Renovation of the "Torre di Porta Nuova" as a cultural centre

Ground floor plan.

Project details

• Project Name: Renovation of the "Torre di Porta Nuova" as a cultural centre
• Location of Site: Venice, Italy
• Design Team: Francesco Magnani, Traudy Pelzel
• Project Type: Renovation of historical building
• Client: Arsenale di Venezia spa
• Built-up Area: 800 sq m
• Date of completion: Under construction

Plan level +22.22 m.

Words from the architect

The client's requirement was two-fold:

• preservation and enhancement of a historical building and
• the new function of this building as an exhibition space and cultural center

Cross-section.

The project enhances the verticality of the interior spaces while maintaining the unitary spaces generated by the mighty brick structure.

The intervention aims to combine building conservation and the newer functions (exhibition, information, cultural center).

Cross-section.

The new structures for public spaces and services, and the volumes needed to host the main plant equipment, are autonomous objects, made different by materials and technologies compared to the Tower building walls. This result is obtained by inserting vertical partitions coated with a sheet of 10/10 cor-ten steel.

Exterior view of tower.

Functions-placement enhances original building spatiality and vertical development of the tower.

There are also new structures independent of the existing walls to enhance the visual perception of building unitary spaces.

View of reading hall.

View of reading hall from exhibition hall.

View of exhibition hall.

View of exhibition hall from steel staircase.

View of ramps.

Maquette images.

Maquette images.

Maquette images.

Maquette images.

Credits

• Text and Photographs: MAP studio