venetian seagrass biological research institute
“Venice Biological Research Institute and Marine Seed Bank is an extension of the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. In the context of climate change, the Institute will aim to do research on areas of biology and seawater environment in order to find solution for Venetian as well as Global Issues including coastal flooding, water pollution and endangered sea water ecosystem, with the focus on Seagrass.
My design project intends to create a built environment to facilitate the research process. The structure complex will be able to transformed through time to adapt with the everchanging world and its unpredictable future. By looking at the strategy of REGENERATIVE ARCHITECTURE and the idea of METABOLISM, the design is focused on these listed keywords: adaptability, flexibility, evolution, revitalise and awareness.”
Discipline
Architecture Design & Story Telling
Location
Venice, Italy
Software
Rhinoceros3D, VisualARQ, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, Twinmotion
Client
School of Art, Architecture & Design - University of South Australia
Eastern Boat Access: Cannaregio Canal
Western Boat Access: Cannaregio Canal
Pedestrian Access: Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
A new garden is introduced to the campus of Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, bridging the historic building with the contemporary research institute and the surrounding San Giobbe site in Cannaregio.
Conceived as an extension of Venice’s urban fabric, the design weaves together pathways, landscape, water, and lightweight structures to create a layered, immersive experience across the site. Warm tones of red rubber paving, pink brass, and weathered corten steel echo the textures and hues of the historical context.
Together with the research institute, the garden forms a new internal ‘canal’ that connects to the Cannaregio Canal—opening up the campus to boat access and creating a fluid link between land and water within the university grounds.
Acqua Alta // Urban Catalyst
Marine Seed Bank
Located at the entrance of The Institute, the Marine Seed Bank serves as a vital link between the historic city of Venice and its emerging high-tech research facilities. The space supports research, learning, and seagrass transplantation, while also engaging the public in environmental restoration. Its algae-filled pod façade functions as a bio-water filtration system, helping to purify the waters of the Venetian canals.
The design centres around three protagonists who will interact with the facility on a daily basis:
1. The User: Andrea Bonometto, 41 – Fisherman & Researcher
A fisherman and researcher at the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Andrea is also a project manager for the Life Lagoon Refresh project. As one of the local volunteers engaged in seagrass transplantation, he visits the seed bank to collect seeds and prepare for upcoming restoration activities.
2. The Employee: Rossella Boscolo Brusà, 46 – Marine Biologist
A lead researcher at ISPRA and project leader for Life Lagoon Refresh, Rossella works onsite at the Marine Seed Bank. She manages the lab, oversees seed storage, and monitors the health and viability of seagrass samples to support long-term ecological restoration efforts in the lagoon.
3. The Venetian: Prof. Adriano Sfriso, 65 – Marine Ecologist (Retired), and his granddaughter, 5
A retired professor of Marine Ecology at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and former coordinator of the LIFE SeResto project, Adriano remains deeply involved with the Institute. He frequently visits the Seed Bank to stay up to date with the latest research and often brings his young granddaughter to inspire her curiosity about marine science and environmental stewardship.
