Venice 25

Location
Venice, Italy

Year
2025

Program
Inhabitable Bridge with Mixed-Use Program (inc. residential, commercial and communal)

Team Leaders
Michele Pasca di Magliano (Director, Zaha Hadid Architects)
Clemens Lindner (Senior Designer, Zaha Hadid Architects)

Team
Rowan Mohamed (Arab Academy For Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Egypt)
Victoria Lee (University of Melbourne, Australia)
Mohamed Elmenshawy (Cairo University, Egypt)
Yehia Mohamed (German University In Cairo, Egypt)
Ramin Ayati (Queensland University of Technology, Australia)
Dhruvesh Vinaikumar (University Of Queensland, Australia)
Andrea Moscoso Garces (University of Houston, USA)
Charlott Zoe Boullon (Willem de Kooning Academie, Netherlands)
Michelle Falicoff (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Yasmeen Kamouna (American University of Beirut, Lebanon)
Nathan Trecker (Pratt Institute, USA)
Anastasia Belogortseva (Moscow Architectural Institute, Russia)
Florian Anschober (University of Innsbruck, Austria)
Alexander Gardiner (University of Colorado, USA)
Devanshi Puniani (Istituto Marangoni, Italy)

Project
We will reimagine Venice’s bridges as dynamic, inhabitable structures that honour the city’s rich architectural legacy while addressing contemporary urban challenges. By integrating residential and communal spaces into bridge designs, we aim to enhance urban connectivity and provide innovative solutions to Venice’s spatial constraints.

Venice’s intricate network of over 400 bridges is integral to its identity, each serving as a testament to the city’s engineering prowess and cultural narratives. Historically, these bridges were not merely functional crossings but vibrant social spaces, often lined with shops and stalls. The Rialto Bridge, for instance, has been a central commercial hub since the late 16th century, while the Bridge of Sighs embodies tales of justice and lament. Lesser-known bridges also have intriguing histories: Ponte dei Pugni (Bridge of Fists) was once a venue for rival clans to settle disputes through fistfights; Ponte delle Tette (Bridge of Breasts) in the red-light district gained its name from prostitutes attracting clients by exposing themselves; Ponte del Diavolo (Devil’s Bridge) on Torcello Island is steeped in legend, supposedly built overnight by the devil; and Ponte Storto (Crooked Bridge) uniquely connects misaligned streets. These stories highlight how bridges have been vibrant stages for human interaction, commerce, and conflict.

The concept of inhabitable bridges is deeply rooted in architectural history. Florence’s Ponte Vecchio, dating back to the 14th century, exemplifies multifunctional bridge design with shops spanning the Arno River. In Venice, the Rialto Bridge historically blended commerce with connectivity, while medieval London’s London Bridge combined residences with trade. Modern interpretations include Zaha Hadid’s 1996 proposal for a habitable bridge over the Thames, envisioning a multifunctional structure of studios, offices, homes, and public walkways.

We will propose comprehensive habitable bridge designs that celebrate Venice’s architectural heritage, enhance urban liveability through multifunctional spaces, and emphasize structural ingenuity, precision fabrication, and environmental responsiveness. Through this exploration, we aim to redefine the role of bridges in Venice, transforming them into living entities that bridge past and future, tradition and innovation.