VENICE

SAN MARCO human scale compact network | spaces & corridors

COMMON PRINCIPLE

128 islands | waterquality as social driver canal + square + well + church

SESTIERI natural origin | religious communities |culture | organic urbanization

ADDING URBAN STRUCTURE TO GAIN A FERTILE BASE

Archipelago Venice consists of 128 islands. The city is zoned into six districts called Sestieri. Besides Venice other Itialian cities like Milan and Genoa also exists of this six district system. Every district has its own culture and religious community. The Sestieri has an natural origin, for example the Sestiere called Dorso Duro in the southern area was named to the compact sand dunes that made the ground harder (dorso duro = hard back). Naturally it was different from the other more swampy parts of Venice.

Each of the 128 islands followed the same principle. Each island had a square accessed by a canal, a church and a well. Venice lies in a lagoon with salty water. This saline environment has been a threat for the city in means of corrosion but also for the fresh water supply. The well of fresh water was of common value and guarded by the priest. The priest preserved the key.