Academic project Washington University in St. Louis
Florence summer abroad 2018
Critic: Igor Marjanovic
Design proposal and drawings produced with Wentao Guo
A sanctuary of water awaits at the highest point in Florence.
Refugees and locals of all origins are welcome to experience the healing powers of water and light. Upon arrival, a canopy
spanning monumentally over the city wall draws a visiter into the safe haven underneath it. As it is open to all, no government-issued ID is required for entry.
Water, the all-encompassing transience of things, is the main feature of this monument. A dispersed pool of water
glistens under the sunlight that envelopes this space when the shutters of the canopy are open. During times of
rain, the canopy's shutters are closed, allowing rainwater to trickle down the curves of the canopy walls into a
water filtration and storage system connected to the adjacent Bardini Gardens. The purified water then supplies the
sanctuary's community pools, cafe and locker rooms. Under the light- and water-filtering canopy, one can, at least for a
moment, let the memories of their journeys dissolve.