Place-making by the Doge
Can Venice be a model for sustainability?
Can this ancient city show the contemporary city how a place can be sustainable as a city; with an efficient urban footprint, space and building fabric, as well as a socially sustainable place which supports its residents, and then lures the world - flushing its economy and strengthening its coffers for centuries?
During blackskivvy's architectural pondering, a Venetian local (wearing a beret) made reference to Venice being 'just a village'. This got me thinking how well that reference encapsulates the city and gets to its gut on why Venice works so well; adding a feather to its hat of how this ancient sinking city may also be a model (albeit a supermodel) of sustainability.
Many a time on the brink of decay, and at times at risk of being a pickled museumed-place suffering from its own attraction, Venice is back and worthy of a look at how this place is a model for elegant sustainability. Place-making by the Doges. Your correspondent explores -
Urban checklist
Building checklist
 |
| elegance (even in puffy winter coats basking in 2 degrees) |
Can this ancient city show the contemporary city how a place can be sustainable as a city; with an efficient urban footprint, space and building fabric, as well as a socially sustainable place which supports its residents, and then lures the world - flushing its economy and strengthening its coffers for centuries?
During blackskivvy's architectural pondering, a Venetian local (wearing a beret) made reference to Venice being 'just a village'. This got me thinking how well that reference encapsulates the city and gets to its gut on why Venice works so well; adding a feather to its hat of how this ancient sinking city may also be a model (albeit a supermodel) of sustainability.
Many a time on the brink of decay, and at times at risk of being a pickled museumed-place suffering from its own attraction, Venice is back and worthy of a look at how this place is a model for elegant sustainability. Place-making by the Doges. Your correspondent explores -
 |
| ancient markets |
- Dense urban layout, efficient use of land, with a minimisation of circulation space afforded by no cars. No roads also means less wasted space.
- City's location siting: canals provide evaporative cooling.
- Dense urban grain, is not only a super efficient use of land, but provides self shading from the sun during the hot humid summer.
 |
| On the canal |
Building checklist
- Building and design fabric: Masonry buildings - built to last, and built with civic and personal pride; providing sustainability in not only material usage, but identity of place.
- Masonry, good thermal mass.
- Courtyards provide air circulation.
- Good incidental exercise; walking and steps over bridges encourages movement.
- Sense of belonging to a community: Walking not driving leads to greater 'bump' factor, and greater incident for people see eachother and socialise. They feel connected and that they belong. Have a chat on the street or continue it with a spritz or espresso at a local bar.
- Local fresh food markets - vege vendors, fish mongers, butchers and spice merchants no less.
- Psychological benefits: a generally beautiful place that looks great, equals happy residents and visitors alike.
 |
| Salute Venezia! |
 |
no cars,
efficient land use footprint, human scale,
healthy habits and pleasant surrounds
|
Comments
Post a Comment