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Renovation of Via Cornigliano

Project Description

The shared space model inspires the main idea behind the renovation project of Via Cornigliano. This model of shared space uses the principle that the slowest and most vulnerable user determines the behaviour of the fastest. With this idea, the project has won two phases of the competition by the Società per Cornigliano S.p.a. (Society for Cornigliano). The expectation is that this upgrade also has a compounded effect on the redevelopment process and renewal of post-industrial Cornigliano, persistently pursued by the entire district, starting with the closure of the coal plant in 2002 and following the shutdown of the blast furnace in 2005.

The new road hierarchy, in order, is pedestrian, bicycle, car; this is a radical redevelopment of the road, created by resizing the roadway with speed reductions to 30 km/hr. As a result, there is a widening of the sidewalks to be able to accommodate bike paths.
Crucial is also the choice of recognisable decorations that suggest and reference the historical landscape of villas, commonly known in the eighteenth century as the Grand Tour, with their renowned citrus orchards and important art collections.
In detail, the accommodation of a large area dedicated to the enjoyment of pedestrians and to social interactions is expected to reduce the gap between the sidewalk and the roadway by 2.5 cm in order to have the perception of a real and proper center of the neighbourhood.
The terraces and the common gathering spaces, emphasised by special lighting and created to help with the revitalisation of businesses, strengthen the overall quality of the two grand historic squares located along the street: Piazza Rizzolio and Piazza Melis.
The use of warm and “earthy” colours for the sidewalk in recollection of the ancient citrus orchards, the planting of about 100 Seville orange trees in pots, and the installation of specific “markers” along the road to highlight the historical villas situated along the route of Via Aurelia all follow the strategy of referencing particular elements that for centuries have characterised this area.

At the two extremes, the area will be marked with evident landmarks that will highlight the “special” nature of this area.

The hierarchy is in the order: pedestrian, bicycle, and then car. Therefore, the final design of the project includes:

  • the radical upgrade of the road, including resizing the roadway, adopting a new speed limit of 30 km/h, and resulting in mitigating environmental impacts, which is made possible by the recently completed road leading to the ocean;
  • the consequent widening of the sidewalks to accommodate bike paths;
  • the recovery of a predominantly local serving road. The expectation is that this upgrade also has a compounded effect on the redevelopment process and renewal of post-industrial Cornigliano, persistently pursued by the entire district, following the closure of the coal plant in 2002 and the shutdown of the blast furnace in 2005;
  • the choice of recognizable decorations that suggest and reference the historical landscape of villas, commonly known in the eighteenth century as the Grand Tour, with its famous citrus orchards.

Project Details

Client Società per Cornigliano S.p.a
Location Genoa, Cornigliano
Year 2017
Typology Urban Renovation
With Franco Lorenzani, Alessandra Bruzzone, Riccardo Rossi, Paolo Rigamonti, Corrado Trasino (SITEC Engineering S.r.l.)
Collaborator  Giulia Parodi, Carla Coccia, Enrico Marchetti, Francesca Arata, Giulia Luzzatto, Chantal Cattaneo, Laura Davite, Luca Pan (SITEC Engineering S.r.l.)

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