Volumetric Studies

The brief for the volumetric study was to go beyond thinking of a building as an individual object and take serious consideration about its interaction with its specific context. I chose Site A, Murano, and this involved masterplanning the immediate context around it. The island at the moment is mainly derelict - there are a few warehouses but I learnt from spending time on the island that the majority of the area is overgrown or deserted, hence the reason to create a masterplan.  

After myself and a team of students created this laser cut model of Venice, we split ourselves up to design different areas within the initial masterplan. Within this area I had to choose a site for my building design, illustrated here with a matchstick cube inside my black foam board masterplan.

These series of gifs show my first set of volumetric ideas for suitable scales of development, based on cutting away sections of a solid piece of cardboard. The gif below shows at first: 

1. A 3 storey box, to demonstrate the maximum size of development for the site. 

2. The same box with an overhang in my new proposed courtyard, allowing people to pass under, with a triangular section on the third floor that allows views to the communal garden areas to the north.

3. A bottom heavy design that sets back each level to maximise light 

4. A mixture of 2 and 3, featuring both overhangs and set backs.

This next gif shows the same series of volumetric proposals looking north over the courtyard:

I then started experimenting with the form of the masterplan around the site, moving and rotating sections to create different spaces whilst still keeping the same size floor plates: 

I currently think that this (below) is the best location for the site - it overlooks a courtyard and has views north towards the new Vaporetto link and the communal gardens; and views south over the courtyard and (on the top storey) views looking towards Venice. The same series of volumetric shapes have been placed on the new site to see how well they respond to their immediate environment: 

I was interested to see how my area of the masterplan related to other people's proposals for different areas of the masterplan. I was pleased to see that the (cardboard) section above my (black) section followed the same line, and was of a similar height; albeit with more dense massing. 

From an aesthetic point of view I'm pleased I bought black foamboard rather than white foamboard, as it really contrasts well with the wooden model. The colour of the cardboard also seems to work against both elements, but my final presentations will be of a higher standard. 

Orientation, Prospect and Aspect Part 2

To continue our desktop study, we change our scale to look at individual blocks rather than general plan views. This meant we could look at the particular ways and reasons that buildings were positioned in their surroundings.

I started looking at blocks next to the canal, and quickly spotted a pattern. The blocks were usually orientated perpendicular to the canal, rather than parallel to it. The blocks were also built right up against the water, with flat façades to maximise waterside frontage. This meant the public pathways were positioned inland - you couldn't walk alongside the canal.

Alleys between the terraces allow light into the buildings furthest from the canal. They also allow views of the canal from far inland, so people still feel connected to the waterfront that is so important to Venice.

This study could be then compared to the other two areas of Venice. Murano was very similar to typical Venice but I noticed that a few buildings broke the 'perpendicular to the canal' rule and sat parallel to it.

The buildings highlighted in purple are a church, a hotel and a glass blowing factory. They break the perpendicular rule because they are buildings of importance, and not just generic shop fronts or apartments.

The study of building layouts in Giudecca shows a very different looking diagram. The Giudeccans aren't so precious about their waterfront, setting buildings back to create public walkways along the waterfront. There are lots of open areas, no rows of terraces; but instead communal courtyards and green spaces within residential developments (highlighted in green). 

I then scaled down even more to look at the individual façades within the building blocks. I then separated the building façades with their openings to look more closely at the relationship between the window and door layouts.

What was apparent was the differences between the façades in different areas of the city. The façades in central Venice are much more uniform, more symmetrical and more attention is paid to detailing and craftsmanship. The façades outside central Venice look cheaper, they are more asymmetrical, and it is apparent that a number of later additions, such as windows or balconies, have been made due to numerous different owners in the building's lifetime. 

Most of the façades have large windows in the middle levels, letting the most light into the principle living areas. The top levels are usually bedroom levels, and small windows occupy this level. The bottom floors of Venetian buildings have traditionally been trading floors, so feature large doorways for customers and deliveries. I think the deteriorating paintwork adds to the beauty of these façades - I much prefer the asymmetrical crumbling façades on the outer islands to the very regimented façades of central Venice.  

Orientation, Prospect and Aspect Part 1

The AD3.1 (semester 1) design project was based in Venice. To start the project we split ourselves into groups and shared the site analysis/desktop study between us. My group were given the heading 'Orientation, Prospect and Aspect'. This involved looking at how Venice was built up and was developed, with the idea being that the potential development sites on the islands of Giudecca or Murano could follow these architectural trends.


To start with we selected three areas of Venice: 'Typical Venice', 'Murano' and 'Giudecca'.

We then traced these areas on AutoCAD to make clear diagrams, which also served as a solid and void study:

It was clear from these diagrams that the area in typical Venice is far denser than both Murano and Giudecca. The only thing traced in the diagram is the buildings yet the canal is clearly defined in the centre. The buildings are built right up to the waters edge, as this is where people in the city want to live - they want to be as close to water as possible. The dominance of solid over void is apparent, as is in some areas of the main (south) island of Murano. Further away from this island however, development gets more sparse. Giudecca is the least built up of the three areas. It seems to be that the most developed sites in Giudecca are on the north of the island, facing Venice; and the least developed are on the south side, facing the lagoon. 

An interesting diagram we then produced shows buildings and the land out of context. Note that the buildings follow the line of the land, north-west to south-east, and aren't orientated to any specific sun path, for instance.

This will benefit the design process because I know (that if I design by water) that the buildings are usually built right up to the edge, as this is where most people want to live.


We then looked at density visuals taken out of plan format, to assess typical views from a point in each area of Venice. Of course these are only typical views, but we felt they were useful so the observer could establish a general visual language for the areas.

The red highlights buildings closer than 5m, orange highlights buildings closer than 10m and the yellow represents buildings further than 10m. The diagrams clearly display that the shallow depth of view in central Venice means there is little room for development. Murano has room for growth further away from the canals and Giudecca has the most scope for development, shown by the deep field of view (quantity of yellow) in the diagrams.

The diagrams also highlight the heights of buildings - showing taller developments in central Venice (favourable locations for people to live) and shorter buildings on Giudecca, typically warehouses and low-rise apartments.