In VENICE, ITALYTRANSIT HUB PROJECT

THE PLAGUE DOCTOR

THE PROJECT CONCEPT AND DESIGN PROCESS AS A SYNTHESIS OF METHODOLOGIES

THE PROGRAM INCLUDES A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM THAT WILL APPROACHTHE STATION ON 2 TRACKS WHICH ARE SERVED BY ONE CENTER PLATFORMELEVATED TO APPROXIMATELY 48”, THUS ALLOWING PASSENGERS TO ENTERAND EXIT TRANS WITHOUT STEPS. A WATER TAXI AND GONDOLA SERVICEWILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE GRAND CANAL OF VENICE AND IS LOCATED INTHE MECHANICAL ROOMS/STORAGE ROOMS, SERVICE AREAS, AND RETAIL SHOPSWILL BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE GROUND FLOOR IN A GRAND CENTRALIZEDPRECESSION MANOR. THE SECOND LEVEL OF THIS TRANSIT STATION WILL BEAS A LOOKOUT TOWARDS THE HARBOR. A RESTAURANT/LOUNGE IS PROVIDEDFOR A MORE RELAXED ENVIRONMENT AS PATRONS WAIT FOR TRANSPORTATION.THE FOCUS OF THE TRANSIT HUB IS THE TRANSLUCENT SHELLS THAT HOUSE THESTATIONS REST AREA. THE CONCEPT IS THAT OF SEVERAL PLEXIGLAS PANELSOF FIBRE-OPTIC MESH WHICH ARE SECURED TO BUNDLED FIBRE-OPTICS TO CREATE A MESH REBAR SYSTEM AND FORM THE SKELETON OF THE SHELL.

3’-0” METAL PIPING ARCHED AROUND CONCRETE NOISE STATION BARRIERS CONTRIBUTE TO STABILIZING THE SHELL. THE MESH PANELS WILL THEN BE SPRAYED WITH A TRANSLUCENT CONCRETE AND FORM A INNER AND OUTER SKIN FAÇADE. THE FIBRES WILL MINGLE WITH THE CONCRETE AND BECOME A STRUCTURAL COMPONENT. FIBRES WORK WITHOUT ALMOST ANY LOSS IN LIGHT AND HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE WELL KNOWN HIGH COMPRESSION STRENTH VALUE OF CONCRETE. THE PLEXIGLAS PANELS WILL ALSO FORM AS AN EMBEDDED HEAT INSULATOR FOR HEAT ISLAND EFFECTS OF THE HARBOR AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE SHELLS INNOVATIVE FEATURES. THE USE OF VOLCANIC ASH FROM THE AREA WILL PROVE TO HAVE MORE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDE MORE COMPESSION STENGTH THEN MOST CEMENT ADDITIVES. THE USE OF VOLCANIC ASH SHOULD INSURE LONGEVITY OF THE STRUCTURE AND ASSURE THE NEEDS OF FUTURE.