The White Kite

Any architectural space derives from our perceiving bodies while moving, standing or resting in a specific context.

Project details

• Project Name: The White Kite
• Location of Site: Pantigliate (MI), Italy
• Design Team: Design Architects: Alessandro Calvi Rollino, Sandro Panarese
• Project Type: Private Courtyard Canopy
• Client: Coop. Lavoratori di Pantigliate
• Contractor/s: Flli. Vico
• Site Area: 400 sq m
• Built-up Area: 80 sq m
• Cost of Construction: 36.000€
• Date of completion: September, 2004

The structure is developed from a layout, made of perceptual, functional, and structural lines.

Words from the architect

The canopy belongs to a private courtyard next to the central square of the town, and replaces an old structure; the public function of the place, and the client's will to renew were important inputs for the project; the architecture should have to distinguish itself from the surroundings both from a material and a figurative point of view, trying to attract people, providing them protection, and keeping an open aspect (the new structure has a lower number of columns than the previous one).

The almost exclusively use of section as a tool for design gives prominence to the inclination of the roof planes.

The aim of the project was to merge public into private space, thus we imagined to move actions and resting moments of people from the public square into the private courtyard: the resulting structure is developed from a layout, made of perceptual, functional, and structural lines.

Different inclinations and directions of the polycarbonate sheets.

Since the canopy replaces an old structure, the provisions of the local law fixed the position of the covered surface at ground level - a rectangle of 80 sq m. This restriction forced to an almost exclusively use of section as an expressive tool for design: as a consequence, the space is shaped by the different roof planes inclinations and orientations.

View from the coffee bar located in front of the canopy.

The whole load bearing structure is made of tubular steel, while the permanent roof is made of 20mm thick polycarbonate sheets. The white striped sheets were chosen because of their characteristics to reduce the absorption of infra-red sunrays, thereby reducing the heat under the canopy, while at the same time provide excellent light transmission; in hot sunny days, they guarantee the best possible thermal comfort; in the summer time, a temporary white-nylon membrane, can also be added to the southern part of the structure.

The name - White Kite - was suggested by inhabitants, while observing the construction site.

At ground level there are no physical barriers except for the columns: it's a wide open space that encourages people to freely move across the space. People can sit down wherever they want - chairs and tables are not fixed - and have a cup of coffee or simply talk to spend some leisure time.

View from the entrance to the courtyard.

Scale model of beam and roof junction.

Credits

• Text: Alessandro Calvi Rollino
• Photographs: Alessandro Calvi Rollino, Sandro Panarese