Italia Venezia 1 Ponte di Calatrava

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Ponte di Calatrava
Venezia
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Venice's newest bridge, completed only in 2008,
was designed by the famous Spanish architect
Santiago Calatrava. The final of four bridges to
span the Grand Canal, the Calatrava Bridge has
been a controversial addition to Venice's
architectural landscape because of its modern
appearance built of steel and glass its cost
approximately 10 million euros and its
necessity. It links the Santa Lucia Rail Station
to Piazzale Roma, a bus depot and car park.
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The Venetians also called Dinosaur by its
similarity to the spine of a giant Jurassic
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The fourth bridge over the Grand Canal, Ponte
della Costituzione, commemorating the 60th
anniversary of the Italian Constitution, was
built over a period of five years (2003 - 2008)
after a project of Spanish architect Santiago
Calatrava (94 m. long, 9,38 m. wide in the
central part, 7,05 m. maximum height, 420 tons is
the weight of the iron structure). In 1999
Venice municipality asked Calatrava to start
working on the project of the bridge, since its
conception the bridge has caused many
controversies that continue even after the
discrete inauguration of the building.
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The Ponte della Costituzione (Constitution
Bridge) should be called the Dispute bridge,
since public opinion is divided between those who
believe in the great value and use of the
structure and those who think that it is
unnecessary, too expensive and in clear
opposition to the architectural characteristics
of the historical city.
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The construction of the Spanish architect
Santiago Calatrava will connect the Santa Lucia
train station with the Piazzale Roma parking,
thus uniting the only area of the city accessible
by car and tie to the mainland of the lagoon city
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Nowadays all major cities worldwide are ready for
anything in order to have realized on their
territory building signed by famous architects.
Most likely the same building by Calatrava in
another city would have been accepted with more
enthusiasm and less controversies. But this
didnt happen in Venice, as major Massimo
Cacciari knows very well. He complains
self-damage is a typical behaviour of Venice.
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According to the major those who are against the
bridge are not able to understand the incredible
value of the building, one of the most
significant examples of contemporary architecture
built in Italy over the last decades. The new
building is also important in order to improve
Venices image. It can demonstrate that the city
is open to innovation. Contemporary artistic and
architectural experiences should be considered as
a chance to evolve, to experience with new
languages and styles, and not as a possible crisis
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Santiago Calatrava expresses the same concept in
a recent article published on El Pais, he wrote
modernity is important, every artistic age is
the development of the previous one, as Baroque
for the Renaissance. In the same article
Calatrava states that the bridge tries to combine
tradition and innovation, through the
juxtaposition of different materials such as
stone and copper, referring to the past, and
glass (in the parapet and in the stairs) as a
reference to the present.
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Leaving aside the different opinions that have
been expressed over the construction of the
bridge, the real hurdle to overcome in order to
really appreciate the value and beauty of
Calatravas bridge is the awful sight at its
feet, namely Piazzale Roma square.
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The preciousness of the new building is in great
contrast with the unadorned and unorganized
square. Now more than ever Piazzale Roma cant
afford its look like any other malls parking
lot. As for the fourth bridge in the Grand Canal
the municipality should be bold and implement a
new ambitious project able to turn this vital
city node in a more functional, welcoming and
spectacular place. It is necessary to cover the
gap still existing between the architectural
quality and beauty of many areas on the
historical centre and the unpleasantness of
spaces like Piazzale Roma. Seen from this
perspective contemporary creation will be able to
play a more and more important role in the
development of Venices historical centre.
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The Ponte della Costituzione (English
Constitution Bridge) is the fourth bridge over
the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It was designed
by Santiago Calatrava, and was moved into place
in 2007 (connecting Stazione di Santa Lucia to
Piazzale Roma), amid protest by politicians and
the general public. The bridge was installed in
2008 and opened to the public on the night of
September 11, 2008. The bridge was known as
Quarto Ponte sul Canal Grande before the official
name was adopted to celebrate the 60th
anniversary of the Italian constitution in 2008.
Tourists and locals in Venice now refer to it as
the Calatrava Bridge (Italian Ponte di
Calatrava).
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Ponte della Constituzione, better known as Ponte
di Calatrava, opened in 2008. The bridge spans
across the Grand Canal at its most northerly
point, linking Santa Lucia railway station with
the car, bus and ferry terminal at Piazzale Roma.
From its inception, the project has polarised
opinion, with proponents describing the structure
both a carpet of light and a lobster
respectively.
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Santiago Calatravas design investigates rhythm
and transparency. The 94 m single span bridge is
achieved using a futuristic structure of glass
and steel, which rises from 3.45 m to 9.38 m
at the centre.  Stairs are made from toughened
glass and istria stone. Each ascending
tread becomes progressively wider, forming a
curve perpendicular to the span direction. Bronze
handrails nimbly vault the Grand Canal,
whilst glass panels enclose the bridge deck
without obstructing views. At night, illumination
in the handrail and beneath the decking, turn the
structure into a ribbon of light.
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Although Calatrava has designed over forty
bridges worldwide, he believes this his most
beautiful, declaring it an act of love to
Venice and of love to Italian civilisation in
general. Aside from linking two important
districts, the bridge forms a symbolic gateway to
Venice, where visitors leave behind road traffic
and enter the domain of vaporetti, motor boats
and the gondola.
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The vista South, along the Grand Canal is
particularly key to this transition. The
architect believes Venetian bridges serve as
landmarks, points of definition in an urban
fabric that is utterly unique. Alongside its
function, the bridge has acted as a catalyst,
regenerating  the canal side. For example, the
abutments provide seating and allow access to the
new vaporetto landing stages.
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As a piece of design, the Ponte di Calatrava both
contrasts with and complements its historic
context, successfully functioning as the gateway
to Venice.
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When you're traveling to Venice, where private
transportation is expensive, vaporetto water
buses are often jam-packed, and walking usually
requires hauling your suitcases over at least a
few of the city's 400 footbridges..
If Venice is just one of the cities on your trip
and you insist on traveling around Italy or
Europe with bulky luggage, take a small carry-on
bag to your hotel in Venice and store your larger
suitcase at the Piazzale Roma or Marco Polo
Airport.
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Text and pictures Internet All  copyrights 
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Presentation Sanda Foisoreanu
2013
Sound Cecilia Bartoli - Nicola Porpora -
Come nave in mezzo all'onde