Antonello Russo – Completion of the upper Siderno amphitheatre

PROJECT: Antonello Russo – Completion of the upper Siderno amphitheatre

LOCATION: Siderno Superiore

YEAR: 2017

ARCHITECT / FIRM: RTP Moduloquattro Architetti Messina Ing. Tito Albanese (Siderno, RC) Ing. Claudio Racco (Siderno, RC) Arch. Giusy Miragliotta Collaborators: Paola Albanese, Claudio Bruno, Vincenzo Filippone

BUYER: Municipality of Siderno

SURFACE: 700 sqm

PRICE: € 1.300.000,00

DESCRIPTION:
Built by filling an area at the bottom of the valley, it outlines, in the heart of the town, a large terrace overlooking the valley that can enhance, in its sudden expansion, the narrow spatiality of the streets of the town and, with it, the orographic features of the territory settled. The existing square is defined by a semicircular widening delimited by a cavea composed of five steps. The latter allows, in the summer months, the use of the area for public events of various kinds, from here, probably, the indication of amphitheater in the nomenclature of custom. Connected with the surrounding widenings, it defines the main element of an articulated complex of public open spaces placed at different heights intermingling one with the other. Following the natural vocation of the historic centre, oriented towards the provision of valuable services connected to culture and leisure, the project was taken as an opportunity to provide the village with a multifunctional space capable of hosting a large number of events.

BALANCE BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND REPLACEMENT: The new program is in balance with the existing one.

DESCRIPTION:
In providing for the redevelopment of the existing, the project also provides for the extension of the scene of the outdoor theater for the composition of a joint intervention. A new design of the closing wall outlines the presence of new seats near the northern boundary. The cavea is remodelled through the realization of a series of interventions concerning its development and its shape. The closing wall of the cavea, in connecting the difference in level between the cavea and the road behind it, aims to integrate the tiered areas, flower boxes and vertical rods into a single organism for direct lighting of the entire public space. The extension of the square towards the valley creates a large terrace 90 cm above the level of the public space. For public events, it delimits the space of the stage, which can be used to place the stage equipment. A ramp and a staircase placed parallel to the hemicycle of the square and a transversal staircase ensure the connections for overcoming the difference in level. The space below the new terrace outlines the composition of an articulated system of spaces that can be used for independent events or as service rooms for the scene above. The extension of the existing square towards the valley, as well as the wide range of additional spaces placed at the lower level, are made possible by the positioning of a new embankment wall, shifted by about 12.00 m from the current limit of the square. This choice aims to interpret a delicate point of the urban conformation of the town for the realization of an increase in the existing square through the expansion of the installed area of the entire village rejecting the hypothesis of building a timely inside the valley.

BALANCE BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND REPLACEMENT: Balanced financing between the original owner and another investor.

DESCRIPTION:
Mucipality of Siderno

- SURFACE present EXTENSION,

BALANCE BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND REPLACEMENT: The overall dimensions are about twice the pre-existing surface.

- VOLUME present EXTENSION,

BALANCE BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND REPLACEMENT: The overall dimensions are about twice the pre-existing volume.

DESCRIPTION:
The extension of the existing square towards the valley, as well as the wide range of additional spaces placed at the lower level, are made possible by the positioning of a new embankment wall, shifted of about 12.00 m from the current limit of the square. This choice aims to interpret a delicate point of the urban conformation of the inhabited area for the realization of an increase of the existing square through the enlargement of the installed surface of the whole village rejecting the hypothesis of constructing a punctual building inside the valley. The setting of a new artificial ground, placed at an altitude of less than 3.60 m from the share of the square obtained with suitable filling material, allows you to set the new volume services made with a framed structure in reinforced concrete with foundation stalls, separated from the current retaining wall. The space below the scene defines the presence of a large room used as dressing rooms and dressing rooms with adjoining two toilets, a technical room, public bathrooms and a large multipurpose room open, but covered, used for exhibitions, exhibitions of an artistic or craft or for meetings and conferences. The setting of a new artificial ground, placed at an altitude of less than 3.60 m from the share of the square obtained with suitable filling material, allows you to set the new volume services made with a framed structure in reinforced concrete with foundation stalls, separated from the current retaining wall.

BALANCE BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND REPLACEMENT: The new spaces are in balance with respect to the pre- existing spaces.

DESCRIPTION:
It was decided to reconfigure the two existing flowerbeds by regularising their perimeter in order to define a more evident connection with the steps. A third flowerbed is positioned on the rotation of the steps near the boundary towards the south. The steps are redesigned and the closing wall at the bottom of the seating surfaces is completely remodelled. A new fountain is drawn on the northern limit. The whole intervention, reconfigured in its volume, is treated in its finishing layer with a surface of stone / washed, ideal in the realizations placed in the historical center, with aggregates with a thin grain size from 1 to 4 mm useful to draw a homogeneous layer both for the elevations and for the seats of the steps of the cavea. A further vertical connection with the space below the terrace, designed for use mainly by artists and service personnel during the shows, connects the height of the terrace with the floor below overcoming a difference in level of 4.50 m. This staircase is marked on the terrace by an irregular prism, delimited by a box frame for the positioning of an expanded net in order to ensure effective transparency of the view towards the valley. Ramp and staircase together with the gallery arranged in continuity with the open space below the terrace will form a promenade that, as mentioned in the introduction, determines a circuit of museum type.

BALANCE BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND REPLACEMENT: The supporting structure is composed in a balanced way by pre-existing structures and new structures.

DESCRIPTION:
The extension of the square towards the valley is achieved by filling the ground placed in contiguity with the previous one. At the height of the square, it draws a large terrace with a viewpoint to be used as a stage for public events, for the placement of equipment. The construction of a new embankment to support the advancement of the installed surface allows, at the same time, to redevelop the prospectus on the valley currently characterized by the presence of a brutal wall of support in reinforced concrete not finished.

TOTAL CONSERVATION / CONTINUITY: The materials chosen for the new intervention are similar to the pre-existing ones.

DESCRIPTION:
Considering also the state of degradation of the cavea, a general requalification of the square is foreseen through the realization of a new paving and a reconfiguration of the steps for the composition of a unitary design aimed at integrating the pre-existing ones. At present, the floor plan of the square is placed about 15 cm below the first step of the existing cavea. This difference in level, while not configuring a step that can be used for seating, limits the distance of people with disabilities. By substantially recalculating the perimeter of the existing square, it is planned to fill this difference in height by means of a filling useful for the passage of new plant engineering ducts as a laying plan for a floor in Canolo stone laid in opus incertum slabs. Rectangular slabs of the same stone draw the joints of the horizontal hemicycle with the cavea and adjacent areas and, on the square, an inclined axis designed to connect the center of the scene with the way out. Linear cast iron embrasures for the collection of water complete the general design by defining the perimeter of the horizontal surface.

PREVALENT CONSERVATION / CONTINUITY: The new intervention favors a relationship of continuity with the existing structures.

DESCRIPTION:
The entire extension, not building any structure in elevation with respect to the height of the square, allows you to create, at the level below, an articulated system of public service spaces to the scene and / or for the conduct of independent events.