The Rialto Bridge, one of the most iconic symbols of Venice, is the oldest and most monumental of the four bridges that cross the Grand Canal. Designed by the architect, Antonio da Ponte, and built between 1588 and 1591, it replaced the previous wooden structures in response to the need for a stable and permanent connection between the two sides of the financial and commercial centre of the city. Built entirely of Istria stone, the bridge forms a large, single 28-metre arch, high enough for boats to pass underneath. Its solid structural mass is lightened with porticos and small shops that transform the bridge into an authentic urban space suspended over the water. The bridge rises over the Grand Canal, the backbone of the city and its main communication route. Along the banks of the canal are some of the most important buildings in Venice, testament to the wealth and historic stratification of the Serenissima. Among these are Gothic residences like the Ca’ d’Oro, Renaissance palaces like Palazzo Grimani, and others from the Baroque period, like Ca’ Rezzonico, in a sequence of different styles that narrate the evolution of Venetian architecture over the centuries. Today, as well as forming the connection between San Marco and San Polo, the Rialto Bridge is one of the most photographed sites in the world and a symbol of Venetian capacity to combine function with timeless architectural beauty.
1, 2, 2/, N > Rialto 1, N > Rialto Mercato
04. Campo San Polo (Basilica dei Frari)
Campo San Polo
30125 Venice
winter timetable
Mon - Sat / 9 am - 6 pm
Sun / 1 pm - 6 pm
summer timetable
Mon - Fri / 9 am - 7.30 pm
Sat / 9 am - 6 pm
www.basilicadeifrari.it
Campo San Polo is the second largest square in Venice after Saint Mark’s Square. An important urban space, it is renowned for its complex historical and architectural stratification. Originally used to pasture flocks, it was paved over in the 15th century, and for hundreds of years has hosted public events, markets, and celebrations, and still plays an important social role in the community. A short distance away is the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, one of the most important religious buildings in the city. With its imposing mass and brick facade, it represents one of the best examples of the Venetian High Gothic period; the severe but majestic interior is punctuated by slim pillars and pointed arches. The basilica houses several famous Venetian art works, including the monument to Canova, Tintoretto’s magnificent mausoleum, and the renowned Assunta, painted by the master himself. The main altar and carved canopy form a masterpiece of beautifully balanced composition that expands the depth of the sacred space. Although serving different functions, Campo San Polo and the Basilica dei Frari represent two fundamental elements in the Venetian way of life: the first, a meeting place and public space for communal activities, and the second, a place of worship and spiritual reflection, symbolising the coexistence of the sacred and the secular in the urban morphology.
Palazzo Experimental, located in the Dorsoduro sestiere, is an excellent example of the restoration of a historic Venetian building for conversion into a boutique hotel. The project, assigned by Experimental Group to the interior designer, Dorothée Meilichzon, was based on careful restoration work and the reorganisation of the internal layout, with a focus on preserving the original elements. The building overlooks one of the city’s canals, and its Neoclassical facade was maintained intact, with its regular rows of windows and elegant, sober decorative elements. The communal areas and guest rooms have maintained the traditional Venetian style, with high ceilings, exposed beams, and hand-crafted details that interact with the the plain essential furnishing design. For the cocktail bar design, Meilichzon called on the architect, Cristina Celestino who used refined materials such as marble, wood and velvet in a harmonious palette inspired by the colours of the lagoon, transforming the bar into an intimate welcoming lounge space (clearly visible on the plan and in the photo). One of the most interesting elements of the building is the internal courtyard, transformed into a secret garden, offering an oasis of peace and tranquillity in the dense urban fabric. Palazzo Experimental can be considered as a successful example of a contemporary hotel that enhances the Venetian historic heritage through innovative architectural design.
The basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, the masterpiece created by the architect, Baldassare Longhena, is one of the most iconic buildings of the Venetian Baroque period. The construction began in 1631 to celebrate the end of the plague that had devastated the city. The imposing consecrated basilica dominates the entrance to the Grand Canal; its majestic dome silhouetted against the urban skyline of Venice. Longhena’s design is renowned for its central octagonal layout, inspired by Palladian churches, but reinterpreted in a splendid, dynamic style. The spacious interior is emphasised by the light filtered through the large windows, that creates striking contrasts of light and shadow. Above the main altar, also designed by Longhena, is the famous group sculpture of the Vergine della Salute, symbol of the Virgin’s protection of the city; the basilica is also home to other famous paintings, including works by Tiziano and Tintoretto. From an urban viewpoint, the church of Santa Maria della Salute represents a visual and symbolic reference point, interacting with the surrounding architecture and creating a harmonious balance with the Punta della Dogana. Every year, on November 21st, the basilica is the focal point of the traditional Festa della Salute, an event that still today, bears witness to the strong bond between the architecture and spirituality of the city of Venice.
Basilica
Baldassare Longhena
Murray Foubister CC
29. Fondaco dei Tedeschi – Restoration
Calle del Fontego
dei Tedeschi 30100 30124 Venice
The Fondaco dei Tedeschi, located near the Rialto Bridge, is one of the symbols of Venetian trade architecture. In 1508, it was destined as the main trading post for German merchants, and modified over the centuries. The contemporary restoration, created in 2016 by OMA, led by Rem Koolhaas, with a final execution plan developed by C+S Architects, transformed the building into a multifunctional space integrating modern and traditional elements with refined sensitivity. Constructed around a central courtyard, the building underwent a complete transformation with a glass roof that converted the internal patio into a light-filled atrium. This intervention made it possible to combine the historical appearance with modern-day needs like the creation of a cultural and commercial complex. The internal surfaces highlight the original materials, brick, stone and marble, with the use of modern elements like minimalist stairways and steel railings. Today, the Fondaco is a prime example of how architecture can restore heritage buildings without eliminating the quintessential aspects, making them accessible to a wider, more diversified public. However, the fate of the Fondaco is currently insecure as it is not known if the management company will renew the lease or decide to move it to another building. Yet another opportunity that should not be lost.
1, 2, 2/, N > Rialto
Photograph by Delfino Sisto Legnani and Marco
Cappelletti, Courtesy
OMA
32. Housing Project in Cannaregio (Former Saffa Area)
Cannaregio
30100 Venice
external viewing only
1, 2, 2/, N >
Ferrovia A 1, 2, 2/, 5.2, N >
Ferrovia B 4.2, 5.1, 5.2 > Crea
Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia
The housing project in the former Saffa industrial area in Cannaregio, designed in 1984 by Vittorio Gregotti, represents one of the most important examples of modern residential construction in the historic Venetian urban fabric. Part of an INA-Casa program, the complex is composed of a group of buildings that repropose typical Venetian urban elements like bell towers, narrow alleys, and courtyards, but in Rationalist style. Gregotti decided to use compact volumes and a restrained architectural style, where the residential blocks are positioned along pedestrian routes that create intermediary spaces destined for social contact. The exposed brick facades establish a visual and material link with the local traditional building style despite the clearly modern rational design. Regular symmetrical loggias and window openings provide a dynamic flexible quality, erasing all signs of formal rigidity. The project stands out for its capacity to harmoniously combine inhabitants’ needs and urban quality, using architecture as an instrument to rehabilitate a marginal peripheral area without sacrificing its strong project design character. In this sense, the Cannaregio housing project demonstrates how a rationalist approach can be applied in a sensitive way, maintaining its links with history while responding to present-day needs.
visitable during La Biennale +39 041 5218 711 info@labiennale.org www.comune.venezia.it/it/ arsenaledivenezia
1, 4.1, 4.2, B > Arsenale
4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 22, B > Bacini – Arsenale Nord
The Arsenale di Venezia (dockyards and workshops) is one of the most imposing industrial complexes in history, a symbol of the naval power of the Venetian Republic (Serenissima) and a trailblazer for modern assembly line production. Founded in 1104 and extended over the following centuries, the Arsenale covers an area of almost 120 acres, surrounded by massive walls that guaranteed construction secrets and protection. This vast dockyard became the hub of Venetian galley ship construction, based on production methods and technology that were revolutionary for the period. As part of the urban plan, the Arsenale was built around a system of wet docks and internal canals designed to facilitate extremely efficient ship assembly and transport. Even as early as the 16th century, Venice used a mass production method able to build a galley ship in less than a day, an innovation which was centuries ahead of the modern Ford Motor production lines. As well as its military function, the Arsenale had a central role in the expansion of Venice, contributing to the economic and social growth of the city. Today, part of the complex is destined for the Biennale, with exhibition spaces created within some of the ancient structures in a fascinating dialogue between industrial archaeology and contemporary art. Its transformation as a cultural hub demonstrates the capacity of the city to reinterpret its historical heritage in an innovative manner, while maintaining the memory of its glorious naval history alive.
The M9 Museum, designed by Sauerbruch Hutton and inaugurated in Mestre in 2018, is one of the most ambitious urban renewal operations created in the Venetian area. Integrated within a widely transformed historical-industrial context, the museum attracts immediate attention for its innovative use of materials and architectural style which combines sustainability and technology. The compact but irregular building appears as a dynamic monolith clad in a mosaic of vibrant ceramic panels that reflect the colours of Venice and create an iridescent effect according to the light. Ceramic materials were used not only for their aesthetics, but also for their functional action as climate control for the building. The interior is spread over several floors, offering flexible exhibition spaces, and is equipped with advanced technology to create immersive interaction with multimedia content. The large entrance hall was designed as a covered urban piazza, a meeting place to create a relationship between the museum and the city. The Sauerbruch Hutton project represents an effective example of how contemporary architecture can interact with historic contexts without indulging in imitation, redefining the role of new cultural buildings within urban environments.
