Zona Sette Mon Amour Case Study

mare culturale urbano
Title / Subtitle
Premise (premessa)
An urban project means taking the geography of a given city, with its demands and suggestions, as a starting point and introducing, with the architecture, some elements of the language to give form to the site.
(Ignasi de Solà-Morales)
Presupposition (presupposto)
Post-industrial cities have seen an increase of derelict urban spaces, built-up structures and buildings became obsoletes once its original functions turned into either unimportant or lost. While new constructions arise to fill the demands and trends of a contemporary city, the urban sprawl contributes to growing those urban and architectural voids in the city.
According to Ignasi de Solà-Morales (1995, 120), these strange
Zona Sette Mon Amour is one of them, founded by a group of researchers, citizens, and associations that sees the area as an experimental laboratory for urban planning practices within its controversial social dynamics. In this way, creates a “manual” conceived as an operational tool to highlight the challenges and potential development for that area.
Besides Mare’s urban activation actions, the center sponsors artistic residencies where its vivid arts-related programming comes from. So, this recognizable polo culturale gathers not only the artists’ production but also the community and audience.
In order to spread out its capacity, Mare plans to build a new venue next to Cascina, occupying an urban square where two abandoned built-up structures take place, at via Novara, 75. Also circumscribed in a bigger plan of urban development for the via Novara surroundings, the new project for Mare creates an important public equipment – an urban reference cultural pole.

The new architectural design for Mare will take place on the urban quadrant of Via Novara, between via Fleming and via del Ticino, and via Giulio Ferreri
From via Novara, a big axis of horizontal circulation crosses the building reaching to the garden backward. There, a diagonal pedestrian passage also connects the two lateral streets.
Getting into the building, an expressive triple height central gallery turns into a dynamic microcosm that reproduces some characteristics of a street within the building. It is conceived not only as a passage but also as a place of permanence, meeting, and contemplation – one ideal space for playful activities, performances, parties and other presentations. Thus, is an element that organizes the main functions of Mare architectural program.
Along the passage, there are two theater rooms, a cafe-bistro, as well as an atelier opened to a patio that separates the administrative units. Perpendicular to the passage there is a generous space for the staircase that connects the ground floor to the others.
On the basement, there are three cinema rooms, also reversible for conferences, and a small auditorium. On the first floor, there are two multipurpose rooms and a restaurant. On the last floor, there are recording and rehearsal rooms, besides a big terrace destined for special