VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2 EN EXCERPT
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VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2 EN EXCERPT
CONTENTS EDITORIAL To Be or Not to Be Sustainable? 4 GLOSSARY The Semantics of Sustainability The words we use to talk about sustainability in architecture 6 PLACES A Conscious Revolution How the concept of sustainability is changing the future of architecture, and our own 8 INTERVIEW Dreaming of a New Venice A conversation with Ca’ Foscari University’s Chancellor Tiziana Lippiello 18 EXCERPT
PLACES Beauty Is Ethical Why saving our planet is a matter of design 26 PICTORIAL A Ceiling of Stars An alpine shelter becomes a sophisticated chalet in the Brenta Dolomites amphitheatre 38 TECHNICAL DOSSIER Alpine Shelter A radically contemporary intervention that speaks the language of nature 48 PUBLICATIONS The Enthusiast’s Guide to Titanium-Zinc Everything you need to know about zintek® 58 EXCE PT
BEAUTY IS ETHICAL Why saving our planet is a matter of design When you’re struck by a man-made landscape, the first thing your eye focuses on is a feeling of harmony between its elements. The creation of such harmony, by emphasizing certain aspects and de-emphasizing others, has always been the goal of architecture. Until recently, design choices were largely based on aesthetic or functional considerations. However, with a growing awareness of climate concerns, the environmental impact of design must now be seriously taken into account. The future of the planet will partly depend on whether we are able to preserve old buildings and erect new ones using fewer raw materials, and consuming less energy — or perhaps producing more —with a carbon footprint as close to zero as possible. This is what “ethical beauty” is about: the idea of responsible, practical beauty, able to meet various needs. The aesthetic–sustainability virtuous circle must work in both large and small projects, through scalable solutions, developed for each and every scenario. The projects displayed on the following pages, curated by Zintek between 2016 and 2020, show the potential of such a method in heterogeneous contexts. The basin in the centre of the Davines Village internal courtyard (project illustrated on page 30) contains eight pockets for growing water lilies. 27 EXCERPT
At the beginning of 2020, in Entebbe, Uganda, the EMERGENCY Children’s Surgical Hospital opened its doors. This major health centre comprises a main building, a large park with 350 trees, a play area, and a guest house. It is a place of care where people’s wellbeing is believed to depend on a holistic approach, and not just medical therapies. The project is the result of collaboration by a number of companies with differing skills sets working to modernize oldways and knowledge. By adapting the traditional construction technique of pisé,* the architects made walls more resistant, and stabilized interior temperatures and humidity. The classic “umbrella” structure inspired the shape of the roofing system, crafted out of titanium-zinc zintek®. Made out of two overlapping elements, the hospital’s roofs provide protection from inclement weather and attacks by small animals, while also producing emergency children’s surgical hospital Entebbe, Uganda Project: RPBW Renzo Piano Building Workshop Roof coatings: pre-weathered titanium-zinc zintek® slats ARCHITYPES 28 EXCERPT
energy, thanks to solar irradiance. The top layer acts as a “sunshade” and houses 2,670 solar panels capable of meeting most of the structure’s energy needs. The lower layer provides thermal and acoustic insulation to ensure a comfortable interior. Finally, more than 338 metres of zintek® down-pipes collect and enrich rainwater with mineral salts, perfect for irrigating the surrounding greenery. With coverings that protect, walls that support, and a light but solid structure, the hospital is a living organism, a work of “scandalous beauty”, according to Gino Strada, EMERGENCY’s founder, where every element meets both aesthetic and social needs. * One of themost common traditional building systems in Africa, which uses raw earth to guarantee thermal inertia levels. EMERGENCY Children’s Surgical Hospital is part of the ANME project —African Network of Medical Excellence—which promotes health care based on equality, quality, and social responsibility in Africa. 29 beauty is ethical EXCERPT
Davines Group, upholding Italian manufacturing excellence, is present in over ninety countries around the world. “Sustainability” is the concept that has animated the company since 1983, when Silvana and Gianni Bollati gave birth to a small production of treatments for hair. Today, Davines is a certified B Corp and, since 2019, also a Benefit Corporation. davines village Parma, Italy Project: Matteo Thun, Luca Colombo Roof and façade coating: pre-weathered titanium-zinc zintek® slats ARCHITYPES 30 EXCERPT
Finding a balance between formal beauty and efficiency was also the goal of the Davines Village project in Parma. For its headquarters, the Davines Group chose the traditional layout of a small village, a microcosm of cooperation and prosperity. After the main entrance, the two-storey office buildings can be found on the right and left sides, while a greenhouse restaurant, the heart of the facility, lies at the centre, easily accessible by every department. Transparency and brightness make moving around the complex easier, creating room for individual growth. The village, protected by the Parma Green Kilometreproject, a green area runningalongside themotorway, is surrounded by courtyards, a botanical garden, a park, and farmland. At the Davines Village, sustainable design takes form through local biodiversity, integration into the LANDSCAPE and recyclable, non-polluting materials. The use of zintek® in coverings and façades creates an all-embracing cloak, a solid, multi-layered envelope that ensures the stratigraphy’s maximum efficiency and protection for the structure below. 31 beauty is ethical EXCERPT
The historic Edizioni Messaggero Padova publishes, among others, Il Messaggero di Sant’Antonio, the most popular monthly magazine in Italy (with over 350,000 subscribers). ARCHITYPES 32 EXCERPT
Of course, it’s relatively easy to follow the principles of sustainable architecture when a building is new, but what happens if it’s an old one, set in a protected historic landmark? Take, for example, the energy refurbishment of the Edizioni Messaggero Padova headquarters. The architects opted for zintek® roofing, in a shade of grey close to the colour of the domes in the Sant’Antonio Basilica, blending in with the surroundings with no chromatic aberrations, and thereby meeting one of the client’s many specifications. Other benefits include improved energy EFFICIENCY for sum- mer air conditioning and winter heating, glare and irradiance correction in office spaces, and reduced frequency of inconvenient and expensive repairs. The whole Zintek package — titanium-zinc zintek® coupled with an insulatingand transpiring substructure — met all the requirements: the coverings solved the infiltration problems with less maintenance, and energy efficiency increased, saving 45–70% for winter heating. edizioni messaggero padova Padua, Italy Project: Dario e Mion Architetti studio Roof coatings: natural titanium-zinc zintek® slats 33 EXCERPT
Conserving non-renewable resources is the goal of another sustainable project, Parco dei Gelsi, on the hills of Albano Sant’Alessandro (Bergamo). This residential complex is a mix of nine single storey, duplex and triplexhouses. Each unit includes two or three parking spots, a cellar and laundry room, and a garden with trees that help with privacy and cooling. Recently, exploring new material combinations has become a trend, which in turn has led to innovative production practices. The outcome in this case is a potent alliance between wood, the centrepiece of the alpine construction tradition, and titanium-zinc. Wood’s thermoregulatory capacity is enhanced by zintek®’s roofing, which protects buildings from inclement weather and extends their lifespan. The combination of these two elements boosts their overall PERFORMANCE, and proves how powerful architecture can be when it is in harmony with the environment. parco dei gelsi Albano Sant’Alessandro (BG), Italy Project: Edoardo Milesi & Archos Roof and façade coating: pre-weathered titanium-zinc zintek® slats ARCHITYPES 34 EXCERPT
The study of environmental geo-climatic characteristics guided the choice of design and construction strategies. The housing complex is not equipped with mechanized air conditioning systems, as the very conformation of the buildings allows the control of the internal microclimate. EXCERPT
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An energy self-sufficient neighbourhood; a building restored without damaging its historically significant surroundings; a wellbeing-oriented company headquarters; a hospital where different cultures and languages can meet halfway. They differ in size, scope, and investment, but they all have one thing in common — a respectful, never intrusive nor invasive, design. Zintek provided tailor-made technological solutions for each project, proving that ethics and aesthetics are complimentary: one cannot exist without the other. In his novel The Idiot, Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote, “beauty will save the world.” A century and a half —and several revolutions — later, it’s time to update the Russian writer’s optimistic prophecy by adding an adjective. It’s not just beauty that’s going to save us, but a new and improved version: ethical beauty. A detail of the internal gardens of Davines Village. The green areas project, curated by Studio del Buono Gazerwitz Landscape Architecture, made the intervention sustainable and integrated into the landscape by increasing local biodiversity. 37 beauty is ethical EXCERPT
ARCHITYPES A publication by Zintek VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2 EN press@zintek.it Cover Chalet Fiat north-west façade, project Artistudio —Arch. Giovanni Berti © Zintek S.r.l. Zintek S.r.l. Via delle Industrie 22 30075 Venice Porto Marghera +39 041 2901866 www.zintek.it For commercial and technical information: marketing@zintek.it © 2022 Zintek S.r.l. All forms of reproduction, even if partial or for internal/didactic purposes, are prohibited without proper authorization. EXCERPT
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Humanity is our family, the Earth our home. To cherish and preserve it, we need to change the way we think and act. Designing a new future is everyone’s responsibility. Let’s begin now. WWW.ZINTEK.IT € 5,00 EXCERPT
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