“Taking Care. Designing for the common good” is the title of the Italian Pavilion at Biennale di Venezia, designed by TAM associati that answer to the call by Aravena “Reporting from the Front” with a concept of community-based architecture, which isn’t just a project meant to foster public spirit, but it’s carried out in actual fact together with 5 associations involved in social work.
Definitely a low cost fitting out, that keeps the promise of sustainability – an imperative at the 15th Venice Biennale – carried out in raw wood recycled from the Irlanda pavilion at Expo 2015 Milan.
“Taking Care -say the curators TAM associati (Massimo Lepore, Raul Pantaleo, Simone Sfriso)– is an action that arises in the Italian Pavilion at the Biennale Architettura 2016 and then takes root and spreads outside it to generate a new civic awareness”.
It is a highly social vision of architecture, but also the root of its being.
The theme is divided into three sections, ‘Thinking’, ‘Meeting’ and ‘Acting’, resting on three specific issues involving the common good. It urges visitors to recognize it, when it is found around them, the institutions to promote it, even with limited resources, and designers to embody it in architecture.
The third area “Acting” is the most interesting.
It’s about time architecture gets off its high horse in order to meet places and people.
Also in this case, as in many other projects presented at the Biennale, nomadism, non stagnation and impermanency of architecture seem to be the possible answer to a territory and a humanity constantly evolving and in a state of flux.
The models of five modules suitable for vehicles by five studies of architecture are on show: five “architectural trailer trucks”.
The 5 devices will be:
Culture Box:
AIB Italian Library Association with ALTERSTUDIO PARTNERS
Space for reading and an access point to information and book loans, to promote socialization among adults and children.
Green Box:
LEGAMBIENTE non-profit organization with ARCò – SOCIETÀ COOPERATIVA Structure for monitoring the environment and raising environmental awareness.
Health Box:
EMERGENCY non-profit organization with MATILDE CASSANI Mobile clinic for health care and cultural mediation.
Legality Box:
LIBERA. Associations, names and numbers against the mafias with ANTONIO SCARPONI / CONCEPTUAL DEVICES. Center in the heart of a property confiscated from the mafia: a place open to the public, devised to involve migrants, schools and young people, a space for thinking and acting.
Sport Box:
UISP – Italian Union Sport for All with NOWA (Navarra Office Walking Architecture). Permanent center for education in civil coexistence, respect and active citizenship through play, sport and movement.
With private sponsors and a civic crowdfunding campaign (Taking Care – outer cities in action, the first in Italy dedicated to the outer suburbs: www.periferieinazione.it), the devices will be built and tak
