The deep changes overwhelming the city go along with the infrastructure evolution and developments dictated by social habits and customs as to the use of urban spaces. The relation among built environment-vehicle-pedestrian asks for new architectural thinking: new ways of interpreting the relational space and, consequently, new interventions. The main objective of this course is to stimulate the practice of architectural project as a unique chance to turn ‘urban discards’ into a true resource for the city and the territory. The need of creating a sense of place and local identity in the processes of urban morphogenesis and reclaiming of urban settlements prompts the contemporary designer to constantly re-invent both the role and the contents of the square, mainly levering on the vocation of the square as a place for social aggregation and connection of road flows. Regaining possession of the urban space becomes hence an issue being at the same time ethical and pragmatically necessary. As a matter of fact, the square as aggregation place is a constant of the urban history, the core of social, economic, and cultural development. As to the larger topic of post-modern city redefinition, the public space is currently looking for a new identity to be able to recover those meanings attributed to such space within the Italian cultural context in the past: urban archetype, aggregation space of the most significant social cores, geographical, organizational, and morphological centre of the city, crucial element of its natural module of growth and reading. The morphological, functional, and organization features of outdoor spaces – which are not interpreted as negative traits of the urban fabric any more – still characterize the main projects on the transformation of the most important European urban systems: the square is assigned the role of amplifier of values and contradictions of an architecture that is not single-oriented any more, as to both morphology and functionality. Formulating ideas on this topic means irradiation of organizing energy to the surrounding environment, therefore stimulation of the disappearing civic thinking, a prerequisite for the evolution of the urban landscape and its components. The hierarchical-structural role - which can be historically attributed to this type of space due to its ability in organizing both urban morphology and the main human activities – has been facing a period of strong crisis in modern times, also involving the new urban additions and, by model emulation, those spaces existing within the consolidated city as well. Following a critical review of what has gone lost, a slow, constant recovery of the historical memory of the square has originated as central point for the reclamation of the existing city and of the project of the “new city”. The project for the functional restoration, redesigning and urban reorganisation of Lorenzo Berzieri Square and of its perimeter footpaths, is based on the need gradually to redefine the spatial identity of previously run–down city areas and to enhance the uniqueness of the Terme Berzieri building, a masterpiece of Italian Liberty, that exerts an iconic presence on the urban fabric. A succession of citations and references give life to a bold fusion of form and functional decor in harmony with the richness and majesty of the existing structures, accentuated and enhanced by the minimalist and essential character of the proposed works, totally in keeping with their history and dynamics.

The grammar of public space.Reclamation, functional restoration, redesign and urban reorganisation of Lorenzo Berzieri Square in Salsomaggiore Terme

FAROLDI, EMILIO
2012-01-01

Abstract

The deep changes overwhelming the city go along with the infrastructure evolution and developments dictated by social habits and customs as to the use of urban spaces. The relation among built environment-vehicle-pedestrian asks for new architectural thinking: new ways of interpreting the relational space and, consequently, new interventions. The main objective of this course is to stimulate the practice of architectural project as a unique chance to turn ‘urban discards’ into a true resource for the city and the territory. The need of creating a sense of place and local identity in the processes of urban morphogenesis and reclaiming of urban settlements prompts the contemporary designer to constantly re-invent both the role and the contents of the square, mainly levering on the vocation of the square as a place for social aggregation and connection of road flows. Regaining possession of the urban space becomes hence an issue being at the same time ethical and pragmatically necessary. As a matter of fact, the square as aggregation place is a constant of the urban history, the core of social, economic, and cultural development. As to the larger topic of post-modern city redefinition, the public space is currently looking for a new identity to be able to recover those meanings attributed to such space within the Italian cultural context in the past: urban archetype, aggregation space of the most significant social cores, geographical, organizational, and morphological centre of the city, crucial element of its natural module of growth and reading. The morphological, functional, and organization features of outdoor spaces – which are not interpreted as negative traits of the urban fabric any more – still characterize the main projects on the transformation of the most important European urban systems: the square is assigned the role of amplifier of values and contradictions of an architecture that is not single-oriented any more, as to both morphology and functionality. Formulating ideas on this topic means irradiation of organizing energy to the surrounding environment, therefore stimulation of the disappearing civic thinking, a prerequisite for the evolution of the urban landscape and its components. The hierarchical-structural role - which can be historically attributed to this type of space due to its ability in organizing both urban morphology and the main human activities – has been facing a period of strong crisis in modern times, also involving the new urban additions and, by model emulation, those spaces existing within the consolidated city as well. Following a critical review of what has gone lost, a slow, constant recovery of the historical memory of the square has originated as central point for the reclamation of the existing city and of the project of the “new city”. The project for the functional restoration, redesigning and urban reorganisation of Lorenzo Berzieri Square and of its perimeter footpaths, is based on the need gradually to redefine the spatial identity of previously run–down city areas and to enhance the uniqueness of the Terme Berzieri building, a masterpiece of Italian Liberty, that exerts an iconic presence on the urban fabric. A succession of citations and references give life to a bold fusion of form and functional decor in harmony with the richness and majesty of the existing structures, accentuated and enhanced by the minimalist and essential character of the proposed works, totally in keeping with their history and dynamics.
2012
Cities in transformation. Research & Design. Ideas, Methods, Techniques, Tools, Case Studies
9782930301563
Public Space; Square; Identity; Architecture; Design; Urban Morphology; Project; Salsomaggiore Terme; Emilio Faroldi Associati
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/657845
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