The Shelf

Project idea

Situated on the Alps, Genoa stretches along a narrow but wide strip of the Ligurian Sea. Almost every part of the city faces the water and the port area, which is largely dominated by industry and tourism. Because of its elevation, the city is mostly vertical. Narrow streets and many sharp turns lead through the urban canyons. Daylight and uninterrupted views of the sea can be a luxury in some streets.

The idea of this transformation project is to keep the existing block and its atmosphere at eye level and on a human scale. Due to the dilapidated condition of the host structure and the requirements of the new high-rise, all inner structures will be removed. Besides that, the smaller sheds between the two actual housing buildings will be dismantled, still preserving the historically grown block over all.

Project description

The transparent ground floors connect the busy street level with the abandoned riverbed. Already used by some pioneers, it will be revitalised by the creation of a passage alongside the new building. This shaded area provides the necessary outdoor space for the neighbourhood café and social gatherings. It is thematically linked to the existing motorway bridge - it is essentially a "bridge under a bridge". The top of the bridge connects to the multi-functional gallery on the upper floors and provides garden space for the community.

The narrow footprint of the host building was a challenge, but offered great potential for the new high-rise. The Shelf will be a timber-concrete hybrid, allowing for fast, accurate on-site assembly with a sustainable environmental footprint. As Genoa is a very narrow city, all the prefabricated elements are relatively small, allowing them to be transported on medium-sized trucks.

Technical information

The building's circulation is contained within a 3.5 x 3.5m wooden grid attached to the east facade. This has allowed the slender footprint of the original building to be retained, while accommodating a large number of new residential units within the new structure.

In addition to circulation, many of the community aspects are addressed within the external grid. Double-height spaces connect the levels vertically, enhancing a cross-level neighbourhood and preventing the anonymous horizontal living conditions that are often a problem in other high-rise developments. This grid has given the project the name Shelf, as each resident can take care of their own outdoor space, which is visible in the city skyline.