Design for a New Actors’ House and
Performance Space in the Former Castellavazzo Cement Works
Performance Space in the Former Castellavazzo Cement Works
The factory consists of 4 buildings and 3 silos. We decided to remove some of these volumes to simplify the form/ shape of the building as much as possible and to have the cylinders be the focus of the design as they are the most interesting structure in the factory. We have the main performance space in the lower part of the cylinders and we created a ‘cap structure’ containing the residence house dropped over the existing silos. Also, according to the needs of the building we designed two different entrances, one public for the audience for the performance space and one private for the actors.
PERFROMANCE
The access to the interior performance space is through a wide ramp of 4% that is accessible from disabled people. The ramp is not meant to be a way of moving from point A to point B. But rather provide an experience to the visitor, it breaks through the cylinders so as the visitors are going through the ramp. They can look into the silos. 2 of which contain temporary exhibitions while the 3rd silo contains the performance space that has openings that can be closed off when needed therefore it can be used as a closed performance space. The interior performance space can accommodate 50-70 people and it’s designed upon 2 floors. The access to the interior performance space can be also done from one of the existing volumes contains emergency stairs, lifts and toilets.
However our main performance space is the exterior one and the stage is on the ground level with the ramp as the main feature of the space as well. The audience can stand on it through different levels and watch the performance, otherwise has the opportunity to watch the performance from the same level of the stage. On the other part of the structure it can be found another volume that it can be used from the public as a place for entertainment, café. The area in front of it, it can be freely used for all kind of events.
The access to the interior performance space is through a wide ramp of 4% that is accessible from disabled people. The ramp is not meant to be a way of moving from point A to point B. But rather provide an experience to the visitor, it breaks through the cylinders so as the visitors are going through the ramp. They can look into the silos. 2 of which contain temporary exhibitions while the 3rd silo contains the performance space that has openings that can be closed off when needed therefore it can be used as a closed performance space. The interior performance space can accommodate 50-70 people and it’s designed upon 2 floors. The access to the interior performance space can be also done from one of the existing volumes contains emergency stairs, lifts and toilets.
However our main performance space is the exterior one and the stage is on the ground level with the ramp as the main feature of the space as well. The audience can stand on it through different levels and watch the performance, otherwise has the opportunity to watch the performance from the same level of the stage. On the other part of the structure it can be found another volume that it can be used from the public as a place for entertainment, café. The area in front of it, it can be freely used for all kind of events.
ACCOMODATION
The access to the accommodation is different from the public entrance in order to achieve more privacy to the tenants. The circulation is done through a lift and stairs.
The accommodation is placed on the top in a ‘cap structure’ dropped over the existing structure. The structure overhangs by 2 meters all around the 3 silos. The zone between the zone between the silos exterior walls and the structure is where we have placed our stairs and lift. But mainly it is used for ventilation as well as a way to have light come in from the top. The cap structure is made from white concrete so that light can reflect off the structure to enter through the windows strategically placed on the inner silos.
The accommodation have been designed upon 2 floors, the upper level of the accommodation has 2 silos (identical repeated units) in which the bedrooms with utilities are placed. The third silo is enclosed with glass with seating placed around it. While sitting you can look up and view the sky. On the lower level of the accommodation, only 2 silos contain a slab. The movement is done through a bridge that spans from the elevator to reach the last silo containing the 2 remaining bedrooms with bunkbeds. While on the bridge you are hanging on top of the performance space below and at some point you get to look into the central silo. The central silo is open all through the structure with light coming in from the top. The third silo is used as a big kitchen with sitting and dining area.
The accommodation is placed on the top in a ‘cap structure’ dropped over the existing structure. The structure overhangs by 2 meters all around the 3 silos. The zone between the zone between the silos exterior walls and the structure is where we have placed our stairs and lift. But mainly it is used for ventilation as well as a way to have light come in from the top. The cap structure is made from white concrete so that light can reflect off the structure to enter through the windows strategically placed on the inner silos.
The accommodation have been designed upon 2 floors, the upper level of the accommodation has 2 silos (identical repeated units) in which the bedrooms with utilities are placed. The third silo is enclosed with glass with seating placed around it. While sitting you can look up and view the sky. On the lower level of the accommodation, only 2 silos contain a slab. The movement is done through a bridge that spans from the elevator to reach the last silo containing the 2 remaining bedrooms with bunkbeds. While on the bridge you are hanging on top of the performance space below and at some point you get to look into the central silo. The central silo is open all through the structure with light coming in from the top. The third silo is used as a big kitchen with sitting and dining area.
