Luciano Semerani, Gigetta Tamaro, Unidad de Urgencias y Hospitalizacion en el area hospitalaria de SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Venecia, 1978-2006

The essay presents themes and issues, both broad and specific, prompted by the story relating to the project by Luciano Semerani and Gigetta Tamaro for the design and building of the Emergency and Inpatient Department for the SS Giovanni and Paolo Hospital area in Venice. The project, which started in 1978 from a Plan-Program of the Municipality of Venice for the new organization of the health system within the city, includes, in particular, the creation of some additions to the existing health pavilions with an Emergency Department with 270 beds and other buildings intended for specialist activities. This project, however, is only the latest transformative act that has affected the city from a hospital and social welfare point of view. In fact, as a preface to the contribution, we consider the debate that resulted in the competition for the new Civic Hospital of Venice in 1963. Unable to elect a winner capable of fully satisfying all the competition requirements, the municipal administration invited Le Corbusier in 1964 to the drafting of a project for the new Venetian hospital to be located on the same competition site, i.e. the San Giobbe slaughterhouse, at the western end of the Cannaregio district. The sudden death of the master in Cap Martin the following year made it impossible to continue with the realization of his project. The transfer of the hospital function to San Giobbe was wrecked and, in 1978, also due to the reform of the National Health Service, Luciano Semerani and Gigetta Tamaro were called upon to design new structures to complement the convent systems with double internal cloisters on the site between the Campo of the SS. Giovanni e Paolo, the Rio dei Mercanti, and the Canale del Pianto, or within that area of the Castello district historically consolidated for its civil and welfare function present in this part of the city since the 17th century.