Castel Resort is a recent competition launched by Marlegno Srl e YAC - Young Architects Competitions - which invited architects from all over the world to give a new look to the Norman ruins of the ancient Roccamandolfi Castlein Molise.
The finalist's project Feng Xue appears as a scheme to integrate a new layer within the original complex, with the addition of a perimeter wall that would serve as a secret passage.
Castel Resort
The competition aims to gather ideas aimed at remodelling of the ancient castleto transform it into a tourist facility suitable for comfortable, modern holidays against a backdrop of landscapes with an ancient flavour.
YAC gave a number of guidelines and restrictions to the participants' projects, including a maximum height of 5 metres for structures, no more than 3,000 square metres of floor space and excavations no more than 1 metre deep - exclusively outside the castle.
The destruction of pre-existing structures and the cutting down of trees are also prohibited.
Following these guidelines, Feng Xue proposed (together with Kim Diep e Leonardo Lamanuzzi) a mysterious and intriguing wall to encourage visitors to venture outside the castle.
The concept, as Xue himself states:
"It becomes our architectural language, capable of being a bridge between past and presentconnecting the castle to the resort'.
The wall would at the same time obscure the view of visitors, thus creating asensory experience focused on the surrounding ruins.
The design of a wall gains importance by embracing the sense of mystery, violence and conquest that surrounds the castle. This organisation of spaces creates a sense of continuity, obscuring the view by generating an experience that unfolds throughout the castle resort, taking the visitor outside the usual comfort zones.
On a functional level, the design of the wall maintains the separation between the fort and the ramparts, keeping the reception areas located in the latter separate from the common areas of the fort. This ensures an ideal setting for both areas, both in terms of view and accessibility from the castle.
Promoting Committee: Marlegno Srl, YAC
Source: designboom.com
