OC.035 – Cavallerizza Reale di Torino
Internation invited competition – Finalist

Reading and re-reading. Observing and re-observing. More than once and once more. To understand the Cavallerizza as a palimpsest of details and in between. As a maze of spaces and structures. As a catalogue of repetitions and exceptions. Turning these understandings and re-understanding in a instrument to imagine equal and scaled actions of divers initiatives that at each point opens or re-opens the given context without to much of change. Interfering – changing a little – , intervening – daring to change – , and introducing – bringing in new – precise and located actions that one can read sometimes clearly but also sometimes seems to have been yet ever.

By that taking care of the build history in all its layers and appearances but also adding only humble and careful new layers to its future history. This is not only an act of respect towards the history but also an act of respect to a possible once future next change expected. The idea of re-use should not only have a meaning to the now but open also a meaning to a change in future. RE-USE should at any time prepare a next re-use. We tittle it (P)RE-USE

The re-iteration of the OPUS CRATITIUM in the case of the a la Mosca from a simple ancient light wall framework to a nowadays open inviting and multi-layered OPERANDI CRATITIUM. What can be WON IN THE FIRE is made clear in the attitude towards the Paglieri where the lost spaces by the incidents of the fire become spaces of opportunity next the expectations of program. As the Rotunda becomes an open-door space it changes the four quadrants and four wings around into an OCTAGON experience of alternating inside and outside spaces for exhibiting and performing. We name it the ROSE of spaces. The old theatre becomes one of these with and just only updating it in all needed technics however in basic appearance is good enough. As also the courtyards around nevertheless the act of maintaining and introducing some actions on pavement and green is good enough.

That things are yet good enough and yet so much better by simple restauration and better maintenance is the point of departure of this proposal however not without daring to initiate change. But change inspired by but also inspiring towards the given richness of heritage.

Yet today the Cavallerizza is a place one wants to live – read: work, act or be -. So it does not need that much change but just the good and precise enough change. To let be the Cavallerizza as it always has been but also ever will be.

The proposal is not just a proposal of project but a proposal of attitude. The attitude of reading and re- reading the given to make the future as demand available but inspired by the re-reading to a twist of the expectations is an attitude. An attitude being a method. This proposal is a start, and the re-reading will become an attitude shared with everyone involved in the future process. By that everyone will feel part and by being part the Cavallerizza will be not only for everyone but from everyone. Being involved will being engaged. To take care of this Cavallerizza into a next future.

project by AJDVIV, OASI architects, AMArchitectrue, Anton Sagal, Marco Agosti, RSLandscape, Projema, A&A
client: Fondazione Cassa San Paolo, Comune di Torino, UniTO