“Dragonfly” and Designer
Recently a well-known French fashion designer presented to the public an unexpected work – an architectural project. A glass skyscraper meant as a present for Venice is called Palais Lumiere. The project caused some controversy. Some Venetians think that the building is too big and doesn’t conform to the unified architectural style of the city. Our readers noticed that the eminent couturier’s work resembles the project designed by ISTOK stroi called “Dragonfly”…
Venice architecture biennale is rightfully considered to be the showcase of the best that is going on in the world architecture. The theme of the current, thirteenth exposition, which traditionally opened at the Giardini at the end of August and will continue till November, is Common Ground. The architects were asked to think over such themes as the new life of working-class outskirts, the design of financial crisis epoch and urban redevelopment after natural disasters.
The Russian exposition “i-city” drew a lot of attention; its curators Sergey Choban and Sergey Kuznetsov within the framework of the proposed themes invited the visitors to have a look at the project of the innovation centre Skolkovo. The first floor of the pavilion is dedicated to 37 Russian science towns and the second floor is given to Skolkovo projects. There was another centre of gravity at the biennale: several kilometers away from the Russian pavilion, on the other side of the Venetian lagoon, in the former industrial port Marghera was presented the project of a “vertical city” by Pierre Cardin. The famous couturier (born Pietro Cardini), the native of these parts, at the age of two moved to France with his parents. As explained by the designer, he would like to view this complex called Palais Lumiere as a gift to Italy, the country where he was born 90 years ago.
Pierre Cardin’s architectural debut is a 255-meter skyscraper consisting of three interconnected quaintly-shaped buildings, which will house a fashion school, a theatre, an expensive hotel, residential quarters, multiplex cinema, a hospital and even gardens with swimming-pools. The budget is estimated at between 1.5 billion and 2.0 billion euros, and Cardin is ready to shoulder the best part of the expenses. In his opinion practical reasons for execution of such a scale project are obvious: a great number of new jobs, as well as sales, office and parkland (which is quite important for the tourist centre) spaces and consequently – economic benefit for the whole region.
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Text Alexander Shevchuk,
materials and illustrations provided by «ISTOKStroi» Ltd.