“The Hidden Courtyard” – Sacca Fisola Part 2 Project 2012 Maryia Zhelinska University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy | Bulgaria “The hidden courtyard” is used as a metaphor for the Sacca Fisola island in Venice. This old town is famous for its mysteries, spectacular architectural characteristics and hidden courtyards. But is it possible for a whole island to be “hidden”? The rational answer is, no, but any tourist will tell you it is quite invisible.Sacca Fisola is the youngest artificial island in Venice. From the middle of the 1960s is a “bedroom for the workers”. Today some Venetians argue that the area is a ghetto, deprived of cultural heritage and events. Ironically enough, Venice is not only one of the prominent cultural centers of the world, but also a fundamental educational site. Student life is blossoming, but there is clear insufficiency of living places.This project aims to analyze both problems as an inseparable whole and find a single solution. The project’s task is to reveal the “hidden courtyards” of Venice, Sacca Fisola Island, to the world, while transforming a part of it into a cultural and residential students area.To address some of the social, cultural and demographic problems, the new plan envisions a student residential building and multiple commercial and recreational public spaces. This strategy would fill the area with young individuals - the bright future of the society. In this line of though, let us explore a vision of new building systems to enhance and upgrade the old ones.This project aims to reveal yet another “hidden courtyard” in the face new building technologies. It offers a different perspective on prefabricated residential buildings. Specifically, there are four types of construction units, which can be assembled on site, in a variety of combinations, thanks to a special detail connection. The coating of the elements has to be done on site and the issue with draining roof water could be resolved with having garden terraces. In the end, the building is quite ecological.It is our moral duty to unveil the “hidden courtyards” and resolve current problems in the area, while creating a bridge between the past, present and future, because architecture is for civilizations. Maryia Zhelinska Tutor(s)