Ischia 22 september 2008
The magnificent Michelangelo Tower in Ischia, in Cartaromana bay, was the setting for the opening evening of the “Ischia Architecture Prize” and the “Architecture Short Films Prize”, an event organized by ANGiA (Italian Association of Young Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservation Workers), by the Register of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservators of Naples and its Province and by the Rome Film School.
On Saturday, the 20th of September 2008, a jury of experts judged works realized by architects under 40 years of age in the field of tourism accommodation, fitness and wellness (hotels, beauty departments, SPAs, thermal parks, farm holiday centres); the competition included also short films directed by young film-makers on the topic of communication of space and architecture.
The projects and the short films were displayed in the Tower until the 5th of October 2008.
“The aim of the award is to highlight the role and responsibility that architecture assumes in the process of landscape transformation” says Paolo Pisciotta, President of the Register of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservators of Naples and its Province, “The task of an architect is to give back the inseparability between “quality of life” and “quality of architecture”, while the task of institutions is to enhance architecture as a vehicle of development”.
Alessia Guarnaccia, President of ANGiA, thinks that “Architecture is not just building, but a project of fulls and voids, connections; architecture generates social, economic, cultural relationships, it produces an active or even “interactive” landscape, it is a resource as it generates economy and it is an instrument of construction of development policies and therefore has to be used as such”.
The organizers underline that the prize deliberately focuses on already built works, in particular in a specific sector as the tourism field, and realized by young professionals, because it wants to underline above all that today these interventions are still too rare.
“The fierce abuse damaging the landscape can be mitigated by a trend reversal accompanied by a cultural revolution considering as a starting point the dimensions of sustainability for a development of the territory which is compliant with the environment” says young architect Giovannangelo de Angelis, the creator and curator of this event, together with Alessia Guarnaccia and Paolo Pisciotta, who coordinated the organizing group (Daniela Marino, Lucia Regine, Morena Miglio, Rita D’Eustacchio, Lisa Vitale, Sara Castagna, Simone Verde and Roberta Inarta) composed of young professionals.
The project was granted the patronage of the Senate of the Republic, the National Council of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservators, the Municipalities of the Island of Ischia and was promoted by the following companies: REGINE SNC (hydraulic materials, floorings and coverings); IMPERATORE TRAVEL (tour operator); ECONOM FERRO (iron works, frames); LAURO GROUP (ship company); ADLI – Association of Employers – Ischia; IL GATTOPARDO HOTEL TERME & BEAUTY FARM; LA CERAMICA ANTICA (ceramics); ARCA COSTRUZION (construction); TAL ILLUMINAZIONE (lighting); THERMAL PARK NEGOMBO; CEVI (Vietri ceramic tiles).
The sections of the “Ischia Architecture Prize” and the winners are the following.
The Career Prize was awarded to Orazio La Monaca, a Sicilian architect working in the Trapani area and boasting numerous hotels, both planned and already realized.
The First Prize of the ANGiA Award was assigned to “Lido Metropolitano. Ampliamento di un centro sportivo: ristorante-reception, piscina scoperta e relativi servizi” realized by Anna Chiara Morandi and Paolo Citterio, a study of professionals based in Saronno (VA).
The Second Prize of the ANGiA Award was assigned to the project ” Energia della bellezza” by Federico Verderosa, Nicola Zarra and Rocco Lettieri.
The Third Prize was awarded to the project “Recupero materiale e intellettuale di un epoca in un albergo a Capri” by Massimo Esposito, Elisa Buiano and Giapaolo Grumelli.
The First Place of the Zollinger Prize was awarded to the hotel “Villa Carolina” in Forio d’Ischia, realized by Francesco Felice Bonfantino, Rossella Traversari, Antonio De Martino (Gnosis Architettura). The Second Prize was assigned to the project “AK047” by Tiziana Maria Giovanna Monti, while the Third Prize went to Andrea Mattera’s work “Mediterraneo”.
The First classified for the ANAB Prize were Federico Verderosa, Nicola Zarra, Rocco Lettieri (practice VZL +) for the realization of a fitness and beauty center in Lioni.
The First Prize in the category Best Architecture Short Film was won by the short film “Supersantos” by Armando Minopoli; the Second Prize was awarded to “La casa del fascio” by Nicolangelo Gelormini. The Third Prize saw an “ex aequo” for two short films: “Marcia al supplizio” by Diana Verde and “Città globale!” by Yasmin Sarah Mewour.
The awarding ceremony was preceded by a roundtable under the title “Architecture-Tourism-Cinema” moderated by journalist Paola Zanoni.
The lively discussion was attended, among others, by: Hon. Salvatore Lauro (President of the Consortium Arcipelago Campano), Arch. Raffaele Sirica (President of the National Council of Italian Architects), Arch. Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi (Architecture Critic), Arch. Giancarlo Allen (Italian National Bio-Ecological Architecture Association), Prof. Benedetto Gravagnuolo (Dean of the Architecture Faculty of Naples), Arch. Giovanni Polazzi (Studio Archea), Ermanno Mennella (President of the Hotel Owners’ Association of Ischia), Renato De Rienzo (Rome Film School), Arch. Paolo Pisciotta (President of the Register of Architects of Naples), Arch. Alessia Guarnaccia (President of the Italian National Association of Young Architects).
