Piazza Filippo Brunelleschi and the Humanities Entrance at Florence University

Piazza Filippo Brunelleschi and the Humanities Entrance at Florence University

Table of Contents History and Nearby Piazzas Climate - Wind, Temperature and Humidity Lighting - Natural and Artificial Circulation Routes Pulbic and Private Spaces Inside the Space Material and Color Profiles Briana Henderson Duncan Randall Dylan Rzepka

History and Nearby Piazzas A - Piazza San Marco B - Piazza della Santissima Annunziata C - Mercato di San Lorenzo D - Piazza del Duomo & Piazza San Giovanni E - Piazza Di Santa Maria Nuova Nearby Courtyards and Cloisters Civic (Museum) - V Restaurants, Shops - C Piazza Filippo Brunelleschi Focal point is the Rotunda dei Angeli Piazza houses the entrance to the Humanities building of University of Florence Utilized as circulation space and parking space for cars and bicycles A Rotunda dei Angeli Central-plan originally designed by Brunellesci Used as a studio for Enrico Pazzi Completed in 1937 by Rodolfo Sabatini University of Florence Established 1321 - Houses 50,000 students in 10 programs Faculty of the Humanities building C Apartments by Giovanni Michelucci Constructed in 1960 Massing allows interaction with the Duomo (D) D E

ehicular, Some Pedestrian entral - Paved & Green Space Religious and Civic - Pedestrian Linear - Monuments - Hardscape Religious - Pedestrian Market, Shops - Linear - Hardscape B Religious - Vehicular & Pedestrian Restaurants, Shops - Central - Hardscaped Medical - Vehicular, Some Pedestrian Library - Refuge - Hardscape Courtyards and Cloisters are used to provide light and air to the inner portions of large structures. In this region there are scattered courtyards that are only accessible by the adjacent buildings. These courtyards were derived from the Roman atriums commonly found in the houses of the wealthy. They are used in modernity for the drying of laundry and to create cross-ventilation from the main street

Climate - Wind, Temperature and Humidity Psychrometry Humidity Anual Rainfall Temperature with Comfort Zone Wind Speed: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn

Lighting - Natural and Artificial Street Lamps Shadows at 0900 Shadows at 1200 Shadows at 1500

Winter Solstice Sunrise - 0742 Sunset - 1712 Sunlight 0845-1545 Reflected Light (25%) 0815-1550 Equinox Sunrise - 0616 Sunset - 1829 Sunlight 0700-1730 Reflected Light (25%) 0640-1745 Summer Solstice Sunrise - 0533 Sunset - 2100 Sunlight 0533-1855 Reflected Light (25%) 0533-1915

Circution Routes Pedestrian Traffic Vehicular Traffic Parking

Public and Private Spaces School Commercial Institutional Residential

Inside the Space - A User's Perspective The entry courtyard encourages movement linearly towards a hidden courtyard of relaxation, studying and socialization for the school. The palazzo is like a pocket, releasing the tension of the city physically and visually. The palazzo is covered with graffiti art creating a feeling of a very young urban center.

Color and Material Profiles Materiality - Brick, Stone, Stucco Colors

Conclusions Duncan C Randall Brianna Henderson Dylan Rzepka Piazza Brunelleschi is an underdeveloped piazza in the heart of Florence. It serves as a parking lot for cars and hosts the entrance to the Humanities building of Florence University. This site also serves as a vehicular cut-through which adds to the vehicular traffic of the space, making it more dangerous for pedestrian use. I intend to develop ways to diminish direct traffic through the site to allow for more use of the space. This adjustment will be facilitated by the road that runs parallel to the parking-lot access road on the other side of the housing units. A number of the surrounding properties are currently unused, and revitalizing these abandoned properties would greatly contribute to the social use of the space. above the ground level, the buildings are primarily given over to residential units which leads to an eclectic facade on the northwest side of the site. This could either be redeveloped as part of the project into a more unified facade, or could influence the design of the piazza in the direction of a less rigidly structured design. Though labeled as a piazza it retains no semblance of being a plaza for the people. The nearby piazzas are paved with stone, have plenty of lighting even at night and are used well into the dark. Piazza Brunelleschi seems to only function during the hours of the school. Even by 1800, the piazza becomes home to an unsavory element. It is my belief that this repurposing is due to a lack of light and activity. I believe that to revitalize this space and turn it into a proper Piazza, a great deal of thought should be given to the lighting of the space as well as developing alternative uses for the piazza that would draw in a greater number of pedestrians.

Piazza Brunelleschi is a pocket in the hear of Florence, releasing the tension of the city physically and visually, the cornerstone being the Rotonda degli Angeli. The piazza has been over taken by the city and is covered with graffiti art creating a feeling of a very young underappreciated urban center.currently, the piazza is an entrance to the University of Florence and is used for parking. Trees line the entrance into the university creating a tunnel like feeling encouraging movement quickly and linearly into the university. It opens up to a hidden courtyard of relaxation, studying and socialization for the students. The piazza is underused; the Via del Castellaccio passes by the piazza, dimissing it as solely a parking lot. The piazza has much more that it can offer the city of Florence and the students of the University of Florence.Giovanni Michelucci designed the apartment building to specifically allow Santa Marie del Fiore to be viewed from the piazza. Instead of using the piazza as a parking lot, it could be transformed into a space that invites residents, students and tourist to slow down and take a moment to relax and meet new people. The site of Piazza Filippo Brunelleschi provides a unique prospective on Florence. The site has views of Santa Maria del Fiore, and the Rotondadel Brunelleschi located directly inside the site. These views creates a space that could be a social center of Florence. The students moving throughout the site to get to the University of Florence offer a circulation pattern that is constant. The existing buildings are currently run down, and written on with graffiti. With students traveling throughout the site craving knowledge and a nice place to study, the existing site does not provide what is required. Currently the piazza is used for parking for students and surrounding buildings. While the parking is mandatory, moving the parking underground would open up the piazza for social gatherings and studies. On the south side of the site is an unused apartment building designed by Giovanni Michelucci. This complex is designed to give a better view of Santa Maria del Fiore from the apartments and the piazza. The improved view could be implemented into the designs of improved piazza and adjacent building. The most important thing that I discovered when studying the site is the use of materials. The buildings around the site harmonize themselves by using a similar material and colors. Lastly, one of the most unique things that I began realizing when I arrived in Italy, is the use of electric transportation and the charging stations around the city. The focal point of the existing parking in the site is the electrical charging station. The charging station sparked my imagination with possibilities with improving the site and the city of Florence.

Kent State University Florence, Italy 2015