Monte San Giovanni masterplan

location: Aquilinia – Muggia (Trieste), Italy

program: reconversion of an 8 hectares former industrial site, with 120 new units of social housing, services (square, church, crèche and neighbourhood park), and 20 production units.

dates: project 2010

data: total built area 85.000 m3

masterplan architect: waltritsch a+u, Arch. Dimitri Waltritsch Trieste, Italy
in partnership with Salvatore re + Leonardo, de Architecten Cie., Ferrara associati, Matteo Pierattini architetto del paesaggio, Leonardo strutture, AI Engineering srl.
team: Dimitri Waltritsch with Alice Liani

This masterplan is part of a larger strategic project of reconversion of the former Aquila refinery, once dominated by intense industrial activity. In the near future large size petroleum tanks, pipes and industrial buildings will disappear, leaving room for a new development. The Monte San Giovanni project area is defining the north-west side of a hill set in the middle of the ex Aquila site. The remaining part of this hill is occupied by the houses of Aquilinia, so the task of the project is to return the area to the settlement.  The project introduces new collective facilities like the crèche, the church and some small shops, gathered around a square, in vicinity of the existing sport facilities. A pedestrian path set at the middle of the hill connects the new blocks, the square and the existing village. In the lower part of the hill along the major road, a series of production units offer new opportunities for the local business. Green roofs on top of these units assure a better integration within the landscape and do not disturb the view from the houses on top of the hill towards the sea. Moreover, the project re-uses the existing large concrete slabs, used once as the base for the tanks, for the parking of the new social housing blocks, and as a base for the new square of Aquilinia.

Images and text © D. Waltritsch. Use only by permission
.
web