Venice

Throughout its history, Venice has transformed itself and produced an unique potential which is nowadays being threatened by the consequences of global warming. The lagoon, fed by salt water through its three gateways, and fresh water coming from the continent, has a rich ecosystem. On the other hand, the maritime industry and local crafts ensure economic stability. Imagine floating above Venice. Suspended in the air, one becomes aware of the compact nature of a history and a future that are still raw. For the lagon has the marvellous ability to contain time : the grand, the tragic, the theatrical picturesque landscape. This is why Venice fascinates us, it tells of the world, and more than ever, it is the récipient of distracting temporality, which through crisis and contradiction forces us to imagine the future.

In the introduction to his book ‘Venice is a fish’, Tiziano Scarpa tells of how Venice, having travelled the world, finally decided to go to the calmest, most protected bay, north of the mediterranean, and settle there. The line connecting it to land resembles a fishing line, Venice seems to be on the hook.

In this net between land and sea, it no longer seems to wish to leave, as if she had found in this place all the éléments necessary to exist and develop.

But history has done it’s job, and Venice has developed on itself. Today it’s history seems feeble.

A product of the lagoon, it is also threatened by it, for its gates no longer seem to resist the tides which are slowly swallowing it. But in an ultime act of survival, Venise has recently developed a sort of addition floating above the city. Scattered around the lagoon are a kind of cloud which float above it according to the wind and city rhythm. Is it trying to leave ?

Delicately laid on a forest of wood piles, the city is now cloaked in air and rises above itself, connected to the ground by a thin rope. Over hère, the aresenal and Giarini exhibition have been raised up. Yesterday in Chioggia, today at Guidecca, tomorrow perhaps at Burano. Venise no longer lets itself be visited, it must now be caught up with.

From this point we witness the creation of a research center on the valley’s ecosystem. These new « valley research balloons » float above the lagoon, gathering data in order to work according to climate change. Venice has thus become a true international engineering laboratory to protect the coastline ; the idea being to use natural regeneration techniques, the energy of the currents and of the tides, micro-organisms, to help nature protect itself.

Based on this potential, the lagoon of Venice will become the center of development and of European education. Research laboratories or conference rooms will become part of the city and the lagoon.. The existing structure will be unaffected and will serve as support for scientists.