The RE-view

Carco. A harsh landscape that introduces one to a deserted and forgotten town. The town endured a lot in the past and nowadays it has a chance to revive again. Due to numerous earthquakes, the city was abandoned by its inhabitants, but today it is popular with tourists who visit the ruins of the city on the mountain.

To offer an extra attraction and to enrich the stay in the ghost town, we have designed a semi-open concert hall, which we have supplemented with additional functions such as restaurant, terrace and viewing tower.

Our crucial aim was to merge a building with the ground and provide a space for spectators who would feel the communion with the unique ghost town panorama. What is more it was essential for us not to overwhelm the surrounding but to emphasize its merit even more.

Moreover, our goal was to create a building that would establish a connection with both the country and the surroundings. Our intension was to satisfy spectators who would come to enjoy music events not only with favorable architecture but also with a feeling of constant contact with the ruins of the city. That is why we decided to “re-view” the ghost town panorama and transform it into a natural scenery for concerts.

To achieve this, we have reinterpreted the typology of  amphitheaters. In our project, the auditorium is oriented towards the mountain consequently towards the town, while the stage is partly recessed in the terrain. It is an exceptional inversion that, despite its unusual appearance, eventually achieves a symbiosis with the environment. In addition, the existing arcades behind the planned building can be used as a extension for the stage. They can be transform into niches for musicians.

The building is characterized by a rather simple structure consisting of two horizontal squares offset against each other, cut by a vertical wedge. It is a particular reference to the local architecture, the vertical staircase alludes to the local towers without overwhelming the surroundings with its height.

It forms a viewing platform from which you can admire the surrounding. The tower also divides the uninsulated, semi-open, representative entrance hall from the insulated restaurant area on the ground floor. The staircase leads the spectators up to a roofed viewing platform on the first floor, which the spectators can use during the contracts. On this floor there are also stage exits, facilities for artists, stage staff and toilets.

Furthermore, on second floor there is an unroofed terrace from which visitors can access directly to the auditorium, which is foldable. The mechanism system of the audience was shown in sections placed in our posters. The advantage of such a system is that the number of seats can be adjusted  to different needs and that the stage space can be used in a multifunctional way. During the concerts, the auditorium is pulled forward whereas at carnivals, balls or other dance events, it is folded up which provides more space for dancing.

Both in formal and material way, the building ties in with the local architecture. On the south facade on the ground floor we have designed arcaded windows and main entrance which refer to existing ruins behind the building. The arcaded windows are also located on the west wall of the tower on the side of the concert hall.  They create a monumental and representative atmosphere and also provide additional viewing space. The tower refers to the discernable local typology of important buildings - it emphasizes the significance of the designed object. The whole proposal is also multilayerd in order to take advantage of a bending terrain and local methods of construction.

 The building is made of stone extracted from the surrounding. It ensures a good integration into the context and also ecological approach to construction.

The final effect that was achived, creates a platform for local cultural events, it is aimed to resonate the local heritage transforming it into the quaint scenography.

Hopefully the building would enhance the attention both of the tourists and local community to come and not only enjoy the impressive historical heritage which is the deserted town but also have an unique opportunity to listen to music in such a place.