Nele Ritzen
Il Quinto Quarto. UHasselt (Belgium)
In 1924, Milan's municipal slaughterhouse was completed as one of the most advanced slaughterhouses in Europe. After the dismantling works were completed in 2005, artistic collective Macao, among others, occupied the slaughterhouse.
Because of the presence of this socially engaged group and because of Milan's central location in Europe, it seemed logical to me to offer opportunities to the less fortunate in this place.
The future site will be called Il Quinto Quarto (the fifth quarter), which is an expression in the meat industry that refers to the offal of animals. The title thus points to a part that would normally not be used but is eventually appreciated.
The site is designed to allow the community to build its own future vision through self-management and -production. The integration process of refugees can be facilitated by including them in the neighborhood and providing them with appropriate support.
The courtyard (central gallery) is seen as an inclusive place of living together. Former and new public functions like a free library, a local store, performance arts and a restaurant are organized around this courtyard. The site allows for change and expansion.
To break up this immense corridor (the courtyard), I added a second axis perpendicular to the central gallery. This green axis refers to the nature that took over the gallery for a long time. At the intersection of these two axes, a platform is resting on metal truss structures, that refer to the end walls of the central gallery.
The site will retain its industrial character. Self-produced furniture made by the carpentry complements the roughness of the industrial slaughterhouse. From this combination, a casual and homely atmosphere is created that is beneficial to an inclusive image.
In Il Quinto Quarto, people will get nurtured physically, socially and culturally.
SCHUNCK cannot guarantee the correctness of content and expression. The participants themselves are responsible for their entries. The copyright of the projects underlies to the authors, any reproduction or use of the shown material is strictly forbidden.