MVRDV - Project leaders Lorenzo Mattozzi and Cosimo Scotucci to direct studio at VS 2022 University of Melbourne

Project leaders Lorenzo Mattozzi and Cosimo Scotucci to direct studio at VS 2022 University of Melbourne

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Project leaders Lorenzo Mattozzi and Cosimo Scotucci will be leading an intensive course in Venice, Italy for the University of Melbourne. The course called “Venice Studio 2022” comprises 8 leading international offices of architecture and urbanism, such as Snohetta, UN Studio, Zaha Hadid Architects, Sauerbruch Hutton and more, convening at Palazzo Michiel along the Grand Canal. Over the course of 14 days, a series of public lectures and short design studios will see the participation of 80 selected students, coming from Melbourne and internationally.

The MVRDV course, named “The Harvest Road”, will research landscape, agriculture and food production within the Venetian lagoon and it will include field trips to directly experience nature, production and products. It will study limits, constraints, specificities and potentials of growing food in an environment surrounded by brackish water. It will use the MVRDV methodology to analyse the context, to study scale and typology and to produce a consistent project narrative that addresses sustainability by means of the UN SDGs.

Students will reach a basic understanding of the Venetian context, particularly the relation between Venice and its lagoon. The Studio will offer multiple channels for learning and experiencing the city and the surrounding landscape. The chosen sites are the south-western edge of the island of Sant’Erasmo, the Islands of Vignole and Certosa, and the south-eastern edge of Venice (Sant’Elena).

The islands of Sant’Erasmo, Vignole, Certosa and Sant’Elena have a very close proximity to one another and it seems only natural to connect them and develop their unexplored potential. The Studio will assume a connection/route is already in place and the students will design three “halls” connected to the cycles of agriculture, food and fishing in the lagoon:

  • on the Island of Sant’Erasmo, the students will plan a Market Hall where local producers will be able to display, sell and educate about their products;
  • on the island of Vignole, traditionally a place with vineyards, the students will design a Wine Hall with the aim of educating about historical grapes and wine production;
  • on the eastern edge of Venice, the students will envision a Fish Hall to allow people to taste the lagoon’s products and flavours, a truer experience of the Venetian cuisine, in a very open and social context.

The three “stations” and their connecting route will constitute a new way to understand Venice and its lagoon, by foot, boat and even by bicycle. The Harvest Road is meant to become a new attraction for residents and mindful tourists.

  • Dates: July 4th – July 15th. 
  • Location: Palazzo Michiel, Venice.
  • More information can be found here.