Channelbeta - Speciale - Villard2 Seminario itinerante di progettazione

Lecce October 20th 2000.Here we are: the Villard adventure starts again!! What are we talking about?!? Villard is an itinerant seminary of planning entitled by the famous architect Villard de Honnecourt who, during the XIII century, edited a book collecting ( Livre de portraiture) drawings, notes, sketches made during his travels in several European towns. The idea of the seminary is basically inspired by the architect himself as well as the spirit of the itinerant activities: the students and professors are asked to interact by working together throughout a direct confrontation, a productive debate and an advantageous exchange on different architectural cultures.

Up October 2000 and until June 2001, the workshop is taking place in collaboration between eight Italian Faculties of Architecture: Venice, Torino, Genova, Ascoli Piceno, Pescara, Roma3, Napoli, and Palermo. A few students for each of those Universities, chosen by announcement of competition, are involved in the project and young tutors and coordinators follow them trough monthly meetings in the different towns. These towns, their urban scenery, the Villarders (nickname for those who attend the event), represent the very protagonist of the event characterized by its cognitive and teaching methods. As a matter of fact, the students observe the town very closely, studying their history and their problems, so that the towns themselves will give them the necessary basis and materials for the Research.

Three days of debates and conferences will take place in each of the University center. At this time the students present their projects systematically prepared by themselves and the tutors must audit the works. In fact, during the eight months, each group of students works on a specific plan regarding the topic of the entire seminary: Lecce.

The idea belongs to the Villarders' coordinator of Pescara and to the Order of Architect of Lecce that wanted the town be known out the border of the Salento Region. They suggested to take in consideration a specific area of Lecce: the center, between the railway zone and the new area next to the tangential which is going to be built. This is a "waiting space" characterized for its environmental emergencies, traces of archeology and suburban residential blocks. Here the visitors can obviously feel the tension of the changes during the years: from the problems on the landscape to the disused tuff quarry, from the questions of the infrastructures' junction to those linked to the industrial archeology with its old shooting range, the nymph and the railway system. An area which is surely rich of suggestions and whose position is strategic for the future development of the town.

The final workshop of the entire event will be held in Lecce where the Villerders will be working together in gathering all the projects made during the year and presenting them to the local institutions.

This "Week of the Architecture" in Lecce will represent an international center of debate with several visits and conferences. Nevertheless, at the same time in each of the cities involved in the projects, the culture of the Salento Region will be presented trough exhibitions, meetings and a cinematography event: a serial story entitled " Lecce door to Europe".

At the moment, the Villard trip is half-way to the end: the "caravan" of the students (more than 50), and professors have already visited Venice, Torino, Genova, Ascoli piceno having the chance to meet several personalities with competence and experience on the new urban phenomenon: M. Fukas, M. Cacciari, S.Polano, F. Purini, E. Sanguineti, M. Brizzi, A. Bonomi, A. Del Lago, D. Starnone.

At its second edition, the Villard seminary is greatly appreciated for its teaching method, the possibility of subjects' contamination, and especially for breaking the cultural barriers still existing within the Italian academic World giving a new idea of University... "Villard is a "plastic machine" linked to a cultural point of view more than to a static place and the innovation represents its own spirit" (M. Ricci).

Moreover it's a good opportunity for students to present and transfer their academic knowledge to the local institutions, dealing with those who places confidence on them, young professionals, full of resources and innovative proposals.

Matteo Falcone