the landscape is a sensitive, affective geography, a geography nourished by physical contact with the world and with others.
Jean-Marc Besse
site | Varese
year | 2023-2024
dimensions | approx. 30.000 sqm
type of project | public park – technical-economic feasibility study
architectural project | Piramide srl, arch. Di Giglio, arch. Roda, rrch. Gianetti, arch. Zanini, arch. Serafin, arch. Baila, arch. Federici, ing. Nucara, dott. Parmigiani
the urban regeneration project for the outdoor areas of the former slaughterhouse in Varese was based on two fundamental themes:
restoring the lost relationship with water
restoring food as an element of life
the first theme addressed involves a project of resilience and collaboration with nature, and therefore the integration of the Vellone river into the urban landscape to rediscover that lost relationship.
the landscaping project focused on water management practices, identifying natural principles, technological and architectural solutions to adapt the area in the event of extreme rainfall.
the second theme involves the creation of a neighbourhood hub within the former slaughterhouse building to recover and redistribute unsold food in order to combat food poverty.
the area, covering a total of 30,000 square metres, comprises a northern section (currently used as a depot by Autolinee Varesine) and a southern section (former slaughterhouse and appurtenances) and is bordered to the east by the Vellone stream and the Ferrovie Nord railway tracks.
the architectural project for the northern part includes three social housing blocks,
while the southern part will feature a food hub and innovative job training centre in the former municipal slaughterhouse..
the park is the urban connection between the entire north-south section of the former slaughterhouse, and its construction is aimed not only at redeveloping public open spaces but also at re-naturalising the urban environment for collective use on a scale that goes beyond the neighbourhood, creating a new urban ecosystem, a water landscape with solutions guided by principles of sustainability and new sociality.
designing with water not only as a source of physical and psychological well-being for humans, but also as an element of potential social, economic and ecological regeneration.
specifically, the project involves a tree-lined square closely connected to the building with stabilised concrete paving to manage rainwater in situ, reduce the volume of water entering the sewer system and avoid problems of network overload, thus making the water cycle in urban areas more sustainable as well as ensuring proper drainage for the planned trees.
the reduction of evapotranspiration in urban areas. the square then opens onto the park, which takes on a more naturalistic character and, on a larger scale, relates to the landscape of Campo dei Fiori, which dominates the background.
the park is designed not only to increase urban biodiversity but also to provide the neighbourhood with public green areas of a naturalistic character in relation to the Vellone stream.
the area of the park closest to the Vellone is designed as a wetland, a sort of floodable area with emerging aquatic vegetation to encourage not only the natural dispersal of water in the event of flooding of the Vellone but also the creation of a natural habitat, enhancing the landscape value of the park and improving the climatic comfort of the Belforte district.
