Piazza Matteotti Public Gardens
The proposal for the requalification of Piazza Matteotti’s public gardens offered an opportunity to redesign a historic place from the early 1900s, which had been distorted by a stratification of subsequent interventions, and to restore a new identity to the gateway to Castiglion Fiorentino’s historic center (Arezzo -Tuscany), provid- ing citizens with a welcoming and vital space in one of the most beautiful terraces on the Val di Chiana.
The design aims to simplify and hierarchize the elements that compose the space, emphasizing once again the vegetation that, with the new planimetric design, back to being the protagonist. The perimeter “solids” repre- sented by the shrubby flowerbeds are contrasted by the “voids” of the central squares in which to rest in the shade of the trees.
The new draining pavement allows for a more inclusive use while the architectural elements, thanks to the uni- fied and careful selection of materials, are balanced between functionality and aesthetics.
The design scheme provides a contemporary reinterpretation of the garden design dating back to the 1930s, restoring clear hierarchies between paths, “little squares,” and resting spaces, and by adapting these elements to contemporary usage needs.
From the outer pedestrian ring, recently repaved in sandstone, the garden is reached via four main points that have been widened and made more usable (from steps are turned into ramps).
Once entering the garden, the eye is immediately caught by the Val di Chiana landscape and the fountain, one of focal element of the first “piazza” to the north of the area.
The internal articulation of the space includes a continuous walkway leading from the fountain to the war me- morial passing through a series of openings/“little squares” designed to host temporary events, with the possi- bility of installing kiosks.
The perimeter promenade maintains its current “belvedere” characteristics, is further enhanced by the place- ment of new furniture, and is secured through the installation of a perimeter railing along the existing wall.
Again reinterpreting the 1930s design, the vegetation is distributed at the edges of the paths and “little squares” and it is clearly identified by metal borders that protect the shrubs from foot traffic and act, in a few selected spots, for views or shading, as seating elements thanks to the integration of wood-finished benches. The same clarity and readability of the spaces was also sought in the choices regarding vegetation. Damaged or diseased tree specimens were removed and replaced with trees of the same species or of species selected for their har- diness, shading capacity, and aesthetic effect. Most notably, along the perimeter walk, one Quercus ilex spec- imen should be replaced and other four are added to regularize the planting sixth, which, as it stands, is highly variable. These holm oaks, together with those existing along the northern and southern edges and along the sidewalk of Piazza Giacomo Matteotti/via Trieste, form a continuous single-species exterior frame.
Specimens of Liquidambar styraciflua are added within the new borders contributing, through their reddish-gold color, to the great natural spectacle of autumn foliage.
The water item also returns to be the protagonist of the space. In its current state, the existing fountain was in fact poorly integrated into the garden and unapproachable due to its conformation and the fence present along the entire edge. Therefore, the project planned to remove all those recent additions, which were in a state of decay and compromised the overall image of the artifact, in order to restore it as an identifying element of the space.
The selection of furnishings, as the last important design element, responds to the desire for reorganization and recognizability. Materials were therefore chosen in continuity with the borders and the fountain. In addition, dif- ferent types of custom wood and metal seating were made: integrated with the metal profile of the green slots, semicircular at the two small squares, and linear with a backrest along the perimeter walkway.
