(DE)GROWING PLATFORM
(2030) EXPOST. Tracing possible futures | Italian Pavilion – 14th Architecture Biennale di Venezia
La dote della piastra di Expo2015 coincide unicamente con il valore monetario del calcestruzzo impiegato per la sua costruzione. La semplice demolizione, senza una strategia precisa, è insostenibile sia dal punto di vista economico che ambientale.Il ciclo di recupero e trattamento del cemento, così come il riutilizzo dei materiali ricavati dallo smontaggio dei padiglioni dell'Expo sono i punti cardine del programma di rivitalizzazione della piattaforma. Un centro di ricondizionamento di materiali edili di eccellenza gestirà l'intero processo, dallo smontaggio–demolizione fino alla vendita a prezzi calmierati dei componenti, ad incentivo per l'installazione di nuove attività economiche. L'operazione di de-colonizzazione della piastra aumenterà progressivamente il valore ambientale, a cui si affiancherà, fin da principio, un'azione di ri–occupazione virtuosa degli spazi resistenti che innescheranno la densificazione attorno ad essi.Il programma prevede che all'edificazione di nuove unità, anche residenziali, corrisponda la demolizione di porzioni di piastra. Maggiore sarà l'area occupata, maggiore la quantità di suolo naturale a dover essere riportato alla luce. Nelle aree liberate a nord dell'originario asse del decumano si formerà un grande parco caratterizzato dalla successione di paesaggi attivi.
Despite its isolated nature due to its geographical location, the Expo 2015's area is one of the most connected areas in Milan. From the logistical end infrastructural point of view, both physical and virtual.
The concrete slab of EXPO2015 is a large artificial platform marked by a continuous orthogonal grid. A territory colonized as tabula rasa.
Around, the border consist in a recessed channel that makes the area an island, as if it were not enough in this fragment of land being pinched between impassable roads and railways.
Only the platform's central axis has a value of resistance: it's a large infrastructure. It houses a huge amount of ducts,digital networks and underground utilities.
The only other resistant elements of the platform are the long volumes that host public services during Expo2015. They are solid elements with their own foundations that can be immediately reused. Definitely, the value of the platform is solely attributable to the amount of concrete used for its construction. The mere demolition of the concrete slab, without a clear strategy, would be untenable from an economic and environmental standpoint.
The concrete's recycling cycle, its treatment and the reuse of its main components represents one of the cornerstones of the platform revitalization's process.
Furthermore, a large amount of materials used for the construction of the Expo pavilions represent a latent richness and a huge source of constructive elements ready to be reused.
Placing the excellence materials's refurbishing center is the first step of our strategy and will be the only top-down activity.
It will manage the process of dismantling, reconditioning and storage, until the walesale of the components obtained from the pavilions. The center will also manage the progressive demolition of the concrete slab by reconditioning and selling concrete inert materials, cement and steel. The center is a economically self-sufficient and sustainable activity.
Gradually, the platform will undergo a real process of de-colonization that will increase the environmental value.
A virtuous process of re-occupation is the second step: the site can be defined as an experimental territory by kick-starting a process of progressive bottom-up densification.
Around the reconditioning center, using the long volumes that host the common services during the Expo2015 economic activities, startups, small businesses, workshops and so on will establish themselves.
That will happen in a self-generative way encouraged by the highly favorable conditions of the site.
The occupation of the artificial platform with new construction expects the platform disposal in proportion to the density occupation of soil.
This strategy allows to gradually get rid of the concrete slab as the density of new settlements grows.
The more activities will be installed in new constructions, greater will be the amount of natural soil brought to light rise, increasing the environmental and landscape quality of the area.
Gradually, taking advantage of a mutual convenience, proliferation phenomena will be triggered by the introduction of different settlement typologies and economic activities including residential, commercial, agricultural and services.
In the south area beyond the “Decumano axis” focus constructible areas. Density and the settlement typologies vary depending on the position on the area. As you get closer to the outer edges, businesses, offices and laboratories give way to private residences, collective housing and co-housing.
The north area beyond the “Decumano” is characterized by a linear park that runs from east to west, passing through different landscapes. From west to east the disposal landscape, characterized by renaturalized-minerals dunes; then gardens and common orchards, agricultural landscape and greenhouses.
And finally the water landscape. Wetlands, spontaneous vegetation, areas of water treatment and purification. A pedestrian and bicycle path winds through the park.
At a local level the public transport line runs along the “Decumano axis” and edges the perimeter of the south area. Small intermodal hubs, (bike and car parking) coincident with the main line stops, will provide a capillary internal connection and the limitation of conventional private transport.
