Venice Sotheby's International Realty at our September forum

Above: view of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute on the Punta della Dogana, in the Dorsoduro district of Venice with the Giudecca canal beyond.

Future Cities Forum is delighted to welcome Venice Sotheby's International Realty Director Pietro Rusconi who will be joining our discussion forum at the Procuratie Vecchie in St Mark's Square, Venice.

The forum will be looking at the sustainability of the city, development in housing, transport and culture. Sotheby's will be contributing alongside Teatro San Cassiano, SUMus, Scott Brownrigg, Generali Real Estate, Pilbrow & Partners and the Venice Sustainability Forum among others.

The population of Venice stands at around 50,000, with some young people leaving the city to live and work elsewhere. The government in Venice is reported to have said it in unconcerned by the population fall in numbers and says this swells daily with workers arriving from Mestre. Teatro San Cassiano hopes to create training and jobs for young people in traditional crafts for theatre construction, if it gets permission to built a replica of the original opera house that stood in Venice in the 17th century.

Venice Sotheby's International Realty says it is supportive of the project:

'We would like to tell you about an amazing new project very close to our hearts – to reconstruct the original early 17th century Teatro San Cassiano in Venice, and with it to restore historically-informed Baroque opera to the city. Venice Sothebys International Realty is dedicated to the preservation of tradition in the city, and so we are keen to play our part in bringing about the restoration of the world’s first opera house to its original home for generations to come.'

Meanwhile the city remains attractive to particular international buyers and renters who want to live permanently or for some parts of the year in Venice.

Sotheby's International Realty states:

'Venice is of enduring international importance and interest, yet remains by its very nature a niche market and an exclusive destination for discerning buyers at the very top end of the market.

'We have worked for over 35 years with property here, and appreciate the delicate balance of life in the city and the intrinsic and enduring value of its fabric, and we hold great respect for the 1000 years of history which have created the enigma that is Venice.'

For sale through Sotheby's is a Modernist property which is still in the original family ownership, and which forms a whole building over three floors with a porta sola private entrance, two terraces and private water gate, with the opportunity to keep it as a private home or turn it into a gallery:

It describes the property as:

'The house has several bedrooms and bathrooms, and can either continue as a private or apartment residence, or become a stunning gallery space or private event venue. The property is in its original design concept state and is a gem in one of the most desirable parts of Venice. It has a unique provenance.

'The creator, Architect Luigi Vietti, was a major figure in Modernism in Italian architecture from the 1930's onwards, creating many important buildings all over Italy and elsewhere, adhering to MIAR - the Movimento Italiano di Architettura Razionale. Here in Venice we have a perfect example of his work in its finest detail, a stunning example of a private home in the Venetian medium with groundbreaking space, and design features down to the smallest detail, a work of love for the owners of this truly wonderful property.'