The project was a collaboration between 5 UNSW students in order to redevelop an urban masterplan for the island of Sant Elena, Venice. The design question - how could an architecture engage and raise awareness of the Venetian rising tides, and with the long term sustainability of the city?

The two lowest points of the site became a critical axis, as it allowed the greatest interaction and exploration of the fluctuating tides. Along this axis a key pedestrian link through the city is proposed, tying together both an indoor and outdoor public pool and a local bathhouse. An underground swimming canal along the same axis reveals the underground landscape of the Venetian piles.

The housing element of the program becomes an extension of the fine grain of existing urban fabric to the south, with no real distinction between the old and the new. Within this is 70% private housing, and 30% social housing in order to match the highly successful model in Vienna. The housing blocks are arranged as loosely defined courtyards reminiscent of the Venetian urban morphology, and located around the existing trees.

Seidler International Design Studio Venice // 3rd Year - IUAV.

Collaborators: Joshua Sleight, Sasha Lesiuk, Luke Walker, Layla Kia.