Paola Barcarolo

1. Introduction to ABX Conference
by Paola Barcarolo and don Gianmatteo Caputo
Hi everyone!
I’m Paola Barcarolo, I’m a 27 years old Italian architect and a PhD student in
"Civil and Environmental Engineering, Architecture" at the University of Udine,
in north-east of Italy.
I’m talking in name of don Gianmatteo Caputo who is a catholic priest and an
architect of the Patriarcato of Venice, director of the Office for the Cultural
heritage of the churches of the city. He is also committed to the enhancement
of the churches, for their extended use when they are no longer places of
worship.
The project “Ancient Presence, Modern Projection: Torcello-Venice, Italy” has
been undertaken as one of the case studies for the development of my
international and multidisciplinary PhD Research, that is entitled: "Design for
All Communications for the Strategic and Sustainable Enrichment of Cultural
and Natural Heritage: Definition and Validation of Perceptual-Synaesthetic and
Emotive Operational Principles for the Usage of the Touristic UNESCO Sites."
Thanks to the collaboration and to the help of:
• Margaret Matz of Milestone Architecture that is located in New York City,
State of New York, US;
• Gianmatteo don Caputo of the Patriarcato of Venice that is located in
Venice, north-east of Italy;
• Valerie Fletcher of the Institute of Human Centered Design of Boston,
Massachusetts, US;
I’ve had the possibility to start realizing a core part of my research through an
Exhibit Design approach – Human Centered Design oriented – that has been
based on a fil rouge linked to:
• accessibility within historic, cultural and natural heritage of UNESCO sites
preservation context,
• design process that is beyond accessibility principles and social
participation of all the community,
• interdisciplinary and multimodal practices, but also digital media.
I’ve demonstrated – through other case studies – the points just listed have to
be considered as a Human Centered Design approach that provide for:
• accessibility before, during and after visits of all kind of people to UNESCO
sites,
• promoting worldwide cultural tourism.
In this project – Dual Continent Milestone Architecture’s Exhibition – timed to
coincide with the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale, we have tried to let the
visitor has an emotional and multisensory experience of the Venetian-
Byzantine structures of Torcello Island.
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2. We have conceived and realized participatory exhibitions, with live feeds
connecting the Isle of Torcello – that is part of the UNESCO site named
“Venice and its Lagoon” – with installations located in:
• Italy: Venice, in the Church of San Lio, near Rialto Bridge,
• USA: New York City, in The New Academic Building of The Cooper Union.
One of the ideas that I’ve proposed and on which I’m working on for this
UNESCO Site, and also one of the goal of my personal research and of my
contribute to this project, is to realize a sort of prototype of an accessible
website that will give the possibilities – both to real visitors and virtual ones –
to have three kind of information – before, during and after visits – with
different purposes, but with the intent to give everyone the possibility to have
a personal experience through which learn to give value and to appreciate our
heritage.
Through the following video – that we’ve realized with BabyVolcano Films of
Aaron Schillinger, as much accessible as possible to everyone (for example for
people with special needs, children, old people, deaf, blinds, visually impaired
individuals, people with cognitive disabilities, etc.), but also as much
immersive as possible (through music, scents and evocative images) – you all
will be able to understand that we’ve tried to explain and to involve viewers by
using all the things that are beyond the ancient structures of the Isle of
Torcello and of the fundamental elements of each architecture. We’ve used
physical objects, projections of light and interactive software. Digital media
have gave us the opportunity, thanks also to live-streaming, to cross land and
time, while offering to all people a live and interactive way to experience
nowadays, in the 21th century, the reality of Torcello, founded in the 5th
century.
Some of the future perspectives – of my doctoral research and of the
collaboration with the entities mentioned before – are also to try creating a
web site template and a list of operational principles to be applied from
cultural and natural heritage (UNESCO sites), to the field of: Health Care
Design (City Hospitals, Hospice, Centers for active aging), Retail Design
(Shopping Centers for example); moreover, it can be applied in the public
spaces for learning (Schools, Universities, College, etc), socializing (parks,
children's playgrounds) and living (Social Housing).
For questions, please, have a look to our in progress website where you will
find PPT presentation, video, and all the information you need.
I thank all of you from here and in the name of don Gianmatteo Caputo,
Margaret Matz, Aaron Schillinger and Valerie Fletcher.
Have a nice day.
Bye bye,
Paola Barcarolo
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