An Architecture of Inclusiveness

A social Condenser that both preserves and enhances the harbour community of Naples . A forum for cultural and commercial exchange. Where the tourist industry and the harbour community, new and old, cultural and industrial create a rich and interesting urbanity.

The unit brief was called: A Palace of the People. Precedent studies included the Kulturhuset in Stockholm; A large mixed-use public building and the Albergo dei Poveri in Naples; an enormous 18th Century palace for the destitute. I have been increasingly interested in the idea of the mixed-use city over the last couple of years. This encourages both a rich and adaptable city, a city that is truly sustainable. So for me it was both important and relevant to do a mixed-use project at an urban scale as well at the building scale. The most interesting elements of the site are the ships, which are by far the biggest buildings in the area. Consequently it made sense to make a proposal that took advantage of this unique situation. This combined with the fact that the ferries that moor here are currently without a terminal building for the foot passengers made the choice seem obvious. For me a palace of the people also had to contain a significant portion of housing for the people that really need it. This is why my project proposes a large expanse of high quality key worker housing for the people who work in harbour community and their families.