From the students of the workshop "the Venice Towers" a design competition for the redevelopment of Marghera

Permasteelisa Group has hosted in its venetian seat, Palazzo Giustinian Lolin, the fourth edition of the International Workshop "The Venice Towers", an experience of two weeks full-time which saw the participation of 15 international students to explore the themes of architecture and design of skyscrapers; to lead the workshop was a very good group of teachers composed of resident professors- Luigi Croce, University of Udine, Jason Pomeroy, University of Nottingham, Chris Groesbeck and Monika Thadhani, VOA Associates, Chicago - joined by Permasteelisa Group engineers who have specifically addressed the issue of design from the perspective of architectural façades.The workshop, organized by Luigi Croce and the Venice Architectural Association and promoted by the Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat (CTUBH) with the support of the architectural firms Skidmore Owings & Merrill (New York), Pomeroy Studio (Singapore) and VOA Associates (Chicago), analyzed the problems of the development and reconstruction of an abandoned industrial area south of the residential area of Marghera.In this regard, the students were asked to design a small group of towers (around 100-120 meters high), with the location of the complex in an industrial area in the western part of the lagoon, south of the residential city of Mestre, now at the center of a vast redevelopment project.

Based on this inputs and working in small groups the students have developed projects and designs considering also the opportunity of a radical change in the surroundings of the building, with the creation of transport infrastructure, parks and other public functions both on land and in the lagoon, taking into account the integration and the relationship between the "tall buildings" and the historical and cultural center of the city.

The workshop was an opportunity for the students to get closer to the world of design of "tall buildings" and complex works, but also to study the peculiar and unique urban history of the city of Venice through in-depth researches and insights.

The awarding of the winning entries took place last Friday 18th of July, during the final day of the workshop, with the special commendation assigned to the projects designed by Ruchi Dattani (New Jersey Institute of Technology) and Dario Catozzi (University of Ferrara), and Henry Beer Boimond (University of Sao Paulo) and Filippo Andrighetto (IUAV Venice), the prize consisting in a period of internship at the architectural studios partners of the initiative.