Symbiotic Transformations
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Location:
Starting Date: Completion Date: Team+: Size: Type: Typology: Key Words: |
Rome, Italy
November 2014 January 2015 A. Tsaparoglou Medium Competition Architecture, Landscape, Urban Design Fortress, Park, Market, Host & Parasite, Transformation |
The transformation of this project is based on 3 main characteristics: the addition of a new intervention that will be based on the existed structure, the atmosphere of a fortress, and the fact that the fortress has the possibility to transformed into a green multi use space.
The rest of the green spaces of the area belong to sterilized hospital territories or they are vast green parks (villa Pampili) with no active uses for the community. In the contrary, in the historical center, villa Borghese and villa Ada combine a green oasis of the city with museum and culture uses for locals and tourists. Fortress Portuense will be transformed into a multi-use villa from the local community for the local community fully integrated into the daily activities of the neighborhood.
The synthesis is based on a symbiotic relationship between the fortress and the intervention, where according to biology one benefits at the expense of the other. The fortress is the host and the intervention is the parasite. Nowadays the old body- host of the fortress is not interactive and flexible enough to stand by its self and moreover the parasite cannot survive since is a non- autonomous structure that cannot function independently.
The transformation of the fortress into a living organism, fully integrated into the urban fabric, transformed it from a non-place into a multi- use space, from a nonprofit empty building into a self-funded organization, from a vast green non usable area into an urban farm-botanic park and finally from an inactive isolated host into an integrated and productive new body.
The delicatessen experience
Artist are working on their open space studios on the upper level while visitors talking a walk observing the variety of trees. From the old body of the fortress, odors, tastes and voices invites you in to the delicatessen restaurant based on local products. The urban farm at the south part of the area supplies the restaurant with local vegetables while food kiosks organized from local producers and cooks enriches an experience much more vivid than a typical restaurant. The food kiosks are mixed with tables, small cinemas, small music stages and relaxing rooms. All the food experience is mixed with the atmosphere of the fortress. The corridors are no longer dark places with no use, but they are transformed into an atmospheric library while meeting young artists.
The vintage market experience
The strong and tall external wall in comparison with the wild greenery was always an impenetrable boundary from the city to the fortress. With the formation of a public – wooden square next to Via Portuense there is a first attempt to bring the city smoothly in the fortress. At the font of the wooden square is the vintage market, organized by the local people. Small colorful kiosks dressed with colorful things of any type lead you naturally in the fortress. The dynamic of the kiosks and the texture of the ground form a path and give a rhythm to the visitors. In addition, the vertical cafeteria delivers you directly to the upper level- path of the fortress through a steel bridge. The nature slowly approaches the city via the last kiosks of the market. People have picnics next to vintage buyers.
The wellness center into the woods
Deeply more into the woods the wellness center clears your mind and soul. A natural path lead the walker from the busy city into a calm green environment, where a glass cabin – entrance guides you in the wellness center. The gym is formed around a submerged atrium which consists also an outdoor climbing wall. Traces of the building are visible from the ground level in a form of a small park where you can observe the climbers reaching their final destination. The gym is connected directly to the meditation center which is placed in an atmospheric underground area of the fortress.
Into the heart of the fortress
The vintage market ‘throws’ the visitor into the heart of the fortress, where the botanic garden reaches the ground. The steel bridge leaves you directly onto the existed path of the upper level where the ramps bring you in the heart. A way down from the two wooden amphitheaters could be another alternative. In the first one you can play human scale chess or you can enjoy one of the many spontaneous shows of the central small stage.
The rest of the green spaces of the area belong to sterilized hospital territories or they are vast green parks (villa Pampili) with no active uses for the community. In the contrary, in the historical center, villa Borghese and villa Ada combine a green oasis of the city with museum and culture uses for locals and tourists. Fortress Portuense will be transformed into a multi-use villa from the local community for the local community fully integrated into the daily activities of the neighborhood.
The synthesis is based on a symbiotic relationship between the fortress and the intervention, where according to biology one benefits at the expense of the other. The fortress is the host and the intervention is the parasite. Nowadays the old body- host of the fortress is not interactive and flexible enough to stand by its self and moreover the parasite cannot survive since is a non- autonomous structure that cannot function independently.
The transformation of the fortress into a living organism, fully integrated into the urban fabric, transformed it from a non-place into a multi- use space, from a nonprofit empty building into a self-funded organization, from a vast green non usable area into an urban farm-botanic park and finally from an inactive isolated host into an integrated and productive new body.
The delicatessen experience
Artist are working on their open space studios on the upper level while visitors talking a walk observing the variety of trees. From the old body of the fortress, odors, tastes and voices invites you in to the delicatessen restaurant based on local products. The urban farm at the south part of the area supplies the restaurant with local vegetables while food kiosks organized from local producers and cooks enriches an experience much more vivid than a typical restaurant. The food kiosks are mixed with tables, small cinemas, small music stages and relaxing rooms. All the food experience is mixed with the atmosphere of the fortress. The corridors are no longer dark places with no use, but they are transformed into an atmospheric library while meeting young artists.
The vintage market experience
The strong and tall external wall in comparison with the wild greenery was always an impenetrable boundary from the city to the fortress. With the formation of a public – wooden square next to Via Portuense there is a first attempt to bring the city smoothly in the fortress. At the font of the wooden square is the vintage market, organized by the local people. Small colorful kiosks dressed with colorful things of any type lead you naturally in the fortress. The dynamic of the kiosks and the texture of the ground form a path and give a rhythm to the visitors. In addition, the vertical cafeteria delivers you directly to the upper level- path of the fortress through a steel bridge. The nature slowly approaches the city via the last kiosks of the market. People have picnics next to vintage buyers.
The wellness center into the woods
Deeply more into the woods the wellness center clears your mind and soul. A natural path lead the walker from the busy city into a calm green environment, where a glass cabin – entrance guides you in the wellness center. The gym is formed around a submerged atrium which consists also an outdoor climbing wall. Traces of the building are visible from the ground level in a form of a small park where you can observe the climbers reaching their final destination. The gym is connected directly to the meditation center which is placed in an atmospheric underground area of the fortress.
Into the heart of the fortress
The vintage market ‘throws’ the visitor into the heart of the fortress, where the botanic garden reaches the ground. The steel bridge leaves you directly onto the existed path of the upper level where the ramps bring you in the heart. A way down from the two wooden amphitheaters could be another alternative. In the first one you can play human scale chess or you can enjoy one of the many spontaneous shows of the central small stage.
