Bricolle di Venezia

Lavice
Location: Venice, Italy
Architectural competition: 2011
Authors: Marcela Steinbachova, Martin Rusina, Daniel Ziss
Cooperatin: Linda Kolomaznikova
Link: www.riva1920.it

“Lavice”  is a simple low urban bench, similar in proportions to ancient greek stone benches. One log, with it’s memory of the forest, the sea and the lagoon, is cut to four pieces, reassembled in a square form and connected together with an iron brace, just like the braces used to connect the briccole in the lagoon.  When turned, the quarters are mirrored* symmetrically. After they are sanded and treated, the pieces are (re)connected again with a metal brace. Small screws are installed on the lower part of the brace to elevate the bench slightly above ground.

The process is simple and relatively fast. Yet still, every “Lavice” bench is an individual, with it’s own character and personality, carrying the memory of the wood and the water into urban space.

Mirroring*   – just like marble desks in old churches, so typical to Venice, cutting the briccole and placing the 2 cuts opposite to each other would mirror the small details and flaws (caused by the oak’s DNA, the microorganisms in the water, the tides and the boats in the Venice lagoon) to double and create a visual poem of symmetry and mystery.