75457 - Design Projects M

Learning outcomes

At the end of the class, student has knowledge of the design process to be implemented for historical building rehabilitation, trough the application to a simulated case-study, according to the learning by doing method. In particular, at the end of the course he/she is able to organize in a suitable sequence the survey, diagnosis and design activities by checking the coherence between their outputs.

Course contents

The aim of the Design Project M is to equip students to develop skills for approaching a rehabilitation design of an existing building. Through the design exercise, participants will be able:

1) to analyze the building in its urban area and landscape profile; 2) to define a functional program of the building and to elaborate plans and sections, consistent and correct in relation to the proposed functional program; 3) to design the building technology coherent with the existing structures/envelope, reaching the current standards of energy efficiency, evaluating the environmental impact of the technical choices.

The design exercise is represented by the rehabilitation of the building ex-Mosa (animal feed factory Martini, it. Mangimificio Martini) in the dock area (it: darsena) of Ravenna city. The building represents an interesting example of industrial archeology, in frame construction.

The building is multilevel, its volume is significant and compact. It is characterized by the presence of seven silos and it stands on a lot of about 1 hectar. The design exercise will adapt the new functions to the existing building, modifying and integrating without upsetting the overall structure and the façades. In this case, the expected design approach is therefore not purely conservative, but respectful of the existing structure and appearance, so the overall structure of the openings and the memory of the silos have to be preserved.

As foreseen by the dock development plan of the Municipality of Ravenna, the ex-Mosa is the key-re-habilitation of this area. It is supposed to include several functions, including residential and cultural. The building technology design is an essential part of the exercise.

Readings/Bibliography

Deplazes A., Constructing Architecture: Materials Processes Structure. A Handbook, (Ed.) BIRKHÄUSER.

Zimmermann A., Constructing Landscape. Materials, Techniques, Structural Components, (Ed.) BIRKHÄUSER.

The bibliography will be provided at the end of the lessons.

Teaching methods

The teaching method consist in lectures by the teacher (scheduled in the beginning of the semester, mainly concerning the urban area analysis, the illustration of the building, other example of industrial archeology re-habilitation, building technology) and, for most of the time, in the discussion/correction of the project progress.

The active participation and interaction between teacher and students is much appreciated.

Assessment methods

The exam consists in the design exercise, so the graphic representations of the project is the exam itself.

It would be very useful to know the use of a cad representation software, but drawings by hands are accepted as well.

The list of the required drawings, and their representation scales, will be presented at the beginning of the semester. Some example of exams will be illustrated, in order to show the desirable results.

Teaching tools

The didactic contents, necessary for the design exercise, will be distributed to the students, in the classroom if possible and by e-mail.

Office hours

See the website of Elena Giacomello