The document discusses the Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy. It describes how the Piazza del Campo serves as both a preserved urban space and meeting the criteria for an ephemeral city. As the center of the city and intersection of its divisions, the Piazza del Campo was an important cultural investment for Siena. It continues to be a vibrant unifying element for the city, especially at night and during celebrations in July. Siena developed a strong independent identity and resisted Roman and Papal rule for centuries, allowing it to thrive culturally and economically through banking and its university.

1. In a time when Urban Spaces are eroding and Ephemeral Cities are “all the rage”, it is amaz-
ing to find a city which preserves a unique preserved urban space. Siena’s Il Campo (the field)
meets all the criteria including the various constituent groups desired for an ephemeral City,
while providing a coveted Urban Space. The fact that the Campo is the center of the city and
intersection of the tripartite divisions, the Terzi (thirds), shows how important a cultural in-
vestment the Campo was, and why its lasting qualities endure today. The Campo is not simply
a snap shot of Siena’s past, it is a vibrant unifying element which breathes and captures Si-
ena’s present day, most notably at night, and especially in July. Siena’s independent spirit cou-
pled with attacks from rival Florence and the impending Roman Empire helped it mature into
a true civic state, where the citizens felt a sense of civic pride based on the dynamic of the
commune and also due to its protection. Like the many hill towns of Italy, Siena was isolated
and self-contained, but it was also one of the few Tuscan towns to remain truly independent
and resist Roman and Papal rule. Over the centuries, this allowed the town to thrive, while
successfully holding off its enemies; Siena became a bustling city and soon began its renais-
sance. With solid institutions, such as banking and a burgeoning university, Siena began to
produce cultural artifacts reflective of its civic virtues. “Artistic and intellectual development,
for instance, flourished through special offices and supervisors of public works.” (ROWE
22). Siena’s strong banking system also led to many investments in the town, preserving its
culture, and giving Siena its place in the region as a banking and mercantile city. Based on
“popular government, committee rule, and communal municipal administration” (ROWE 9),
Siena experienced,”republican independence, and belief in civic virtue” (ROWE 9), for some
three hundred years. The importance of urban areas saw a significant rise in the 13th century,
as towns and cities renewed their functions as centers of exchange. After the erection of over
50 towers throughout the city, a need for a unifying element in the town was evident. By the
mid 13th Century this led to Siena’s identity coming from the Cathedral (Duomo), and the 56
towers belonging to the casati, dotting the city. The medieval families of Siena became
PORTFOLIO
RICHARD
JAMES
MULHERN
PLANNING,
SELECT
ARCHITECTURE,
AND DESIGN.
consumed with their legacy, and sought to challenge rival families with exhibitions of social
status, much to the detriment of the social community. Fortunately, quarrels were contained
and did not unravel the town, unlike San Gimignano, who ultimately ceded to Florence to
restore the order. Instead, the townspeople slowly started taking ownership for their neighbor-
hoods with the erection and subsequent protection of the various fountains (brande), which
were used to provide Siena with its drinking supply and to fight fires. “These also became
places for community gatherings, particularly in the evenings and on holidays, a tradition
kept alive to this day” (ROWE 16). The fountains served as early urban spaces, giving the
locals a sense of ownership, and slowly unified the members of each Terzi in fellowship, and
protection of their brande. With communities slowly fellowshipping around their respective
brande, the terzi were further divided up into neighborhoods (contrade), and Siena laid down

2. ZURICH 2024
XXXIII SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
M.DOMINGO, Spring 2007
Utopian Architecture
Spaces for Collective Dreams
The site for the Zurich Olympic bid is presently a
large park like location, just west of the city center.
This project aimed at using the natural flows and
energy of the site to integrate the 1.6 million
square meters of program. An important aspect
of this project was to focus on the different uses
during and after the Olympics. By introducing an
interactive terrain, with multiple venues, the park is
adaptable to the various users of the Olympic site.

3. Zurich 2024 : XXXIII Summer Olympic Games
3D Rendering of the Olympic Site

4. Zurich 2024 : XXXIII Summer Olympic Games
3D Rendering of the Site Plan

5. Zurich 2024 : XXXIII Summer Olympic Games
3D Rendering of the Olympic Stadium

6. Zurich 2024 : XXXIII Summer Olympic Games
2D CAD Plan of the Olympic Site : Service Level

7. Zurich 2024 : XXXIII Summer Olympic Games
2D CAD Plan of the Olympic Site : Main Level

8. Zurich 2024 : XXXIII Summer Olympic Games
2D Section of the Olympic Stadium

9. Zurich 2024 : XXXIII Summer Olympic Games
3D Rendering of the Olympic Park

10. DE NIEUWE MARKTHAL
3RD INTERNATIONAL BIENNALE
T.RIENIETS, Spring 2007
Form and the City
Urban Strategies for Southern Rotterdam

11. Bloemhof is a neighborhood of a great cultural richness. It provides
good living conditions, including many open public spaces, and a wide
range of public and semi-public programs. It hosts one of the biggest
markets in the Netherlands and a variety of cultures and lifestyles.
Despite this potential, though, the area lacks local as well
as regional identity. The existing cultures and generations
are engaged in neither mutual exchange nor individual self-
expression. To intensify the existing (and hidden) qualities of
Bloemhof, we propose a representative new public building:
De Nieuwe Markthal. The hall will act as a catalyst in the
neighborhood, providing better access to the existing qualities
and resources of the site, thereby enhancing the community.
3rd International Architecture Biennale Master Class
Bloemhof Neighborhood Study

12. 3rd International Architecture Biennale Master Class
Markthal Exterior Rendering & Elevation

13. 3rd International Architecture Biennale Master Class
Markthal Interior Rendering

14. HAUSVOGTEIPLATZ DWELLING
TWO WEEK CHARETTE
P.PRAN & J.NALBACH, Summer 2007
NARROW DWELLING :
DESIGN FOR APARTMENT IN BERLIN

15. Hausvogteiplatz, Berlin
Matching the interior with the exterior. The tenants would be most
disappointed if they paid for an abstract façade and got a mundane
interior in return. I lit up the circulation space by harnessing daylight
from a skylight above and achieved horizontal fenestration by rotating
the stairs, letting a stream of light trickle down. I augmented the
walls of the room dependant on their adjoining exterior façade and
introduced multiple level shifts which is articulated in the ceiling.
Privacy Detail Floor Plans
Privacy at the flick of a switch. The
exterior windows come equipped
with switchable privacy glass. Two
layers of annealed glass are filled
with a LCD interlayer allowing
instantaneous switching between
transparent and translucent states.

16. How to squeeze a building into the Berlin grid.
Though a tall five-story structure it felt as if my building was being
squashed by its neighbors. The program called for a façade that
was only 6.5m wide. Thus I worked on extracting my building
rather than getting trapped. The townhouse is pinched and
poked in a rectilinear way while conforming to the grid of Berlin.
Univeristy of Kansas Berlin Graduate Design Studio
in cooperation with Nalbach + Nalbach

17. PGA NATIONWIDE TOUR 2009
CHRISTMAS IN OCTOBER CLASSIC
Spring 2009
Overlay Site Plans and 3D

18. The clubhouse at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate offered
enough parking area in which to accommodate many of the back of
house functions. The strategic location of video and leader boards
was pertinent for this event. In addition spectator services and
grandstands were distributed. In analyzing surrounding parking areas,
the tournament officials were able to position a secured spectator
entrance in an optimal location. An overall course evacuation plan was
created due to the large distribution of spectators at any given time.
PGA Nationwide Tour 2009 - Christmas in October Classic
Clubhouse Area Overlay Drawings & Golf Course Overlay

19. DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION 2008
PEPSI CENTER, DENVER, CO
Spring 2008
Overlay Plans
3D Site and Venue Modeling

20. The Democratic National Convention offered a site which required a
far greater media presence than most sporting events. In addition, the
secured perimeter was designated by the Secret Service giving us limited
space in which to accommodate functional areas. The 3D modeling of the
Pepsi Center and the surrounding site was the best medium to illustrate
the plethora of different functions that took place in and around the venue.
Democratic National Convention 2008 - Pepsi Center, Denver, Coloardo
3D Site and Venue Modeling

21. LG SNOWBOARD BIG AIR
FIS WORLD CUP
Overlay Plans
3D Site and Structure Modeling

22. The LG Big Air Snowboarding event has not yet occurred in the
United States. Moscow, London, and Stockholm have each bore
witness to this huge structure and the dynamic crowd that it attracts.
The 3D modeling of this structure highlighted the massive scale,
in which the structure is almost as tall as the average baseball
stadium in the United States. The site plans show the area required
both for the structure and the space needed for a proper fan area.
LG Snowboard BIG AIR - FIS World Cup
3D Venue Mock Up - Overall Site Plan