Experimental Architecture

label Diverse autorenew 2025-09-29, 17:01 history_edu Cristian Ion
The present architecture appears mainly international, uninfluenced by the local cultures and climates as if the whole planet should be equal everywhere. The focus of this year's experimental architecture class will embrace a different view, based on a geography of architecture, which claims the relationship of architecture with its place, supporting a regional bioclimatic design. We intend to make deep the cognitive capacity of architecture and to apply such imaginative process for understanding the project's place: Venice.rnrn The proposed bioclimatic architecture has to do with new concepts of self-sufficient micro-cities, sustainable towns and civic agriculture. We not only need new ways of thinking and new design concepts but also new architectural solutions, for making architecture a place to be eaten, smelt, listened and also to be seen.rnrn In the seminar we will take the subject of sun, light and shade as an example within this ecological thinking.rnrn Some new concepts as the extended mind and the situated cognition are better experienced by art than by science or technology, distinguishing the art experience from the aesthetic one: an organic vision of design operating with the anticipatory systems characterizing the life world. In such systems we cannot distinguish the design from the construction process. My 'liebe meister' Carlo Scarpa treated the design as a construction activity and the construction as a design activity, always operating as a cognitive process. The same will be our week of experimental architecture, integrating design and construction.rnrn We can destroy the natural venetian cognitive landscape for making it a provincial "Las Vegas" or save it, with the only radical defense which comes from its progressive transformation into an Agricultural Venice, as it has been for a lasting past, before its age marked by "The Merchant of Venice" .rnrn We cannot design, in only a week, the venetian civic agricolture, but imagining such a future we might design THE COUNTER OF THE FRUIT AND FISH, that was (and should become) the archetype of the local economy for exchanging this locally produced food in the local market. There was a combination of boat and counter, equipped with the same sail for offering shadow and shelter to the producers selling their products directly, made free from any commercial mediation. The feedback loop between the use and construction of venetian life had the possibility of understanding and learning the local needs in a continual correcting process. An active action-research process within which also the design activity should take place.rnrn It is a theme that can be designed/built in a week, embodying and evocating the civic agriculture that will occupy our future activities the next year.

Period
15-07-2014 - 28-07-2014 (2 weeks)

Target group
Our interdisciplinary approach welcomes students of all skill levels and backgrounds to our idyllic location in Venice, where the school was founded in 2003. The school partners with the Venice Biennale, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Francois Pinaults collection at the Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana. Students enrolled in our summer art classes will find a global teaching staff, peers from more than 15 nations, and classes geared toward everyone from the complete beginner to the advanced career artist. The courses are scheduled weekly, allowing students to immerse themselves in an interdisciplinary and creative environment. The master classes start on Moday and end on Friday. Saturday evening is the exhibition of the work of the students curated by the teaching professors.

Course aim
On Monday we start with an introduction of the whole program, the specific theme and the context of the shared experience. In the morning a conversation for discussing and agreeing about the common work. In the afternoon we can take decisions about a practical set of actions to be developed in the next days. There could be some time for a visit to a squero very close to Palazzo Zenobio.rnrn On Tuesday we will visit in the morning some venetian places where we can analyze the existing operant counters and their boat version sharing the same role. The followers will take note through their cameras and sketchbooks of these examples as they instantiate and show the characteristic features of the design theme. In the afternoon there will be some visits by walking and boating in some evocative places of venetian life, far from the actual touristic fiction. The afternoon will be completed with a dinner in a nice venetian place.rnrn On Wednesday in the morning there might be a visit in a squero (a shed for the boat construction and maintenance) where part of the activity of design/construction could be made. In the afternoon of Wednesday and,rnrn On Thursday and Friday there will be the progress of the design/construction process (documented in its evolution and its steps) in order to be ready for the evaluation day that will be on Saturday, with the mounting of the various parts of the counter in a public place: Campo Santa Margherita.rnrnThe counter will be designed/built through discrete timber modular elements, they should be assembled in a demountable way that could allow also for their shift, from a place to another. The elements could be realized in different places contemporarily and then be collected and assembled in the court fo Palazzo Zenobio for a preliminary experimental mounting. When everything will be ready we can mount our counter for fruits and fishes in the real place, Campo Santa Margherita.rnrn



Credits
1.5 ECTS credits

Course fee
EUR 450[Convert to USD]The total fees include a sign up fee of 150.- and a course fee per week of 400.-rnrnEarly Bird Price:rnWhen you enroll before March 1st the course fee amounts to 300.-rnEUR 550[Convert to USD]The total fees include a sign up fee of 150.- and a course fee per week of 400.-

Course leader
Teaching Professor: Fiorenzo Bertan, Sergio Los, Venice

Scholarships
Students are granted a 40% reduction of the course fees.

International Summer Academy of Fine Arts and Media
Venice Art
Address: Marc Aurel Straße 10
Postal code: 1010
City: Venice
Country: Italy
Website: http://www.sommerakademievenedig.com/en
E-mail: office@sommerakademievenedig.com
Phone: +431/533535 45 84