Architectural Hunt Assignment: Campo S. Pantalon

Descouens, D. (2010). Church San Pantaleon [Photograph]. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Venezia_-_chiesa_di_San_Pantaleone.jpg

For this assignment, we were tasked with choosing a campo, a small square in an Italian town, and investigating it's history in an architectural hunt. Venice, a city filled with history since its founding in 421, originally had campos, which translates to fields, that were filled with orchards and vines for farming. As time passed, buildings grew and these campos became the central places for gatherings, meals, and play. I have chosen to analyze Campo S. Pantalon and will begin by identifying the different types of architectural features below:

Pictured above is a thermal window (a semi-circular window with two mullions separating the glass into three sections), placed on the front of the Church of San Pantaleon.

Above, looking closely, you can see a body of water next to the Campo S. Pantalon, this is also known as a rio (a Venetian canal)!

Vaguely above you can see the image of a women, overlooking the entire campo. This is known as a tondo, a circular decorative panel. Above the tondo is the Latin Cross, signifying the time of the Roman Empire.

The image above is a balustrade: a row of pillars topped with a railing, surrounding the balcony. 

Above, there are various pillars surrounding the doors to the balcony and the surrounding windows. The capitals (the head of the pillar) can be classified as doric: possessing a simple design with the abacus, echinus, and annulet. This is a classical style of pillars. 

Pictured above is two stilted arches. The windows have surrounding arches with vertical extensions. At the top of the pillar (the capital), the marble continues to create an arch around the window frame. This is a version of Romanesque architecture, which is simple in comparison to the gothic architecture. 

Above are four corbels, blocks projecting from the wall to support the balcony. It is a simple design, suggesting it is of the classical age. 

The image above represents a keystone: which is the center stone at the apex of an arch. Instead of matching the straight bricks around the doorframe, they curve to give the door an arch-like look, without actually implementing a marble arch. 

Here you can see a simple window design. There are implementations of the stilted arch and, due to the vertical ledge on top of the arch, there is also spandrel, the section of the wall directly above the curve of the arch. The opening of the window (at the bottom) also has a window sill with two small balustrade.

Next, I will reflect about my time spent in Campo S. Pantalon:

        To begin, Campo S. Pantalon is nestled between three buildings and a Venetian canal. The running water mirrors the sounds of chatter and vibrant life throughout the day. Looking into the water, you'll see passing Gondoliers, embarking tourists to their next journey, or a local Venetian with their own boat, filled with fruits, flowers, or heading towards personal destinations. Opposite of the canal, three historical buildings enclose the space. Dominating this area is the Church of San Pantaleon. A place of worship and gathering, this church hides its treasures within. The inner ceiling and walls to the Church of San Pantaleon are beautifully painted, showcasing many religious events. A different building is closed down, waiting for remodeling to be complete in anticipation for a new restaurant: Cera Volta. Next to the upcoming dining hall is Vini da Sam, a bar frequented by local Venetians. Lastly, there are sets of tables and chairs from a surrounding restaurant or bar, adding to the atmosphere of voices and chatter. Like most, the center of the campo is empty, mostly saved for the light brought by passerby. Standing in Campo S. Pantalon for the first time, I felt awkward. It was strange to stand at the center, taking pictures of all the buildings and trying to analyze the different types of architectural pieces. In a sense, it's the same feeling I felt when first arriving to Venice, or, in general, anywhere new. Everything seems out of touch, similar to a picture where everything is perfect and I am a random detail being thrown in, something that is not meant to be there. In a strange essay about Balinese cockfighting, "Deep Play," Geertz introduced the environment similar to how I would, "... It was its own world. We were intruders, professional ones, and the villagers dealt with us as Balinese seem always to deal with people not part of their life who yet press themselves upon them: as though we were not there" (Geertz 56). Standing there, I understood what it meant to be a tourist, feeling the alienation of being somewhere new, where no one knows you and you can not even speak their language, but also the warmth of familiarity. The rushing canal, the bustling worker men, the children playing soccer. Everything is familiar, yet I am still an outsider. This assignment has helped me realize I am not just a tourist, but could learn and be something - someone - more.

        In continuation, every campo in Venice is its own space, Campo S. Pantalon is no exception. It is different even from the streets and canals of Venice. Often times the streets are slow, filled with tourists and overcrowded. When moving though them, I feel aggravated at the slow pace and the people who stop and hold others up. In comparison, the Campo S. Pantalon is a breath of fresh air. Their is room to move and see beyond in front of you. The atmosphere is cleaner and full of life. Instead of disgruntled folk, their is joy, laughter, and play. Most notable is the play of children. As mentioned on our original walking tour throughout Venice, soccer and children's play is not allowed, due to the fear of breaking the surrounding historical buildings. But, in a place like Venice where the streets are narrow and buildings are surrounded with canals, the campos are the only places to play. As I was analyzing the architectural features, there were a group of three young boys, all kicking around one soccer ball. Again, there were two girls and an additional boy playing tag. The joy from their play reverberated around the square. This is similar to a note in Geertz's "Deep Play:" "... like drinking during Prohibition or, today, smoking marihuana, cockfights, being a part of "The Balinese Way of Life," nonetheless go on happening, and with extraordinary frequency" (Geertz 57). Like the cockfighting, the play and the gathering in the camps continues, even if it is technically against the Venetian Laws. This makes me reflect on home, where play is common everywhere: in the front yard, the parks, the street. It makes me appreciate the space I have in Chicago, compared to the limited space in Venice campos. The people in the Campo S. Pantalon are different from those in the streets or in the tourist areas. They are kinder, there are more smiles. More locals sit to watch the children play or listen to the music or stand at the bar. In a sense, time stops when surrounded by the square of a campo. It is easy to get lost in the people watching and the conversations. Most importantly, the Campo S. Pantalon is a place to gather and a place to feel at home.

        In reference to feeling at home, this campo assignment has made me appreciate the differences of being a tourist and being a local. There is a pivotal shift in being a stranger in an unknown place and reforming back into a real person, rather than feeling the outcast as a tourist. I felt this pivotal shift at Campo S. Pantalon, watching the three boys play soccer. I played soccer for twelve years, all throughout school and in a club, and watching the game being played again at an innocent age was nostalgic. It reminded me of home, when I was ten years old playing in the front yard with my friends. This assignment has helped me see things in a new light, even as a tourist, the places I visit and the people I meet are, essentially, the same. Despite the language barrier, we were all once kids who played and dreamed. A key difference from the Venetian way of life versus the American life is individualism. Americans are focused on individualizing themselves: everyone must have their own plot of land, their own car, their room to decompress. On the other hand, Venetians share a home (their homes being stacked on top of each other, apartment style), with campos being their place to decompress. The feeling of being together is more prominent in Venice. It's something I hope to take home with me, back to my family in Chicago. Campo S. Pantalon is a great example of togetherness and has helped me realize and understand the shift from being a tourist to 'just' another person. I've appreciated being a tourist learning about the Venetian way, but more importantly is recognizing how it connects to my life and will make me a better person in the future.