REFLECTIONS OF MURANO

Located in Venice, Italy, the design uses a network of interconnected nodes to combine Murano's glassmaking history with contemporary architecture. Each node includes glassworks, hot shops, galleries, and dining areas, providing potential for both work and engagement. The project balances order and disorder by integrating two contextual grids from the site's west and east borders. This results in a campo on one half of the island that serves as a focal point for social engagement, while the opposite side offers calm garden-oriented places that provide moments of tranquility.  Materiality represents the duality of lightness and heaviness. Glass's transparency and lightness reflect Murano's legacy, whilst concrete creates substantial, grounded forms. A steel mesh filters sunlight, softening the interiors and adding visual interest. The portego serves as the primary spine, spatially and symbolically uniting the nodes, while trails lead visitors fluidly throughout the island.  By reinterpreting Venetian characteristics in an abstract, modern language, the design recognizes the urban surroundings while avoiding traditional forms. It is deemed as architecture as it brings together form, materiality, and cultural narrative into a cohesive experience. It celebrates Murano's identity and glassmaking past, establishing a timeless dialogue between history and innovation.