Honourable mention for the proposal for the Former Seminary of San Massimo in Verona
The proposal that LAND submitted with Baumschlager Eberle, Deerns and NickMaltese Studio for the redevelopment of the area of the Ex-Seminary of San Massimo in Verona has been recognised by the Church of Verona and Fondazione San Zeno with an honorable mention, distinguishing the project among the 73 proposals received in the competition.
The competition was promoted by the Diocese itself with the aim of making the community an active part of a thought for the enhancement of the place. First of all, it identified ideas capable of capturing the heritage and memories of the past, intercepting the challenges and potential for future development. With the project team, we started with the project ‘Seme! Metamorfosi verde’ (Seeds! Green Metamorphosis) from the intention of a new idea of living centred on a ‘new harmony with nature‘.
This proposal caught the attention of the jury, which justified its decision as follows:“The idea surmounts the difficulties posed by the scale and rigidity of the layout by adding volumes to create places that evoke more urban and territorial dimensions, imagining not only the functions that have been established but also their uses and rhythms in an elegant and appropriate way. The landscape is treated starting from the valorisation of existing features, opening up relations with the context and without fear of leaving ‘gaps’ of spontaneous landscape.”
Our proposal aims to enhance existing agricultural areas, revitalise the site’s architecture, and equip the area with a diverse range of services and activities to attract both local communities and visitors. The primary goal is to help people rediscover the importance of productive landscapes. These landscapes host architecture that blends seamlessly with the surrounding territory, fostering synergies and virtuous cycles of biophilic relationships.