The Fondazione Giorgio Cini’s new venue for music on San Giorgio Maggiore Island in Venice was recently unveiled with the complete Beethoven string quartets. The building of former boat repairs yard has been converted into this stunning modern auditorium, thanks to the design of Cattaruzza e Millosevich Architetti Associati.
The Squero building dates back to the mid-19th century. Its design was inspired by great Venetian architecture and was mainly modelled on the Arsenale shipyards for the design, materials and functional layout. The building was converted by the Venetian architects Cattaruzza and Millosevich Architetti Associati and refurbished as a modern 200-seat concert hall featured by an exceptional acoustics.
Thanks to its wonderful position giving directly onto the lagoon, the Squero on the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore is a unique venue combining music and a splendid view. In fact, in front of the audience and behind the musicians, the plate glass windows become a natural backdrop with a remarkable lagoon vista, thus providing audiences with the unique experience of waterfront concerts.
The restoration of the Squero is a perfect example of public-private collaboration. The funds for the conversion were partly provided by the Provveditorato Interregionale per le Opere Pubbliche del Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia and partly in the form of a donation from the Fondazione Virginio Bruni Tedeschi. The Fondazione Enzo Hruby was also involved, since it designed the latest-generation integrated security system.
