This competition is open to professional architects worldwide, and concerns the creation of a new bridge that will replace the existing Academy Bridge. Not only will it serve as an axis connecting both sides of the canal and as entry portal to the Rio Alto, but it will also become a City Museum showcasing the history, tradition and architectural splendour of the city of Venice. This museum will occupy a built area of approximately 1,000 square metres, and will possess the following program: Entry Hallway, Temporary Exhibit Hall, Permanent Exhibit Hall, Storage, Restrooms, Maintenance, Security, Offices and Cafeteria.
Winning schemes will be exhibited in Venice at the IUAV and online at the Arquitectumwebsite. First prize is: two airplane tickets to Venice to attend the awards ceremony and a place in the Venice 2006 contest exhibit in October 2006; two nights of lodging; two tickets to the International Architecture Biennale of Venice; and features in the European Design Magazine and the Asian design magazine Hinge dedicated to the winners of the Venice 2006 competition.
Online registration from April 1, 2006 at http://www.arquitectum.com; July 17, 2006 is the submission deadline; participants must deliver their proposal via the internet, and it must consist of a single digital image 750 Kb in size. Winners will be announced on September 1, 2006. The fee for early registration is $100 US and $150 US for late registration.
The competition's challenge is to create a typical symbol – in this case, a bridge – of the structure of a city that has great historic value – in this case, Venice – which involves a new kind of use - in this case, a museum. This new element should “speak” of its own small urban universe while at the same time it should “celebrate” the city, whether by association or disassociation.
Arquitectum 's initiative to organize this urban competition is -unlike our previous landscaping competitions where the idea was for the designs to “accompany” the surrounding archaeological scenery- to “alter” a very compromise urban structure.
For this competition, the project must insert itself into the existent complex tissue.
The structure could be a contextual object without necessarily being harmonic; friendly but not necessarily repetitive; and monumental but not necessarily competitive. In sum: it should look as if the structure, through its close rapport with Venice , had always been there, serene and poised.
Nevertheless, since this is a contest of ideas, competitors will be able to submit proposals that are absolutely experimental in scope. This scope may cover a broad range: from the subordination of the architectural object to the urban context, to the creation of an icon with a new and defying language. All within the emphatic demonstration of a creative idea process, as well as the definition of an integral architectural image. Each architect's vision will demonstrate how through integrating and holistic criteria (whether through mimesis or contrast) a place can be transformed, celebrating it architecturally while discovering its poetic qualities without interfering with its urban or artificial beauty.
Competition Objectives:
The following are the objectives of the “Venice 2006” competition:
- "Make a worldwide Architectural Ideas Summons which will help select the most appropriate bridge for the entrance to the city of Venice".
- "Collect the Ideas which are best related to urban awareness, and are at the same time able to enhance a historic context of great importance".
- "Promote the discussion of ideas related to intervention projects on cultural heritage, historic centers or consolidated urban contexts".