We are pleased to announce the start of the construction of “Casa Vela”, the future Center of the Italian Sailing Federation (Federazione Italiana Vela) in Genoa.
The formal foundation stone laying ceremony took place in Genoa on 9th September 2024, attended by the Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi and the Mayor of Genoa Marco Bucci.
Designed by OBR in collaboration with Neostudio, Casa Vela represents the most public and prominent sea-facing feature within Renzo Piano’s Waterfront di Levante.
With this project we asked ourselves how we could celebrate our relationship with the sea, starting from the awareness that we are all inseparably interconnected by it. The sea contains history, life, others. Paraphrasing Alexander von Humboldt, the sea reflects totality. By advocating for environmental rights and promoting sailing culture, Casa Vela is envisioned as “social capital” that transcends the public / private dichotomy.
As Paolo Brescia stated during the ceremony, “With this project, we aim to extend Genoa’s urbanity towards the sea, transforming the breakwater into a belvedere, a new public piazza on the sea open to everyone, where people can enjoy admiring the regattas in front of Genoa. Casa Vela will become the stadium of sailing”.