In 2006, after several decades of neglect, Venice city called competition to renovate and convert into a museum of contemporary art the Punta della Dogana building, located on Venetian Grand Canal banks, next to the Basilica of Santa María della Salute and in front of the church of San Giorgio Maggiore, designed in the 16th century by Andrea Palladio. In 2007, the famous French businessman François Pinault won the competition with the design of Japanese architect Tadao Ando, with whom he had already worked on the restoration of Palazzo Grassi.
Punta della Dogana building was designed in the 17th century by the Italian architect Giuseppe Benoni as a customhouse, and small renovations took place until in 2006. Following the trend of rehabilitating old industrial buildings in the city of Venice such as the Arsenale, home of Architecture Biennale, a competition for its remodeling was called, to which international architects as Zaha Hadid, who was in charge of the Guggenheim Foundation project, presented themselves.
At first, Ando thought of creating two columns to flank the entrance to the building, but during the project phase, he realized that urban infrastructures and telephone lines passed right under the museum, forcing him to abandon that first idea. After that, Ando's intervention was tremendously respectful with the pre-existing building, which he freed from the aggregates that in the years after its construction was adhered to the original volume, trying to recover the image of Benoni's project.
Punta della Dogana building was designed in the 17th century by the Italian architect Giuseppe Benoni as a customhouse, and small renovations took place until in 2006. Following the trend of rehabilitating old industrial buildings in the city of Venice such as the Arsenale, home of Architecture Biennale, a competition for its remodeling was called, to which international architects as Zaha Hadid, who was in charge of the Guggenheim Foundation project, presented themselves.
At first, Ando thought of creating two columns to flank the entrance to the building, but during the project phase, he realized that urban infrastructures and telephone lines passed right under the museum, forcing him to abandon that first idea. After that, Ando's intervention was tremendously respectful with the pre-existing building, which he freed from the aggregates that in the years after its construction was adhered to the original volume, trying to recover the image of Benoni's project.
'Renovation projects for old buildings generally do not proceed as planned. However, I make my architecture in the belief that it is precisely the collisions and frictions arising between new and old that provide the motive power for creating the future of the city'.
Tadao Ando1
In the first stages of rehabilitation, consolidation works were developed on the structure, to avoid possible damage caused by water leakage. In addition to this, all the facades were restored, including also the sculpture that crowns the twenty-eight meter high bell tower located at the vertex of the triangular building, known as the Statue of Fortune, sculpted in the 17th century by the baroque sculptor Bernardo Falcone.
Once inside the building, Ando's proposal recovered the original layout of the building, consisting of nine strips perpendicular to the Grand Venetian Canal and parallel to each other, which progressively adapt their size to the building's triangular shape. The only part that was not in the original project that Ando kept was the square space in the center of the building. Ando introduced in this space a large reinforced concrete cube the width of two strips that serves as the organizing nexus of the building.
Once inside the building, Ando's proposal recovered the original layout of the building, consisting of nine strips perpendicular to the Grand Venetian Canal and parallel to each other, which progressively adapt their size to the building's triangular shape. The only part that was not in the original project that Ando kept was the square space in the center of the building. Ando introduced in this space a large reinforced concrete cube the width of two strips that serves as the organizing nexus of the building.
'With regard to this great historical structure, I thought to return everything to its original state, thus linking a time and making a place, then further linking that time to the future by inserting a new space in the center'.
Tadao Ando2
As for the materials used in the building, in addition to the concrete in this central space, it is undoubtedly worth highlighting the bricks that after being restored are again visible, showing themselves in their original state. In addition, the complete restoration of the wooden trusses that support the roof of the building was also developed, introducing a series of new skylights that allow the sunlight that accesses through them to illuminate the irregular ceramic walls.
Other specific parts of the building were restored, standing out the introduction of concrete on the ground floor, the linoleum on the first floor, and the masegni, a stone traditionally used in the pavements of the city of Venice, inside the concrete volume. Also, twenty exterior metal doors and all the windows of the building were built expressly for the restoration of the Punta della Dogana.
Once the restoration of the Punta della Dogana building was completed, Ando, who had previously worked for François Pinault in the restoration of Palazzo Grassi also in Venice, would return to work hand in hand with the French billionaire in the rehabilitation of the old Bourse de Commerce from the 18th century in Paris, which would become the largest private art museum in France.
Other specific parts of the building were restored, standing out the introduction of concrete on the ground floor, the linoleum on the first floor, and the masegni, a stone traditionally used in the pavements of the city of Venice, inside the concrete volume. Also, twenty exterior metal doors and all the windows of the building were built expressly for the restoration of the Punta della Dogana.
Once the restoration of the Punta della Dogana building was completed, Ando, who had previously worked for François Pinault in the restoration of Palazzo Grassi also in Venice, would return to work hand in hand with the French billionaire in the rehabilitation of the old Bourse de Commerce from the 18th century in Paris, which would become the largest private art museum in France.
NOTES.-
1.- Tadao Ando. «Tadao Ando 0 Process and Idea: Expanded and Revised Edition». Tokio: TOTO, pp. 312.
2.- Ibidem (1), p. 302.
2.- Ibidem (1), p. 302.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.-
- Ando, Tadao. (2019). «Tadao Ando 0 Process and Idea: Expanded and Revised Edition». Tokio: TOTO, pp. 302-313.
- Pérez-Accino Marco, Berta / Martin Grau, Jorge / Bosch Reig, Ignacio. (2011). «Del comercio al arte: nuevos espacios para el arte contemporáneo». Valencia: Instituto Universitario de Restauración del Patrimonio de la Universitat Politècnica de València, Arché, nº 6, pp. 413-418.
- Pérez-Accino Marco, Berta / Martin Grau, Jorge / Bosch Reig, Ignacio. (2011). «Del comercio al arte: nuevos espacios para el arte contemporáneo». Valencia: Instituto Universitario de Restauración del Patrimonio de la Universitat Politècnica de València, Arché, nº 6, pp. 413-418.
![Friedrich Kiesler, Endless House for Mary Sisler [shattered sketch sheet], New York and Florida, 1961, 21.5 x 33.4 cm, pencil on paper, mounted on cardboard. Courtesy by the Austrian Frederick and Lillian Kiesler Private Foundation, Vienna](/sites/default/files/styles/mopis_home_news_category_slider_desktop/public/2025-05/metalocus_Fundacio%CC%81n-Frederick-Kiesler_03_p.webp?h=3b4e7bc7&itok=kogQISVW "Friedrich Kiesler, Endless House for Mary Sisler [shattered sketch sheet], New York and Florida, 1961, 21.5 x 33.4 cm, pencil on paper, mounted on cardboard. Courtesy by the Austrian Frederick and Lillian Kiesler Private Foundation, Vienna")
