Ottawa's Little Italy
Stained glass window at \n St. Anthony's Church, designed by Guido Nincheri.
Cette promenade a également lieu en français.
This walk through Little Italy will illustrate the evolution and renewal of cities, the importance of design and architecture in defining neighbourhood identity, and their influence in creating inspiring and viable spaces. Luciano will consider how the City of Florence was planned and built and compare it with how we build our cities today.
As we walk, we will reflect on Phil Jenkins' book, An Acre of Time, and about decisions North Americans consistently make in planning and building our “wind tunnel" cities. Our choices regarding architecture and building sites show that we do not learn from history. In Scandinavia (northern countries similar to Canada), they respect people's access to sunlight. We don't always do that here in Ottawa.
When we come to St Anthony's, we will leave the hustle and bustle of Preston St. and come into a different world. The frescoes and stained glass windows by Guido Nincheri define the interior of the church. This beautiful Renaissance Art has the power to transport us to Florence, where people are surrounded by art like this in everyday life. Luciano will talk about how art was an intrinsic aspect of Florence how it continues to influence the way people live in that city. He will consider the challenges of creating artful infrastructure, through Brunelleschi's construction of the dome on the cathedral in Florence (La cupola del Duomo di Firenze), built more than 600 years ago, and the forces that seem to prevent us from creating art and architecture for the ages in our own time.
If you come along on this walk, be ready for some surprises!
Find out more about St. Anthony's Church and its role in the community here.
