the observatory from future

Venice, Italy, a city that is part of UNESCO’s Historic preservation, is know for its infamous canals, bridges, and architecture. This Impressive configuration was even named “a floating city” for its extensive network of water canals. How does one design an observatory in such a visually rich environment? The site given by Venice Biennale competition was one of the courtyard buildings in the heart of the city with classical architectural details.

Our intent is to create an element that mimicks the existing, and further amplifies the existing details. As a result we aimed at creating an observatory that is eroded by its rich sourondings, therefore less visible from one’s experince through the space, creating more mystery.

The existing building contains two courtyards, a smaller courtyard, and a larger courtyard. The installation at first courtyard consists of line figures implying a spherical form that is floating in space as a prelude to the second courtyard where two other stacked spheres create an observatory. The object peaks above the courtyard building to capture views throughout the city.

Projections from the existing building eat away at the two spheres, creating an object that mimicks the finer details of the historical context, but its minimal spherical mass hints at a futuristic aesthetic.

The second sphere implements augmented reality to provide information to visitors about city’s significant sites.