“SGF - SPAZIO GIOVANI ALLA FRONTIERA - YOUTH AREA AT THE BORDER”

Urbanity of the Nature Nature as urban suture between Gorizia and Nova Gorica

Urbanity of the Nature Nature as urban suture between Gorizia and Nova Gorica

Border towns divided by frontier can be seen all over the world but particularly across Europe where borders have been changed much more then in any other part of the world over the last two centuries.The Berlin Wall long stood as a symbol of a divided city. Reunification of Berlin has taken more then twenty years but it will still be a long time before Berliners live as one entity. Of course, we speak about one entity not in the political sense but at a more cultural level. Gorizia, with its younger sibling Nova Gorica, has a different background than just a divided city. Not the city but its inhabitants have been divided by national identity; those who decided to live in Yugoslavia and those who stayed in Italy. There was not a physical division like in case of Berlin or other cities in Europe.

Today’s belief that the extremist politics of the twentieth century is now gone should not make us forget more recent events where we can still witness cities divided by the Balkan Wars such as Kosovska Mitrovica and Mitrovicë, or East and West Mostar to name a few.

In this sense, we do not see “SGF - Youth Area at the Border” as just an architectural competition where we can use architecture in order to heal the past. Our proposal goes beyond cityness formed by mass building. We consider architecture as art creating new spaces, where the buildings are just one of the architect´s tools. Therefore, we use topography, greenery and trees for social and architectural purpose to create a new form of urbanity.

Berlin Kosovska Mitrovica Mostar

Border towns

Gorizia and Nova Gorica

The modern city of Nova Gorica has been built on the belief that human kind is able to create a new society in an urban scheme of Nova Gorica. The architect Edvard Ravnikar, therefore, designed a city which could be compared with Le Corbusier Chandigarh or Lúcio Costa Brasilia. He designed the city on green field at a time when more than half of the cities of Europe faced massive reconstruction of their original fabric after being bombed and destroyed and during the war. The uniqueness of a new city built on green field was celebrated as success of a new emerging country.

Opposite to this we have Gorizia, a city with a long history. Gorizia was not a place for urban experiment. Instead, it established its uniqueness and advantage on the historical development of the city’s fabric.

As these two cities were divided by a border during the Cold War period, it could easily be misinterpreted that the border created a dividing boundary similar to the Berlin Wall. However, even during the Cold War period, the border between Gorizia and Nova Gorica was used freely by both Yugoslavian and Italian citizens to travel in both directions from the 1960’s onwards. Being a border between the western world and a socialist country, it was also used by a huge number of political refugees from Hungary after 1956, Czechoslovakia after 1968 and other countries where dictatorships were a valid regime.

While we should not forget there was a border line between the two cities, neither should we forget the events of the 1950’s when the Yugoslavian Army spent weeks on the border waiting to start a battle that nobody wanted to happen, especially so soon after the horrors of the Second World War. Nor should we forget that although the European border between Italy and Slovenia no longer exists in the same sense, it has instead moved to Ceuta – the border line between Morocco and Spain (European Union), a place where the peoples’ struggle for freedom is hidden from the modern, western world.

The Ceuta border fence is a separa-tion barrier between Morocco and the Autonomous City of Ceuta, in Spain The border fence consists of 11 km (7 miles) of parallel 3 m (10 ft) high fences topped with barbed wire, regular watchposts and a road running between them to accom-modate police patrols.

Nova Gorica - design by Edvard Ravnikar

Gorizia

Balance

With this knowledge we developed a project that goes beyond architectural and social issues and focuses on the prominent feature of the border which is to divide. Our proposal is not simply a way to overwrite the common past and eliminate the border by extending Gorizia through mass building. Instead, it looks to use non-architectural elements such as nature as a way to strengthen, reevaluate and symbolize the common past.

Urabnity of the Nature is a self-reflection of both cities where Gorizia will offer the space and Nova Gorica will offer the ideal scheme of modernity in order to create new urban entity - the missing part of the city landscape.

Reading the original plan of Edvard Ravnikar for Nova Gorica as the ideal interpretation of the Gorizia fabric we propose to create unification of the two by adding a new element to the SGF area.

Ravnikar passed the border by creating diagonal axis towards the historical center and so he established mental orientation of Nova Gorica. Finishing this diagonal axis in the city centre of Gorizia was a statement that can today be interpreted as an advanced form and idea of unification which has been further realized Slovenia joining the European Union. Therefore, for us, the implementation of Ravnikar´s idea is not an aesthetic journey but a moral stand-point. city landscape

Urabnity of the Nature is a self-reflection of both cities where Gorizia will offer the space and Nova Gorica will offer the ideal scheme of modernity in order to create new urban entity- the missing part of the city landscape.

Alley along the border Inspired by diagonal axis of Nova Gorica we propose a nature axis along the border towards city center. The frontier is transformed to the new walk and bike way with outdoor sport activities. The Alley starts at the Youth Point tower, in the Slovenian territory where the new Sport Park will be built and leads to the city center. The Alley is parallel to both borders the frontier and the barrier of the railway line reflecting the prominent elements of separation in the city. The Alley along the railway line will represent the memory of the past.

Nature RoomsUrbanity of the Nature is a specific form of collectiveness where the interest of the individual is in harmony with the wishes of the group where space is organized in a grid of 8 m by 8 m, created by trees to offer a new form of public life. It will not just be a park where nature is admired; it will be a new model of the city greenery where nature is used as an architectural tool for social interaction. Spaces in the grid will neither be open nor closed, instead they will offer the opportunity for individual use like sitting reading a book, or space for couples to play sport like ping pong. But they will also offer gathering spaces for smaller groups to enjoy barbeques or birthday parties, or larger groups to enjoy events like concerts, theatres performances, weddings and other ceremonies.

In order to offer an unlimited program for youngsters as well as for adults, we do not define activities in the area but instead we define different gathering spaces which offer a huge range of different use and promote social interaction. Gathering spaces are change in scale to meet the unpredictability of social programmes accordingly. Form of these spaces will be dedicated to the every-day users of the city where private and common interests will be able to sit in harmony alongside each other. The open spaces can host temporary structures according to the interest of their users as well as permanent structures for the future need of SGF.

Using a tree as an architectural element we are developing rooms for public life under open skies which are immune to an exact programme. Trees are used as natural monuments as new form of monumentality. A spatial room of an orchard will create an atmosphere of a landscape cloister. The fruit trees in a grid of 5 x 5 m create new quality for the public space that is continuously changing during the seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Or room with a lagoon will offer refreshment for the visitors during not only the hot days.

Urbanity of the Nature - the new green living artery for the city

Existing and newly designed buildings will be used as supportive spaces for the SGF center with a dominance of public activities while individual spaces are drawn down to minimum. We propose to dismantle and relocate Morgue to a site with equivalent dignity.Main building Croce di Lorena and Former Sanarorium will be transformed according to new programs. Center of Culture will be situated in the main building and Youth Hostel in former Sanatorium. Villas on via Vittorio will be renovated for the needs of Service A.S.S. Other buildings on the site we decided to demolish. As new buildings we propose Youth Point as vertical form and Kindergarten as horizontal form. In front of the Croce di Lorena we propose a new Piazza - a middle point of the whole locality.

Piazza The via Vittorio Veneto in front of Croce di Lorena we transform to a public square– a central point of the whole green artery. In the underground we place 300 parking places additional parking places are along position along the piazza.

Croce di Lorena – The Cultural CenterThe main building Croce di Lorena has an important role for the location. With knowledge that building reconstruction will be costly we decide to transform it to cultural center by opening middle wing of the building. This will mean dismantling part in between the wings and the chapel. This inverted deconstruction, where the main wing will become an entrance to the nature rooms, will provide the space for new cultural center with open air auditorium in joined courtyards. The middle wing will be transformed to an open space - a covered plaza. In the four wings we situate House of Music research institutions and offices. For the circulation within the wings we propose communication galleries on the courtyard façade accessible from the inclined surface of the courtyard. The courtyard space we enlarge by removing the niches with bathrooms. The space under elevated auditorium we use for a restaurant with a canteen for Health Services and music hall for 200 people.

Croce di Lorena - program

Outdoor roofed central public space 1600 m2

S-W wing – Catering and rental spaces Ground floor - foyer 100 m2, cafe 385 m2, restaurant 790 m2

1st - 3rd floor - spaces for rent 1620 m2

S-E wing – House of Music and TheaterGround floor – foyer 250 m2, small stage 200 m2, main stage 840 m2

1st - 3rd floor - rehearsal rooms, spaces for artistic and film activities

N-E and N-W wing – Area for researchGround floor - foyer, exhibition halls, multifunction classrooms 1320 m2

1st - 4rd floor – laboratories 4200 m2

1. CROCE DI LORENA – THE CULTURAL CENTER

SITUATION

Youth PointThe Youth Point is placed at the site where the Alley meets the urban forest. It will become a new landmark in the city visible not only from its surrounding but also by entering the city from the South.The Tower has 12 floors is 48 m high with the foot print 15 x 15 m. Te point will be used by students and young people for education, workshops and other free time activities.

Youth Hostel Former Sanatorium we transform to the Youth Hostel, with the capacity of

KindergartenNext to the Youth Hostel (former sanatorium) in greenery along a quite street we place one floor building of the Kindergarten with the area of 1240 m2

Villas on via Vittorio Veneto In our proposal was any need to remove the villas , on contrary the villas together with Croce di Lorena form a specific character of the location. We keep them for the service A.S.S.

Active pointAlong the Alley we propose activity points as a service for outdoor activities along the border.

Program

Ground floor - entry 50 m2

1st floor – reception, services 225 m2

2nd floor – roof terrace 225 m2

3rd floor – main hall 225 m2

4th floor – roof terrace 225 m2

5 - 7 th floor – rooms for activities 675 m2

8th floor – roof terrace 225 m2

9 - 10 th floor – rooms for activities 450 m2

11th floor – roof terrace 225 m2

Program

Lower ground floor services 2500 m2

Ground floor foyer 105 m2, café 105 m2, library 400 m2, hostelrooms 1400 m2 1st floor – hostel rooms and small flats to rent 2500 m2

2nd floor – hostel rooms and small flats to rent 2350 m2

3. YOUTH POINT

2. YOUTH HOSTEL 4. KINDERGARTEN5. ACTIVITY POINT

ProgramGround floor and 1st floor - cafe, servicies for sport activities ( dresing rooms, toilets) 360 m2

Sustainability and zero energy consumptionThe SGF Project is created on the principle of sustainability at the highest level with the following three aims: 1. Bricks and concrete will be the main construction material used in the reconstruction work as well as in the new buildings. All construction materials used will be local ones and building mehtods will be respectful of local traditions. 2. In order to develop energy efficient buildings, we aim to create the new buildings with zero energy consumption. The reconstructed buildings will use alternative energy sources for heating and electricity production. 3. Using greenery as the main “architectural” material we are aiming to achieve a C02 consumption to the scale of the whole of the Gorizia valley. The Trees in our design will produce more oxygen than the whole SGF complex will need to operate on a daily basis and so will have a positive, environmentaly impact on the Gorizia environment.

Materials and constructionThe materials used in the construction will be those typical the region. The building methods used will be based on local traditions. To eliminate costs, the buildings are designed so that they will not need any highly sophisticated construction technology. For the Youth Point Tower, we propose using a steel structure encased in concrete. All other buildings will be made of concrete and bricks sourced from the local area where local technical processes have been used in their production.

Execution procedureWe believe that it is not necessary to complete all buildings before it can be used by the public and that each building can be executed independently of the other buildings. As the SGF complex covers a large area, our proposal has been developed to allow the project to be completed in phases. We suggest therefore, that the first phase of the project will be the planting of trees to create the urban forest and so, form the base of SGF area.

The decision on which building will be completed first, (underground parking, reconstruction of the Youth Hostel or Croce di Lorena,) will be dependent on the funding available from the project initiator.

Urbanity in Nature does not use commercial development logic where all building work should be completed in one or two years. Instead, it uses a model of sustainable management, treating each stage of the construction work and development of the whole project as a whole, as a long term investment.

FinancingThe revenue from the hostel and rentable spaces for events, cultural activities, conferences and hotel programmmes, will we envisage, not only cover its expenses but also create a profit. Therefore, the economic sustainability of the project will be realized through the project’s aim of minimum energy consumption alongside the social contribution it will make to the region.

Due to the high level of investment required, the public co-financing model should be used where the main funding will come from different local federal and EU funding. However, we should not forget the importance of local and border cooperation between Italy and Slovenia and the contribution that both countries will make.

Following a contemporary agenda of sustainable architecture, zero energy consumption and the idea of “building nature” we also hope to realize new sources of funding at all levels. The potential of different sources of funding, ecological interest and energy savings alongside regional cooperation are all elements that can be further developed and exploited by the project initiators.

SGF - SPAZIO GIOVANI ALLA FRONTIERA - YOUTH AREA AT THE BORDER

unite quanitityestimate price

per unite estimate priceDemolition of the houses

morgue house m3 10750 300 € 3,225,000.00 €church building 3 m3 4212 300 € 1,263,600.00 €infection building 5 m3 4400 300 € 1,320,000.00 €office building 6 m3 2780 300 € 834,000.00 €service building 7 m3 35400 300 € 10,620,000.00 €

m2

2150 1,200 € 2,580,000.00 €

m36000 300 € 1,800,000.00 €

m312800 550 € 7,040,000.00 €

m27744 1,400 € 10,841,600.00 €

m32

work

Reonstruction works in Croce di Lorena – The Cultural Center

Secondary costs connected with demolitio works like disloacation of some of the programs from curent siteDemolition works of the midle wing of Croce di Lorena – The Cultural CenterConstruction works in Croce di Lorena – The Cultural Center including eartquake protection

Underground garage and servicesm2 4599 1,200 € 5,518,800.00 €

New buidlings Youth Point m3 14580 450 € 6,561,000.00 €Activity Point m3 1600 450 € 720,000.00 €Kindergarten m3 4800 450 € 2,160,000.00 €

Terain works m2 5076 90 € 456,840.00 €Greenery

Forest pieces 1050 300 € 315,000.00 €Alay pieces 200 500 € 100,000.00 €

55,355,840.00 €

Aley with sport facilities - out of the area SGFAley including service buildings m2 32500 270 € 8,775,000.00 €

Reconstruction of the Youth Hostel