STUDIO
ZHA
Venice 24
Location
Venice, Italy
Year
2024
Program
Learning Centre
Team Leaders
Michele Pasca di Magliano (Director, ZHA)
Othmane Kandri (Designer, ZHA)
Team
Eslam Mohammed (University of Bahrain, Bahrain)
Chloe Nio (University of Melbourne, Australia)
Aya Youssef (American University of Beirut, Lebanon)
Jhulia Patricia Mae Abalos (Enderun Colleges, Philippines)
Nicole Bazzano (University of Melbourne, Australia)
Salima Toturbieva (Royal College of Art, UK)
Arianna Liesel Quintal (Enderun Colleges, Philippines)
Ziyu Zhou (University of Melbourne, Australia)
Serena Chin (University of Melbourne, Australia)
Matilda Campbell (University of Melbourne, Australia)
Project
Located within Venice’s iconic Arsenale district, ZHA studio looks into a new Venice Learning Centre that emerges as a hub of intellectual exploration and architectural innovation. The site is the Thetis garden, located next to the Tese dell’Arsenale, where cultural institutions and academic hubs converge. This project responds to the need for a multidisciplinary hub for research in the lagoon.
More than a repository of knowledge, the learning centre is envisioned as a catalyst for interdisciplinary collaboration. Its design fosters a dynamic interplay between study, research, and experimentation, reflecting the ethos of Venetian resilience and the imperative of researching the city’s delicate biodiversity. Offering open, adaptable spaces accessible to all, from students to professionals.
Typologies and organization of spaces are open for discussion, and we encourage students to look also into marine biology, water quality analysis, eco engineering and climate change impact. As well as what does it mean to think of a learning centre in this specific zone of the lagoon, next to important art and cultural institutions.
Embracing an ethos of innovation, the centre pioneers forward-thinking investigations into the island’s future. Through rigorous analysis of patterns, forms, data, trends, and history, it charts a sustainable course forward.
The Venice Learning Centre embodies the fusion of architectural form and intellectual pursuit. Located in Venice’s rich heritage and propelled by a commitment to innovation, it redefines the idea of a campus in the island and at the same time shapes the future of the lagoon.
ZHA Venice Studio is also enriched by a diverse array of perspectives, with in-house lectures delivered by tutors alongside contributions from external guests spanning a multitude of fields. These collaborative sessions provide students with invaluable insights drawn from real-world experiences and cutting-edge research, fostering a holistic understanding of the project.
ZHA redefined architecture for the 21st century with a repertoire of projects that have captured imaginations across the globe. Creating buildings uniquely tailored to the communities they serve, ZHA has been awarded the highest honours from professional and academic institutions worldwide. Founded by Dame Zaha, ZHA is one of the world’s most innovative architectural studios—and has been for almost 50 years. These five decades of detailed research are inscribed within ZHA’s buildings which become more spatially inventive, more structurally efficient, more technologically advanced, and more environmentally considerate with each new design. ZHA’s 500 staff in five offices worldwide are currently developing projects in 34 countries across six continents—combining pioneering design solutions with ecologically sound materials and sustainable construction practices to meet the aspirations of each new generation.
