‘Hidden Cities: Culture And Science Between East And West’ is the theme of this year’s Premio Compasso Volante Competition held in Milan, Italy. Running for the 15th year, this is the second year that saw students from Singapore Polytechnic, Diploma of Architecture meeting up with the architectural students from Politecnico di Milano, University of Palermo and Kokaguin University of Japan in an exchange of ideas on sustainable strategies.
The goal of this year’s competition was to imagine and propose new urban planning strategies and possibilities for the former shipyards in Coloane Village, Macau. By designing a place that promotes science and culture, the participating teams explored how the shipyards could become a node for people of all ages without losing the roots of the local and indigenous culture. The effort of the students paid off when the team consisting of 2nd Year students namely Khoo Zi Hui Henri, Azriel Yeo Leu Lei and Jonathon Ong Lek Kai, were awarded a Mention for their proposed scheme. Alongside the competition, the students also took part in a 1-day scaffolding workshop where they saw and participated in the erection of a prototype for a disaster shelter.
Being in Italy for the competition, the students experienced and immersed themselves in the urban landscape of Milan, Venice, Rome and Florence. Some of the classical Roman architectural sights that the students visited included the Duomo Milano, Colosseum, Pantheon and Piazza di San Marco. Seen in brick and mortar, the architectural buildings learnt in school came to life in the experience of sights and sound.
The entire trip lasted 15 days from 20 September to 6 October 2013. The students thoroughly enjoyed the trip and gained invaluable exposure to the wider realm of architecture, experiencing the local Italian culture and flavours.
