Arno River>> Rowing Center
Program: The Arno River in Florence, Italy is simultaneously loved and ignored. It divides the city in half and allows tourist and residents alike a beautiful place to walk down and experience the city. The Arno is also host to many rowing clubs and since I was once a rower myself, I was very interested in joining but I could never find where their club was. Thusly, the program for this project is to create a rowing center which brings attention back to the Arno and give the rowing community a public face.
Concept/Design Approach: I wanted to make an experience for the users of the building where the city would disappear and they would become one with the river. The building itself hangs over the river with a facade almost entirely glass allowing the users to feel as though they are part of the river. The first floor locker rooms lead to the pier and boathouse where the building meets the river.
