special thanks
Friday, March 30th, 2007i’ll never forget how two young boys helped a couple with the husband’s wheelchair this morning. quite heavy rain, the slippy ground and a bridge to pass. A wheelchair with a heavy man on it, unable to move by himself. The man kept on “apologizing” while the guys around him had become 4 people, who were heading to school and work, and did not understand much of his English. But no words were necessary. “We had not noticed the bridge in our map”, the Dutch couple said; they had rented a small apt in Santa Croce, and were trying the shortest way to the IUAV, our Architecture University, so they had expected the path to be smooth. But the short way may not the best one in Venice.
Accessibility is still a fancy word in Venice. modern laws and restrictions apply to brand new activities only (one of the reason why we are still waiting for permission to open our new office in venice, is that whilst the Italian law obliges us to provide entrance accessibility and one accessible bathroom, at the same time the Safeguard may forbid it for the sake of the integrity and beauty of the palazzo. Everyone understands this is a contradiction, and the solution is (i guess) spending a long time in meditation. meditate, people, let’s meditate. Ommmmm…..

