Loft del Forte

Venice, Italy

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Loft del Forte

Venice, Italy

Firm

Caprioglio Architects

Type

Residential › Apartment Multi Unit Housing
Industrial › Warehouse

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2013

SIZE

10,000 sqft - 25,000 sqft

BUDGET

$1M - 5M

HISTORICAL ANALYSIS - CRITICAL

The building on which we intervene belongs to the complex of buildings of the compendium, developed over time, beginning in 1883 until the thirties of the twentieth century, the "oils and greases" Federico Matter.

The only image that you have of the settlement OILS MATTER relates to the decor of a letterhead dated 23 October 1912.
In it, the Dutch title and the factory overlooking the Via Forte Marghera match the existing, recently restored and destined to the offices of the

Mestre headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts.

The image that perspective through typical setting of the era advertising taste, is certainly emphasized by lines of flight, allows you to appreciate the facility ordered in volumes with roofs and huts perpendicular to Via Forte Marghera. It is split in two plexuses, presumably connected by one or more (is not given to assess more than one), shelters windows, crossing a central courtyard.
The first, overlooking Via Forte Marghera, is inspired by architecture of the façade, in brickwork and plaster, Nordic types (Dutch), perhaps inspired, on
a smaller scale, to the taste brought to Venice from Molino Stucky and from the nearby brewery on the Giudecca.
The second forms a backdrop ordered relative to all and consists of a gabled pavilions each other with equal oculus and central mullioned window.

Two elements characterize the modern energy and hard work of the factory: the power line and a smoking chimney on the bottom.
The Land Registry Austro-Italian, supporting document until 1925, is a statement of all issues made as to the interpretation of the state of the era. In fact, the plant that can be seen is three pavilions of which two of them detached perpendicular to Via Forte Marghera and third postico perpendicular to them.

The system then organizes three buildings around a courtyard.
It seems clear that in the period following this first implant was placed third body between two perpendicular to Forte Marghera, while the body postico, presumably made with architecture that can be seen from the iconography of the letterhead of 1912 was subsequently demolished to give rise to a reconstruction to shed corresponding in part to the existing one. It as discussed below was certainly the result of the expansion of the property towards the large courtyard of relevance place to the east, acquired and functionally adapted to new and most recent needs of the "Oils Matter".

The historical-critical analysis that results show a substantial difference between the advertising image that had been widespread realization of the industrial and reality

The large central courtyard separating the two buildings and is not given to know whether the second has been, in the form illustrated by the advertising title, quandanco the answer, following the reading of the Land Registry Austro-Italian, it may be positive, to the equivalent to postico volume compared to the Via Forte Marghera.

Over time the volume postico was certainly demolished, if realized, and replaced by new volumes oriented on the large patio to the east, adjacent to the first plant after World War II, where they spent the loading and unloading of goods.
The annulment thus the inner courtyard, the central between the two complexes, and the annexation of a new space that will likely involve a change of orientation of the secondary artifacts that gradually added.

The overall system thus assumes a new configuration with dual orientation of the foot, causing it to today's compositional logic.
In particular, it can therefore be argued on this dual orientation, relative to the "original compositional logic."
It would be articulated in fact on an original plexus corresponding to a compositional logic of the first phase, perpendicular orientation of the buildings and their cover pitched gabled, at Via Forte Marghera.

A second complex, replacement of the connecting courtyard (equipped with overhead canopies) and possibly the secondary original complex, with buildings oriented with fronts and access to the new big yard to the east.

It suggests, quite clearly, that the volume on which operates the project has been built with the present configuration, since the orientation of the foot and aligned with the buildings of the first plexus perpendicular to it, determining itself in such a manner comparatively , but especially in the functional relationship with the opening of the large double height space to the new court, acquired the new factory capabilities.
This plant large unit volume open to the courtyard, to allow easy access and probably in origin constituting a large shed, then caught by one hole volumes that have closed the open archway to the courtyard.

The structural type of iron trusses reading to bring the only coverage of a great light, corresponds to the structure of many roofs of Porto Marghera with similar features built between the '20s and' 30s of the twentieth century.

As for the single-storey volume with double pitched roof, so this is clearly the accretions of no architectural value or typological, corresponding to the period after the first plant, which provided a good chance, evincibile the type of structures (carpentry in iron), a set-to shed, when it ceased the industrial activity of the Matter and since the 60s also changed the functional structure of the plant construction and large courtyard to the east.

It seems thus presumably so the change that the project involves the massing to the east, aimed at eliminating the obvious superfluous, devoid of any architectural and functional connection with the "original compositional logic" of the plant.

By contrast, the proposed amendment seeks to increase the "retraining" and the recovery of the substantial configuration and comprehensive source of new volumes aimed at creating a new functional structure in relation to the courtyard.

It seems therefore to consistently proposing the project action with the aim of the rule in art. 15 of N.T.A. Variant of the historic center of Mestre.
The analysis highlights the assumption of the rule to read correctly the building fabric which is characterized by type and morphology of "poor quality and with signs of alteration".

The project intervenes, within normal limits, with "restructuring of the inner parts" and an external edit by "modest" aim, as part of the new residential use, to "riqualificarne and recovering the configuration according to the substantive and comprehensive" compositional logic original ".

DESIGN CRITERIA

Based on what has been shown in the state of affairs in comparison with the project the volume of the building is appropriate in the action of recovery and reuse, with a volume compensation between what is obtained and thus decreased as the central courtyard and the adjustment of the front and the relative volume.

It is therefore identified a consistent morphological arrangement with the adjacent fronts under construction, such as to give continuity to the performance of the gabled roofs of the buildings of industrial origin (ex oils Matter).

This will give a residential facility on two floors above ground and one underground, articulating two buildings that are linked to the north around a central courtyard, with appropriate distance of ml. 10.00 between windowed internal fronts.
The design intent is the revenue of 4 units on the upper ground floor of ml. 0:50 and 4 other units on the first floor equipped with loft and viable attic, not habitable and terraces formed with the recording of groundwater levels.

PLAN FUNCTIONAL DISTRIBUTION

The project installation of new residences is, as mentioned above, arranged on three levels, of which two main, ground floor and first floor, and a third made of the trend in the roof pitches.

From the road which is right of way, equipped with appropriate sidewalk leads to the entrance to the residential units protected by appropriate shelter to shelter, made of steel and glass, according to the designs shown in the tables and sections.

The scope of a constituent link the entrance hall, equipped with cupboards relating to meters and other measuring equipment of residential consumption, it reaches the large courtyard equipped with staircase and elevator for the disabled that connects the mezzanine to first floor; a distribution gallery shelters the entrances to the accommodation on the ground floor and provides access to those of the first floor.
On the ground floor are distributed 4 accommodation of various sizes, made up of living - dining room, kitchenette, two bedrooms and two bathrooms, for those of gross area of 77.2 square meters. and 88.9 square meters. While the other two units are made up of living - dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, in the housing case of gross area of 93.2 square meters. and two bedrooms, two bathrooms and study in the case of the gross area of 109.00 square meters ..

Through the stairs you come to the gallery on the first floor which distributes 4 accommodation arranged over two floors with different measures of gross area of 110.20 sq m., In the number of 2 and 138.8 m. for the other two.
Those of smaller surface are composed of living - dining room and kitchen, with an upper loft connected by an internal staircase, which stands for the viable portion not habitable attic and terrace obtained in the ground wire; the two specular apartments are completed with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The larger apartments are similar to the previous, but the living - dining room is equipped with a kitchen, so their surface is more of the above.
The courtyard will be equipped with a suitable arrangement of ornamental greenery.
The court is also characterized by a totem, defined compartment systems in which it will be applied the system of photovoltaic panels established by law as an alternative and renewable energy for productive integration required electricity.
The allocation of such energy sources is also supplemented by solar panels placed on the roof for the integration of the heating and hot water.

STRUCTURES AND MATERIALS

The compositional organization of external facades and those overlooking the courtyard is strongly differentiated.
In the case of the first it is conditioned by the flatness of the east and west facades and their pitched roof.
In the case of the latter it is rendered more readable and the varied section and enriched by distributive elements arranged inside both horizontally and vertically.

On the two exterior elevations makes extensive use of cassette frames, light constituents bay window that connote volumetrically the two sides, which are aggettivate from use of materials: the band corresponding to the ground floor is covered with facing bricks, while one corresponding to the first floor and the attic is coated with Parklex wood panels, suitable for outdoor.
The inner facades characterized by continuous coating facing bricks, are characterized by large windows in order to implement the penetration of light inside the housing; to this end a large part of the first floor balconies distribution is made of steel and glass, so as not to limit the spread of light in the courtyard.

Press also specify how the key is maintained in the draft of vision of the body of the building continuity, understood as a single element, so that in the reading of the structure are kept in view, above the glass balconies, two large metal trusses in memory of industrial vocation of the building loft.

The access cover of the inner court and the same courtyard is paved with stoneware slabs, as well as the non-transparent parts of the gallery on the first floor.

The terraces formed in the pitch roof will be paved with planks of teak wood.
The frames can be made of aluminum electro colored of various types and / or white PVC, final choice will be made explicit in the final design.
All the windows are with thermal break profiles, fitted with double glazing, including those made at the flap edge.