Architecture and Vision has won an international competition to design a sculpture at the waterfront of Messina bay in Sicily.

The winning sculpture, called ‘LaFenice’ – ‘The Phoenix’ – recalls the story of the mythological bird, which is reborn out of his ashes ‘more glorious than before’. A symbol of hope and renewal and the power of its message lives in minds and hearts of the people.

Theme of the competition was to propose a sculpture which deals with the collective memory of the City of Messina, which was completely destroyed by an Earthquake in 1908.

The sculpture is forming a connection between Earth and Sky, between past and future and reflecting the lights and the movements of the city into the square. The abstract sculpture consists of three and a half highly reflective slightly deformed double pyramids, which are stacked on top of each other, being reminiscent of growth and the uplifting flight of a bird.

Link: www.architectureandvision.com/av/056.html

‘Calculation and Substance’, Chicago, The School of the Art Institute, Sullivan Galleries
September 25, 2009 – January 9, 2010

‘AtlasCoelestis’ is a sculpture representing the major orbital paths of our solar system, designed for the exhibition “Makig Modern”, 2009 Calculation and Substance exhibition in Chicago, showcasing cutting edge technologies of parametric and algorithmic design.

Made of 12 alum rings that move independently of one another casting elliptical shadows on the surrounding environment, it references the perpetual motion of our universe.
It draws inspiration from Galileo’s invention of the telescope and its impact on our understanding of the universe. New technologies in design are again changing how we visualize the world, inviting us to explore exciting new possibilities.

Image © Maya Janczykowska 2009

MercuryHouseOne, Venice, San Servolo Island, September 2, 2009

Architecture and Vision’s ‘MercuryHouseOne’, an architectural platform for modern life, was officially unveiled to the public on San Servolo Island in context of the 53rd Biennale of Arts in Venice, for the opening ceremony of the Festival del Cinema.

The pavilion, which is realized with finest Carrara marble was presented by client and contractor Gualtiero Vanelli from GVM. After attracting highest interest of the public, the mobile pavilion is scheduled for several events around the world.

“FioredelCielo”, Exhibition
Bomarzo, Palazzo Orsini, 4-7 September 2009

After the celebration of St. Rose, on September 3, an exhibition devoted to the project of “FioredelCielo” will open in Bomarzo.

In the wonderful setting of Palazzo Orsini, the exhibition will offer to the public a closer look, behind the scenes, at the whole process through which “FioredelCielo” was conceived and developed.
Drawings, renderings, prototypes, models as well as videos will be on show.
The exhibition will be inaugurated on September 4, at 6 pm.

“If someone loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Architecture and Vision’s project FioredelCielo will be unveiled on night of September 3rd, in the city of Viterbo, Italy, during the celebration of the city’s patron Santa Rosa.

The “tower” will be carried by 100 men, through the narrow streets of the medieval town, that will be livened up with the light of hundreds of candle flames and with falling rose petals.
After the event, the Pope will come to see the FioredelCielo on September 6, 2009.

‘MercuryHouseOne’ by Architecture and Vision will be presented on September 2, 2009,during the 53rd Art Exhibition, Biennale of Venice, on San Servolo island.

‘MercuryHouseOne’ is a mobile lounge designed for a modern experience of our natural and urban environments. Drawing inspiration from nature, its shape recalls the beauty and perfection of a water drop. The advanced cabin is realized by the Italian company GVM of Gualtiero Vanelli in Carrara.

The exterior shell is a double curve shape made out of ultralight white Carrara marble.
The interior layout can be set up in a range of configurations to accommodate different uses and needs. The latest lighting, video, and sound technologies is used in the habitat in order to create a unique experience inside. The unit is powered by solar cells and is energetically autonomous.

On September 2, during the 53rd Art Exhibition, Biennale of Venice, MercuryHouseOne will be presented on the island of San Servolo in the wonderful scenery of the Venetian lagoon.Representatives of Italian and International cultural, political and economic institutions willattend the event.

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Architecture and Vision presents first concept for the interior designs of the “Enterprise”.
The ‘Enterprise‘ is a rocket plane, which is developed by the Talis Enterprise group. By 2013, it will carry up to six passengers or scientific payload up to a height of 125 km.

A suborbital flight implies acceleration forces and five minutes to weightlessness: these are extraordinary conditions, which indeed affect the construction and the design of the spaceplane. The interior design accommodates for example ergonomic seats, which lean downward in the weightless flight phase. The light blue colour with glare-free materials permits an unobstructed view onto the “Blue Planet”. The large windows are surrounded by a backlit recessed handgrip, which allows passengers to restrain themselves during the micro-gravity phase and look out of the window. Special suits as well as light helmets with oxygen masks provide safety in case of a cabin decompression in high altitude. All these components were prepared in close co-operation with engineers of the TALIS Enterprise group.
The TALIS Enterprise group and “Project Enterprise”:
The TALIS Enterprise group develops new space technologies. The lead project is the “Project Enterprise”. Started in 2004, it is the first privately funded space project of Europe. The objective is to build rocket planes with a CO2 neutral propulsion for scientific uses as well as for space tourism. After a series of increasingly powerful prototypes the spaceplane “Enterprise” will be assembled and take off from Germany.
The first phase of the project will conclude in August 2009, with the production of the first prototype. The airplane is unmanned and will be remote controlled manually as well as by computers.
“Project Enterprise” can rely on well-known enterprises: The German aircraft manufacturer “XtremeAir” will build the airplanes, while the Swiss “Swiss Propulsion Laboratory” will supply the rocket propulsion.

Find additional information at Talis Enterprise

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Architecture and Vision’s project ‘FioredelCielo‘ won the competition for the design of the next “Macchina di Santa Rosa” of Viterbo earlier this year and is now under construction to be inaugurated on September 3, 2009.

Every year, on the night of September 3rd, the city of Viterbo, Italy celebrates its patron Santa Rosa by a very unique and extraordinairy event. A 30 meter (100 feet) high structure, called “La Macchina di Santa Rosa” is carried by 100 men, named “Facchini”, through the narrow streets of the medieval town. The structure is allowed a maximum weight of 5 tons. Every 5 years a new design is selected by a design competition.
Architecture and Vision’s winning competition scheme is characterized by three helix bands, decorated with roses, which are winding vertically up the structure enclosing three spheres, which represent different stages of Santa Rosa’s life.
The design introduces new interactive elements and advanced light technology. The liveliness of the hundreds of candle flames combined with changing illumination or falling rose petals will delight the crowd gathered to celebrate the patron.
After the event, the Pope will come to see the FioredelCielo on September 6, 2009.

Find additional information at:
www.comune.viterbo.it
www.youtube.com

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Download Press Announcement English ( PDF )

Download Press Announcement German ( PDF )

AV is one of five architecture firms worldwide invited to participate in Calculation and Substance, an exhibition associated with the 2009 ACADIA conference, hosted by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) Department of Architecture, Interior Architecture and Designed Objects (AIADO).ACADIA is the Association for Computer Aided Design In Architecture, a group dedicated to digital computation and parametric design in the field of architecture. Each of the chosen participants will produce a piece for exhibition in SAIC’s Sullivan Gallery located in Luis Sullivan’s most influential building. Opening in late September, the exhibit will showcase the cutting edge technologies of parametric and algorithmic design.AV’s proposal draws inspiration from Gaileo’s invention of the telescope 400 years ago and its impact on our understanding of the universe.This project explores how design innovation today may shape our perception of the world in the future.AV is working with students from SAIC and other collaborators to design and fabricate the project. 

Image: Geocentric representation of the solar system, according to the Ptolemaic system, as it was conceived before Galileo’s telescope (source: Scenographia systematis mvndani Ptolemaici, Amsterdam, 1660)

February 02, 2009
Architecture and Vision’s project FioredelCielo won the competition for the design
of the next ‘Macchina di Santa Rosa’ of Viterbo.

The ‘Macchina di Santa Rosa’ is a 30 m high structure dedicated to the city’s patron, St. Rose; every year, in September, the Macchina is carried through the narrow streets of the medieval town, stopping at each major square. The structure/tower is allowed a maximum of 5000 kg and is carried by 100 men.
Every 5 years a new design is introduced.

Participating in the last competition, Architecture and Vision proposed a triple-helix structure, which is winding vertically up around three spheres, that represent different stages of St. Rose’s life. At each stop rose leaves gently fall down from the top, on the crowd gathered to celebrate the patron.

Image © Ideami