Bacini Renewal, Arsenale, Venice

Tourism, a great resource for Venice, is at the same time also a threat to the city. In order to go further than the basic tourist management, so that the same tourists can visit a lively and genuine city, it is necessary that Venice keeps on being a place where to stay, work and live. This master's thesis in urban planning and design deals with the above mentioned topics, with the aim to find a possible solution in the Arsenate area, a very large part of the insular town- heart of Venice naval industry since the XII century. Arsenate which covers about a seventh of the entire surface of Venice was gradually abandoned after the displacement of functions and the overtaking of activities carried out in time. With no doubt, it represents the most extended area suitable to host production activities, new housing areas and a new touristic pole. In this delicate puzzle of activities it was important in my thesis to think about a new flow and hosting system capable of handling the increasing number of tourists. Particularly, I found relevant to think about a new connection between Venice and the dryland in order to provide a better and homogeneous distribution of tourists inside the old town- a new gate to enter the city. My thesis is divided into three different parts. The first one, dealing with the historical background of Arsenate, is based on literature and forms the backbone of the planning itself. Arsenate's glorious past, its development and the causes which have led to its current situation are disclosed here. The second part of my thesis includes a photo journey through the Bacini area, the northeast part of Arsenate- now used as boats reparation area. This area is going to play a fundamental role for the revitalization of the whole Arsenate. The third part is the proper design, an urban renewal plan for the Bacini area, the most modern part of Arsenate. The plan provides a new terminal for the boats coming from Tessera airport. The arrival system to the lagoon town is imagined and expected to come from water: the landing at Arsenate North will be one of the entrance gate to Venice, and a new landing for the inner boats circulation. Piazzale Bacini (old name of the area, today not in use anymore, but reused in my scheme) is to be considered not only an interchange point between the entrance and exit of Venice flows, but also a structure to welcome different functions, becoming a fundamental support for the future regeneration of Arsenate itself. In my plan, Piazzale Bacini, a new open public space surrounded by a Hotel, shops and cafeterias, is leading to a new big park, Parco Bacini. In this way, an interesting sequence of public spaces is created. The renovation of the old barracks (Sommergibilisti), and of the two buildings next to it is a fundamental step. Arsenate is not going to be part of Venice if the inhabitants cannot be part of it and become active presence of it. My proposal concerns a new residential area and a daycare centre in between the two smallest docks, with the aim of developing a lively environment for the Venetians. As the terraced block houses are covering part of the two docks, the space beneath them can be used for reparation of small boats or as private docking. The previous function of the biggest dock is still active and it will be provided with new buildings for large boats' reparations and storage of boats' spare parts. In this way the chance for employing new people will be created. A new channel will be dug to divide private and public spaces from the working area. Once renovated, the old so-called area of Casermette, will become a city rental apartments area. So, people with low income as well will have the possibility to afford to live in Venice. A new bridge is suggested to connect the Bacini area to Le Vergini area in order to have a continuous path inside the Arsenate. A second small bridge is going to link Le Vergini with the rest of the city, creating an alternative way to reach Riva degli Schiavoni and finally to Piazza San Marco