architect: Studio Fuksas
location: Bassano del Grappa
year: 2004
The surface of the bubbles is composed of a totally transparent double skin allowing us to focus for 360° on the splendid mountain landscape of Montegrappa.
Two signs: one of which is refined, elegant, technological and immaterial. The other is quite brutal as the material, the reinforced concrete, turns into an epiphany of form. A container and its contents, constant tension between positive and negative connected by the sloping lift structure; but also immersed in the energy that pushes the glass laboratory bubbles upwards and that buries the weighty auditorium underground. The columns supporting the building appear to anchor it to the ground. The reverberating water creates a mirror like surface.
The geometric site of some sort of absurd homology where space vibrates and dilates itself. The water, which is just 5 cm deep, suddenly extends up for several metres. Wandering along the walkway really is an extremely emotional experience.
