The Debris of Urban Imagination

Abstract

“Il Guasto” is an urban context, a place in the heart of the historic city of Bologna which is a mound of debris (resulting from the demolition of an important building, the Bentivoglio Family palace during a popular revolt in the 1506) on top of which a “public garden” was created 40 years ago. The garden is well known in Bologna as “Giardino del Guasto”. Underneath, in between the debris, an underground space (bunker) was created to protect the citizen during the bombing of the second world war.
The aim of the Design Studio of Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism, Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada), DSA Directed Studies Abroad (January 15^th - April 13^th, 2012), is to exercise creativity and design skills in an historical context bearing some negative connotations. A spell was cast on the site and the negative effects of this spell are still perceivable today after more than five hundred years. This makes us ponder upon the notions of permanence and durability (of architecture and ideas) in the urban fabric and in the meanders of human memory. The site, centered on a garden, has been undergoing many changes in use, purpose and meaning and today still requires to be reimagined in the social context of the city and its famous university.

[In the menu on the right, ARTICLE TOOLS, in "Supplementary Files" link you can download the .pdf presentations of Carleton University students, related to the workshop on Giardino del Guasto area, developed in Bologna in 2012].