„Upper Town” allows residents of Venice to form an attachment to the land and they are directly related to the city, to feel his energy and rich heritage that stimulate the new ideas and thinking. „Upper Town”, although designed to be futuristic, is not far from the technological trends and implementation. Conceived as a self-sustaining organism, it uses solar energy to be turned into their daily needs and do not pollute the environment. Parallel “extra” modern city, allows constant observation and study of the city as a sociological phenomenon.

By observing and analyzing the data it would be possible to improve conditions of life in Venice. So the real Venice residents can actively participate in the daily life of the city, with the ability to activate the devastated zones of urban tissue.

The „Upper Town” is formed of bars of a smart wrap. Parts of the mantle are supporting elements of the structure, parts are made as solar panels which accumulate energy and deployed the needs of the town, parts are made like transparent surfaces, parts of the mantle are the collector tank and aqueducts, part of the structure has a function of windmill. The entire structure that carries the upper town is self-sustaining and do not pollute the environment. Upper section is connected to Venice in vertical controlled points, enabling rapid communication and access to all parts of the city. On the other hand, tourists do not have access to the upper town.The idea is that the materialization of upper section in some points become invisible to tourists. The outer layer of the upper town reflects its environment, blended with city, sky and water. The very fact that tourists being watched, could turn uncontrolled tourism in a controlled urban feature that brings the city and residents money.

„Upper Town” represent „dematerialized reality and legacy of centuries”, revitalization of social and cultural life in the city. We can say that the upper section is a socially mediated space. Socially mediated space, as a special dimension of the urban area makes new theory of production space, which reveals the perspective of a spatial configuration in the broader context of urbanity, which in turn man-made second nature. In this sense, the new “Upper Town” allows Venice to become a place of permanent human events; place in which markets, parks, schools, a place to rest and recreation again find its place.

Knowing that the city lives its life, is changing code of conduct urban tourists who began to follow the dominant rhythm of the city and its inhabitants. Although most of the functions performed in the upper town, the idea is that people recognize their role in the life and work of the city, to better understand the needs of tourists and after a thorough observation and analysis, to assume the role and responsibility in the sustainability and development of the city. This observation may take years, decades, but it is important that the outcome is assimilation of the inhabitants of the city and all what life in Venice is bringing.

„Upper Town” as a building, is a reliable keeper of the memory. As a personal and collective experience and heritage, it is always in the spiritual vertical. It would have special importance in preserving the character of Venice by adding capacity, but it is not physically separated from the place that strongly affects the lives of all inhabitants- Venice itself and its special atmosphere.

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  UPPER TOWN - VENICE CITYVISION COMPETITION - SPECIAL MENTION

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  Venice

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  VENICE INSIDE VENICE

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