (above right), Campo di Ghetto Nuovo as existing (left).

59

Ghetto Nuovissimo, the newest part of the Jewish Ghetto (above), Existing entrance to the Jewish Ghetto - Ponte de Gheto Novo (right).

60

61

62

The Jewish Ghetto has uncharacteristically tall buildings compared to surrounding Venice.

This is a result of Jews being unable to build anywhere other than designated areas, meaning they had to build upwards instead. The original entrance to the Ghetto (right) was locked shut at night.

63

Palazzos of the Ghetto Nuovissimo, home to the wealthier Jews (above), Bridge from the Ghetto Nuovo to the Ghetto Vecchio (below and right).

64

65

1:500 Group Site Model Timber, plywood, acrylic & 3D printed.

66

67

68

1:500 Group Site Model Timber, plywood, acrylic & 3D printed.

69

1:500 Group site model (above), Layering of typical Venetian palazzo window (right)

70

‘LAYERS OF VENICE’

CAMPO DI GHETTO NUOVO

1:25 Experiential model showing levels, refelctions, light and shadow in ‘Layers of Venice’ proposal (right).

‘Layers of Venice’ is an intervention within the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, the central square within the Jewish Ghetto. The proposal aims to create a playscape to interact with the ecologies and weather phenomena of Venice; providing ecological pools for fish fry that thrive within the Venetian lagoon at key intersections in the campo as well as creating a ‘puddlescape’ for playful interactions with an inverted Venice.

The rios and canals of the city are reversed, providing a new way to explore the city with its waterways now becoming pathways to reference the historical movement of people and goods by water. A new campo of mesh is suspended 0.25m above the existing ground level of the square, allowing people to observe the city scape beneath whilst keeping visitors feet dry. For those more adventurous however, there are opportunities to splash between the puddles representing the islands of the Venice.

The proposal also allows for closer, and perhaps more joyful, interaction with the Acqua Alta. Rather than the water being a devastation, as it is today, here, the Acqua Alta is invited into the campo; with some ground floor uses becoming playful grottos filtering the transition between public and private realms (sketch shown later).

In order to provide for the future, as well as providing a new perspective on the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, a high level walkway provides an accessible route through the square 2.5m above the ground level. This walkway allows a look at the Acqua Alta for without the need to be up to ones knees in water; being at such a height, this walkway offers a suggestion as to how the city of Venice might cope with predicted rising waters of the future. Furthermore, the invitation of water into the square proposes a possible solution for the future of Venice.

The intervention in the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo follows on from my weaving experiments (earlier in the portfolio) to create a play of light, shadow and reflections in the square - as demonstrated by the 1:25 model shown above and in the following pages.

71

Concept sketch - multilevel routes to engage with Acqua Alta (left), 1:25 Model (right).

72

73

Concept sketches - Multilevel stepped public realm to experince differing stages of Acqua Alta (below), Ground floor grotto sketch filtering public and private realms (right).

74

75

Concept sketches for interacting with the Acqua Alta and creating a water playscape within the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo.

76

Campo di Ghetto plan sketch exploring the idea of a multileveled square with a large, flat possibly permeable space (right), Development sketch models showing intersecting building lines (below left) and raised pathways inspired by the canals of Venice - the original means of getting around the city (below right).

77

‘Layers of Venice’

Hand drawn isometric

78

79

80

‘Layers of Venice’ 1:1000 Exploded isometric diagram (right), 1:25 Experiential model photograph (left).

1. Acqua Alta high level walkway 2.5m above exisitng ground level.

2. Raised Campo - mesh 0.25m above existing ground level.

Provides opportunity to interact with Acqua Alta.

3. Intersections from existing lines of structures - logic for position of ecological pools for fish fry.

4. Puddlescape - overlayed map of Venice, where rios and islands become inverted.

5. Existing buildings of the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo.

6. Original Ghetto island with ecological pools subtracted.

81

1:500 Hand drawn plan - Campo di Ghetto Nuovo

82

1:250 Acrylic layered model

83

VECTORWORKS EDUCATIONAL VERSION

VECTORWORKS EDUCATIONAL VERSION

84

1:25 Experiential model

85

86

87

88

1:1250 Plan showing proposed Campo di Ghetto in context (left), Perspective sketch showing ramped access to high level walkway from Ghetto Vecchio (right).

89

1:500 Plan showing ramped access to high level walkway (right), Sketch showing bridged access to high level walkway from Fondamenta dei Ormesini (below).

90

Fon

dam

enta

dei

Orm

esin

i

91

92

1:250 Layered acrylic model showing reflections and light qualities within the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo.

93

94

95

96

97

1:25 Experiential model

98

REFLECTIVE CONCLUSION

Over the course of the first semester of Stage 5, I believe I have developed a consistent narrative throughout the work I have curated in this portfolio. My proposal for ‘Layers of Venice’ embodies my earlier work of the study of light and shadow whilst developing this further towards an urban scale proposition.

I feel that my work ahead of visitng Venice set me in good stead for the study trip and what I was able to get out of the trip. Upon returning from Venice I developed my work around my interest of the filterings of light and shadow, with the new found determination to develop a proposal that explored the phenomenon of the Acqua Alta I had experienced first hand. However, I hoped to design a scheme that allowed for a more enjoyable and less destructive interaction with the Acqua Alta than that which I had experienced in November.

The intervention is a choreography of light and reflections within the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, proposing a possible solution for the unknown future of the delicate city of Venice. I feel my strengths are in physical modelling, however I have explored multiple forms of representation (both analog and digital) within this portfolio.

I have worked to extend my proposal beyond the edges of the central square of the Jewish Ghetto, as was suggested during my final crit. However, this could have perhaps gone further to suggest how the proposal could inform the wider city of Venice. I also would have liked to have included some mappings of the Acqua Alta had time permitted.

I have been enthused by the work undertaken in this semester and look forward to developing more design work in semester 2.

99