OSA: Venice's former military infirmary becomes civic urban regeneration lab

In Venice, the OSA (Osservatorio Sant'Anna) project is transforming the former military infirmary of the Sant'Anna complex into a shared civic space through participatory workshops and cultural initiatives from April to October 2025. Led by independent researcher Maria Eugenia Frizzele, curator Matteo Binci, and architecture duo Lemonot (Sabrina Morreale and Lorenzo Perri), the collective obtained temporary concession from the Agenzia del Demanio. The initiative counters private speculation, notably a 2020 proposal by French company ARTEA for high-end co-living and co-working, which faced strong opposition from the 'Salviamo San Piero e Sant'Anna' movement. The first workshop on May 9 involved architects Lisa Fior (Muf Architecture, London), Francesco Apuzzo (Raumlabor, Berlin), Ezio Micelli (IUAV), Ingrid Schroder (AA Director, London), Sandra Denicke-Polcher (RCA, London), Andrea Perini (Terzo Paesaggio), philosopher Lidia Gasperoni, residents, and Demanio representatives. The program aims to activate the infirmary as an 'urban clinic' addressing overtourism and community needs, with long-term goals for sustainable regeneration of the Sant'Anna complex, which has a history from a 1242 Benedictine convent to a Navy hospital.