Portfolio 2024

PORTFOLIO

Maria Elisabetta Peluso MSc student in Architecture - Built Enviroment - Interiors @ Polytechnic University of Milan BSc graduated in Architecture @ Naples “Federico II” University

A fragile land

Each project showcased in this portfolio establishes a unique and deliberate connection with its context.

Archaeology, Landscape, and Built Environment serve as the primary drivers for each project. The works aim to explore the dynamics of the relationship with the context from various perspectives, aligning with the unique nature of each site and the specific intervention type.

Engaging with the existing context, whether it involves an ancient site, a natural landscape, or a man-made concrete block, underscores the adaptability of the creative mind.

This versatility enables a seamless transition between different environments, recognizing and valuing the inherent values within each. Through a sensitive and critical approach, the goal is to achieve designs that are sustainable, resilient, and respectful.

These interventions not only introduce new functions, spaces, and opportunities for those experiencing them but they also preserve the intrinsic qualities of their context.

The commitment to sustainability principles addresses contemporary environmental challenges, advocating for structures that harmonise with and minimise their impact on the surrounding ecosystem. This ethos permeates the presented projects and the broader practice conducted over recent years.

The attention towards choosing natural and recycled materials, the integration with green spaces and local biodiversity, and the promotion of a more sustainable way of living, are also some of the main aspects that shaped the projects.

Finally, the convergence of architecture and digital technologies assumes a pivotal role in enhancing human interaction with diverse environments.

Striking a balance between innovation and preservation, high-tech and vernacular architecture, natural and artificial, each design choice plays a crucial role in contributing to the well-being of both human and non-human on this fragile land.

Atlas of Contents

Academic works 6

a.y. 2022/2023

Live in Pompeii A park rising above Pompeian ancient ruins Thematic Studio + Techonology of Architecture Tutors: Paolo Carpi and Andrea Tartaglia Polytechnic University of Milan

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a.y. 2021/2022

Living with(in) the Wild Ephemeral dwellings for the abandoned village of Monesteroli Architecture of Interior Design Studio + Landscape Architecture Tutors: Jacopo Leveratto, Francesca Zanotto, Neratza Tzortzi, Maria Stella Lux and Cristina Musacchio Polytechnic University of Milan

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a.y. 2019/2020

Adaptive Reuse rather Demolition San Gennaro Foundation’s headquarter in Rione Sanità Architecture of Interior Design Studio Tutor: Nicola Flora “Federico II” Naples University

Workshops 36

a.y. 2022/2023

Architecture after Architecture Spatial Practice in the Face of the Climate Emergency MINDS - Milano International Design Studio Tutor: Jeremy Till Polytechnic University of Milan

Competitions 40

2023

Codex Canturium An interactive catalogue for culture and biodiversity in Cantù Europan17 with Alessandra Bruno, Thomas Cabai, Maria Letizia Guido, Fabio Lepratto, Lucia Ludovici, Michele Porcelluzzi, Sara Sapone, Giacomo Taverna and Francesca Zanotto.

Live in Pompeii A park rising above the ruins

Located in the middle of the archaeological site of Pompeii, South Italy, the project site is incorporated in one of the Pompeian unexcavated areas - the so called “pianori” - rising about 10 meters above the ancient soil.

The proposal for a natural park at the disposal of the visitors, is characterized by a dense oriented axis that connects the two only existing buildings of the site while providing shading areas, resting places, viewpoints and further exhibition spaces for the visitors.

The project stands as an independent object standing alone in the vast natural landscape, occupied - until recent years -

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by local cultivations.

Since the early stages of the design, the attention has always been paid to the relationship between the three “A”: Archaeology, Architecture and Agriculture.

With a special regard to the latter, one of the design goals was to shape a place where natural and artificial can stand together and where the traditional cultivation of local products - especially grapevine - could be brought back at the disposal of the inhabitants of Pompeii as well as its visitors.

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The project axis is intersecting the ancient urban grid, with a rotation of 25° about the Roman cardo of Vicolo dei Centenari.

It builds a defined connection between the two pre-existent structures: the XVIII century farm known as “Casina dell’Aquila” and the small deposit.

The Roman urban grid defines the entrances to the new park, thought as prolongations of the new park.

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Longitudinal section

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In section, the heights are overcoming one another, playing a game of “poppingout”, giving the composition a playful and distinguishable order. The existing vegetation, the geometry of the two old buildings, the viewpoints towards the ancient ruins and towards the Vesuvius volcano, have been the first crucial points for the allocation and development of the structure.

All the structures have been designed as part of the same object, hence using simple structural steel elements such as hallow square column, steel bracing and metal net.

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For what concerns the delicate topic of the foundation, an analysis of previous geological documentation has been carried out, in order to understand the composition of the soil and the localisation of the ruins below the project site.

The analysis led to the final choice of adopting of a dry foundation consisting of stone cages laying on a depth of 50 cm from the walking level.

On it, a pre-casted concrete slab is placed, and it will be the base support of the steel plates where the columns will be placed.

Spatial schemes 11

S1

S1

S2

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S3

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S4

S4

S5

S5

S6

S6

Transversal section 12

The project axis is intended to be a clear object with rigorous end points, whose linearity is broken by the insertion of few masses: a new archaeological deposit, two canopies, a viewpoint tower and an exhibition space, while the two existing buildings are embedded in the project to host a restaurant/cafeteria and a space related to winery activities.

The structures are independent blocks, whose juxtaposition generates a sequence of episodes when walking the axis from one end to the other, generating - for every step taken - an exclusive relationship with the site.

S1 space related to agricultural activity

S2 deposit

S3 canopy

S4 tower

S5 exhibition space

S6 restaurant / cafe

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The focal point of the system is the deposit building, functioning as an exhibition space in itself.

Its double steel skin ensures autonomy between the supporting structure and the perimeter walls. The latter comprises a steel skeleton with shelves enclosed by a metal net, hosting the precious artefacts.

The design of the deposit provides visitors with an up-close view of the ongoing collection and categorisation of findings by the archaeology team.

In stark contrast to the deposit’s pronounced horizontality, a 19-meter tower stands adjacent to it.

The tower serves as an elevating mechanism, featuring a movable platform that allows groups of visitors to experience a unique panoramic view of the ancient city of Pompeii.

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Living with(in) the wild Ephemeral dwellings for the abandoned village of Monesteroli

The remoteness of the abandoned village of Monesteroli, in the National Park of Cinque Terre, North Italy, has been the first issue to be addressed in the design process. The village can be reached by boat or via the “Scalinata di Monesteroli” a steep staircase with more than 1100 stone steps. Monesteroli is now completely uninhabited apart from a small house located at the summit of the mound, but nevertheless is one of the most popular destinations for excursionists and people willing to experience a unique contact with the nature and the sea.

Given the conditions of the place, the challenge was to bring back to life some

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of the old stone houses, within a logic of gradual touristic “repopulation” of the entire village.

Hence, the project aimed to explore the characteristics of a nomadic dwelling hosted by a primitive and disconnected environment, where the beauty of the natural landscape, together with few essential amenities, could offer an exceptional way of living the wild.

The use of prefabrication, together with the light materials, has been fundamental not only from a sustainable point of view, but it also provided a thoughtful way to intervene in a fragile and perilous site.

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From the landscape analysis, the remoteness of the area has been highlighted by mapping the existing trekking paths, as well as the density of the vegetation that sometimes allows the views towards the sea, other times encloses the visitors within shadowy, dark forests. Furthermore, during preliminary analyses, some of the houses of the village have been mapped and categorised according to their state of conservation and to the level of susceptibility to landslides.

Subsequently, a proposed intervention scenario outlined three key stages of revitalisation, starting from the restoration of the structures in optimal conditions within the building cluster.

Conversely, the final phase focuses on addressing the more vulnerable buildings, prone to landslides, with interventions strategically organised in response to the dynamic conditions of the surrounding area.

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Nacché beach

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Scoglio Montano

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Monesteroli

Road Wide Path Narrow Path

path 536

Selvatic High Vegetation Selvatic Low Vegetation

Beaches, sands, dunes

Cultivated Lands Areas with sparse vegetation Discontinuous and scattered residential fabric (scattered houses) Vineyards

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Rifugio CInque Terre

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Local vegetation mapping

Olea europaea

Cultivated Vegetation

A species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin.

Vitis vinifera A species of flowering plant, but only a few are of commercial significance for wine and table grape production.

Vent aboriti si conem volorro blabo. Ut et reperum is autem velecti orerum re qui dolorum fugit ut et volorat. Upta pero corror saperor archil is quam voluptate odit fugia is denducillor atate nistio optinvercium destium rationsequam consedi psumentior aut ut fugia dellende ditio di omni re dolorrorro estis et hicid et que que prent landipic temquod maio. dolectate entiam res et est, sint aut hictio occaeriae si omniet hictias ommoluptate im re venti ad moluptio. Sae pore quid quatia perovid et fugia

Helichrysum italicum A species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It grows on dry, rocky or sandy ground around the Mediterranean.

Selvatic Low Vegetation

Asparagaceae sp.

A family of flowering plants, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots. It includes both common garden plants as well as common houseplants.

Opuntia ficus-indica A species of cactus developed in agricultural economies throughout arid and semiarid parts of the world.

Selvatic High Vegetation

Pinus pinaster A pine native to the Mediterranean region.

It is a hard, fast growing pine containing small seeds with large wings.

It is a medium-size tree, reaching 20–35 metres tall with a trunk diameter of up to 1.2 m.

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The original structure of the houses is mainly maintained from the exterior while the roof is removed. Prefabricated CLT boxes are the added elements, dropped down from the top within the stone walls, and hosting the main activities of the visitors’ experience. The project achieves to obtain a common ground floor - with a longitudinal axis of connection between each room. Despite the external structural walls are maintained, some openings have been added. By doing that, more light is given to the lateral volumes - especially at the ground floor - thanks to the central room which has been completely open to the sky.

The central room is an enclosed courtyard: an immersive space where guided or spontaneous vegetation

is growing. A fire is placed centrally, ordering the geometry of the room, while imposing a turning movement. It represents a collective, embracing space where to meet at night or to cook by the day, delighting from the herbs and the flowers, picking leaves and oils for the afternoon’s tea. The room is derived from the demolition of an existing wall, that used to separate two independent houses. To guarantee a static system, shrinking ribs are set against the façade.

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First floor plan

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Rest in sleeping quarters View from a dorm

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Model 1:50

The modest dorms have been designed as private units but with a collective heart, providing not only a private shelter to rest but also a shared space for subtle connections within a small community.

Embracing predominantly wooden elements, the private units are interconnected with a central area through Shoji panels - made of wooden grates and rice paper that delicately filters the incoming light.

Complementing the design, Corten sheets frame the openings to refine the junctions where the stone walls meet the incorporated wooden structures.

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The arriving point to the building from the Monesteroli staircase is the “open room” located at the last level of the structure.

This space boasts a unique feature—it is entirely open to the surroundings.

Reminiscent of the quintessential Italian “belvedere,” the exclusive view is subtly filtered by a lightweight yet durable net that doubles as a protective parapet.

The seemingly fragile borders serve as a semi-transparent crown to the wooden integration, allowing the intervention to seamlessly nestle into the site with a gentle and unobtrusive presence.

Materials

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Perimetral drainage 1. Wooden pillars 7x7 cm - 4x4 cm 2. Non-woven fabric cover 3. Gravel 4. CLT panel (5 layers) 5. Water barrier

Corten window frame 1. CLT panel (3 layers) 2. Corten upholstery 3. Roller curtain

Dorms sliding panels 1. Shoji - sliding doors in rice paper and wood

Corridor bridge parapet 1. Iron parapet 2. Entrancy with wooden flooring 3. Corten upholstery

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Base beam and flooring 1. CLT panel (5 layers) 2. Wooden beams 10x10 cm or 15 x 25 cm 3. Corten upholstery

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Warming up by the fire View from the courtyard

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PLANTING DESIGN Prunus domestica

Planting design

Citrus limon

Salvia rosmarinus

PLANTING DESIGN

Ocimum basilicum

Capparis spinosa

Melissa officinalis

Prunus domestica Mentha piperita

Citrus limon Monarda didyma

Salvia rosmarinus

Ocimum basilicum

Ocimum basilicum

Laurus nobilis

Capparis spinosa

Melissa officinalis

Jasminum officinale

Mentha piperita

Monarda didyma

Ocimum basilicum

Myrtus communis

Jasminum of

Laurus nobilis Myrtus communis

Clematis Alice Fisk

Clematis Alice Fisk

Ocimum basilicum Ocimum basilicum Melissa officinalis

Mentha piperita

Melissa officinalis

Matricaria chamomilla

Citrus limon

Mentha piperita

Citrus limon

Matricaria chamomilla

WALL GARDEN DETAIL scale 1.10

WALL GARDEN DETAIL scale 1.10

1. Corten frame

1. Corten frame 2. Geotextile carpet of polypropylene staple filaments 2. Geotextile carpet of polypropylene staple filaments 3. Soil mixed with demineralized water in natural cellulose fibers gel 3. Soil mixed with demineralized water in natural cellulose fibers gel

Travellers are drawn by the aromatic scents of the central open-air room, an immersive space adorned with guided and spontaneous vegetation.

At its heart, a central fire shapes the room’s geometry, fostering a collective atmosphere for night-time gatherings and daytime cooking, infused with the delights of herbs and flowers.

This unique courtyard connects internal and external spaces, emphasising a spiritual ambiance.

The sand and gravel thresholds serve as markers from enclosed to external areas.

Meanwhile, the surrounding pavement is retained to allocate herbal cultivation, whose design encourages visitors to actively engage in the harvesting and maintenance of the plants.

This open space provides solace for those seeking refuge from urban noise, fostering a sense of community through the elemental act of gathering around a fire.

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Wall section 29

Regeneration rather Demolition San Gennaro Foundation’s headquarter in Rione Sanità

The challenge for this project was to achieve, in an almost completely abandoned context, an architectural redevelopment that could give new life to the upper space of the ticket office of the San Gennaro Catacombs.

The task at hand involved architectural redevelopment to cater to the needs of the San Gennaro Foundation, aiming to incorporate new services, an office, and a meeting hall.

Upon arriving at the site, the initial contemplation centred on whether demolition and reconstruction would be more viable than dealing with a dilapidated concrete block.

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Contrary to the uninspiring nature of the pre-existing building, the project goal was to showcase how architecture could transform a lacklustre structure into a functional and aesthetically pleasing space, serving both citizens and tourists.

The final design has considered light and use of sustainable materials, such as wood and steel, as the main elements for the composition.

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Ground Floor Level

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The project unfolds through three pivotal operations.

First, the construction of a lateral staircase facilitates access to the upper segment of the block.

The second operation involves the erection of the first floor, envisioned as a product of an abstract cut and translation of the slab, resulting in two equivalent spaces: an office and a terrace-garden.

The final operation culminates in the creation of a laminated wood frame to create a new distinguishable cladding for the building.

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Construction deatil

The play of light and shadows generated by the wooden frame gives dynamism to the indoor and outdoor space, creating a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere.

The existing openings of the block marked the rhythm for the wooden frame that embodies the building. The steel beams of the current slab have been recovered to place a new wooden floor structure. The technology chosen for the window opening consists of a sliding wooden panels system.

The ground floor offers accessibility through three entrances - two on the shorter sides and one on the longer one.

At this level, a small garden cavedium, surrounded by glass windows on both internal sides, serves as a tranquil green 34

space accessible from both the kitchen and the conference hall.

A long skylight crafted from glass bricks diffuses soft light into the conference room, creating an inviting atmosphere.

Ascending to the first floor, a short bridge links the office to an outdoor terrace.

Here, a rooftop garden with seating arrangements provides the building with a superb panoramic view of Naples.

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Architecture after Architecture Spatial Practice in the Face of the Climate Emergency

Our Cities Are Clean Right now, we are facing a man-made disaster of global scale.

If action won’t be taken, humans will face the collapse of the civilization as they know it.

Despite the imminent danger, emissions of carbon dioxide continue to rise. As a result, the Earth is now about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s. The last decade (2011-2020) was the warmest on record.

The rhythms and the increasing demand of an ever-growing society are torturing our planet and the effects are tangible in

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our cities. Cities appear to be clean and perfectly organised, but they hide the evident effects of consumerism.

The idea behind this work is to highlight the danger to which humans are exposed, and worse than this, the entire natural ecosystem. The area addressed by this visionary graphic project is the city of Milan, focusing on a specific area going from Piazzale Loreto to Lambro Park.

When walking in Piazzale Loreto, vehicle exhausts tickle your nostrils, and the reason is clear: emissions in the Po Valley, especially related to transports and industries, are the worst in Europe.

Fossil fuel society

Public finance (STATE)

Private finance (BANKS)

ECONOMICAL-FINANCIAL ITALIAN TRIANGLE

Short-term scarcity of raw materials

Government subsidies

Cost-benefit of a green energy transition cannot be applied in the short term

CORRUPTION Economical and political interests meet

Some oil companies are partially state-owned

Masking pollution

E-FUEL COSTS BECOMES COMPETITIVE ONLY IF RISING CARBON-DERIVED ONE

Technological optimism

until you watch close enough

Push non-transformative solutions

All talk, little action

Noise pollution Ground temperature

SOCIETY

POLITICS

Emphasize the downsides

No sticks, just carrots

Appeal to well-being

Risk will never be a concern

Distraction and obstruction

Doomism

BIAS

DISTANCE

Cognitive barriers

Cognitive distorsions

Underestimation of events to avoid guilt

NEGATION IDENTITY INADEQUACY

Free market ideology

Avoid problems whose solution is not immediate

DISSONANCE

WILL

Discharge of responsibility

Change is impossible

Avoid climatic policies for political opposition

Physical distance = distant thought CONDEMNATION

OPTIMISM RELEVANCE

Data seem minimal

Appeal to social justice

Cultural stigma

PERCEPTION

Risk underestimation

Climate change perception based on media and politics

Surrender

Policy perfection

Air temperature Air quality

OUR CITIES ARE CLEAN

Redirect responsibility

Fossil fuel solutionism

EXCESSIVE CONSUMERISM

Increasing demand

TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS MANUFACTURE

CLIMATE DELAY

Whataboutism

GUILT

HEATING

ECONOMY

CAPITALISM

Localised fossil fuel extractions

ENERGY PRODUCTION

Profit above all else

Individualism

"Free rider" excuse

INTENSIVE LAND EXPLOITATION IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

FOSSIL CAPITALISM

GREENWASHING CLIMATE HYPOCRISY

Green energy transition requires huge amount of raw materials and land

International corruption

Lulling people into a false security Distorce the narrative

Uncertainty of long-term availability

Increase of life cost pro capite

Instinctive mechanism of self-defence

Seeking information which confirm assumptions ones believes

POWERLESSNESS

Fossil fuel industry wields blame

Taking action is not a social norm

Deregulation mindset

People are most likely to act on what aligns with their identities

People's mind looks for ways to tell itself that everything is OK

POLARIZATION SPATIAL DISCOUNTING

PROCRASTINATION

PRESENT-BASED SOCIETY

IGNORANCE

Direct Influences Direct interaction between topics Direct consequences Direct branches Branches Explanations

The cost of the e-fuel becomes competitive because they rise those of fossil fuel

Cost-benefit ratio of a greener energy transition pays in the long term

Direct influence on political choices

Economic and financial policies for the green transition

short-term scarcity of raw materials

CORRUPTION REDUCTION

State funding for greener energy transition

Careful use of raw materials

uncertainty of long-term availability

Reduction of fossil fuel market

Solve the damage to the environment

Government subsidies

NEW ECONOMICAL-FINANCIAL ITALIAN TRIANGLE Public finance (State)

Profit re-investment

Support the populations that suffer the damage

COLLABORATION WITH SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

Economic Measures

Green energy adoption

ECONOMY

Governments

ECO-RADICAL ACTIONS

G.A.C.P.

Population Private finance (banks)

Fossil fuels societies

ENVIRONMENTAL FINES Give guide lines for climate change laws

Corruption control and prevention

POLITICS

CLIMATE AWARENESS G.A.C.P.

Low or Zero impact vehicles

SOCIETY Cultural stigma Risk underestimation

Data seem minimal

Increase local mobility

BIAS

PERCEPTION

DISTANCE

Physical distance = distant thought CONDEMNATION

OPTIMISM Cognitive barriers

RELEVANCE

Cognitive distorsions

DISSONANCE NEGATION

Discharge of responsibility

Push transformative solutions

Private vehicles reduction Reduction of disposable items

Risk will never be a concern

Direct responsabilities

Pro-capite energy consumption reduction Social actions that mitigate the damage

Global Agency for Climate Protection

Control political and corporate actions

INTERNATIONAL LAWS

ENERGY DEMAND REDUCTION Buy less stuff

EDUCATION AND REGULATION FOR PRODUCTION & CONSUMPTION

CLIMATE CHANGE PERCEPTION BASED ON MEDIA AND POLITICS

PROFIT CONTROL FROM ENERGETIC SOURCES

PRESENT AND FUTURE BASED SOCIETY

WILL

IDENTITY INADEQUACY

Avoid problems whose solution is not immediate Underestimation of events to avoid guilt Instinctive mechanism of self-defence

Seeking information which confirm assumptions ones believes

POWERLESSNESS

Climate change campaigns

School environmental classes

AWARENESS

EDUCATION

Identify action against "climate delay" People are more likely to act on something if they know it Direct experiences with environmental disasters

CONSCIOUSNESS CLIMATE BREAKDOWN WILL BE VISIBLE TO ALL

Direct Influences Direct interaction between topics Direct consequences Direct branches Branches Explanations

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Every autumn, satellite images remind us how urgent is the problem.

In October 2022, the satellite Copernicus Sentinel-5p has been able to picture the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (No2), in Northern Italy. The nitrogen dioxide is a highly toxic gas produced mainly by vehicle engines, power plants and heating systems.

Because of its particularly unfavourable orography, with the Alps and the Apennines that hinder the surface atmospheric recirculation, and of the

massive industrial activity combined with the dense transport network, the air of Milan and the Po Valley results to be rather beyond the safety limits.

Furthermore, we observed that the system is often avoiding the problem, not only at the municipal scale, but at the general national and global one.

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The clean wall of hypocrisy built around the effective gravity of the situations is the rhetoric adopted by politics and society to whom is a common belief that a city is functional when it is modern enough to grow, produce, spend, expand.

The rhythms and habits of the globalised societies are at the root of the problem.

An urgency to act is required, to change our way of living and thinking.

Today the key about being revolutionary, lies in removing rather than adding, in slowing down rather than speeding up.

It entails cherishing fragility over efficiency.

The challenge at hand is not to proclaim the “year of growth” but to usher in the “year of care.”

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Codex Canturium An interactive catalogue for culture and biodiversity in Cantù Developed for the Europa17 competition, Codex Canturium proposes an interpretation of the current conditions and existing necessities in the city of Cantù, providing a flexible and responsive plan to support its transformations over time.

This approach encompasses both the already planned changes and potential future developments, presenting not a fixed project but rather a dynamic system of signs and instructions capable of ‘programming’ different scenarios for the present and the future, with the objective of making the center of Cantù a vital, accessible and inclusive environment.

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The project addresses the issues of traffic congestion and the depressed socio-economic system by proposing the integration of biodiversity into Cantù’s built environment. This integration is seen as a potential key to tackle various interconnected challenges while simultaneously creating a pleasant, safe, and stimulating system of public spaces.

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The vision of a biodiverse landscape aims to preserve the historical center’s established character while also promoting awareness about the production chains, manufacturing activities, and artisanal craftsmanship associated with the furniture sector, woodworking, and lacemaking, in synergy with the Widespread Museum of Furniture and Laceworks (FuLaWiM). By leveraging this cultural heritage, the goal is to revitalize the area’s social, touristic, and commercial appeal.

The name Codex Canturium encompasses multiple aspects of the project’s concept: firstly, it represents a system of principles that can be assembled differently; secondly, it serves as a set of instructions to ‘program’ the

public space in various ways; thirdly, it symbolizes the ‘genetic code’ of a vital built environment, characterised by the signs and elements that compose its sequence.

The project involves a series of elements from different domains, interconnected and reacting to each other’s presence in diverse combinations, much like biodiverse ecosystems. It seeks to achieve equilibrium among these various parts, finding balance and functioning through multiplicity and diversity.

Codex Canturium’s strategy operates at multiple scales, with a focus on intercepting territorial systems and dynamics and subsequently narrowing them down to the urban and architectural scale.

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Piazza Garibaldi, Cantù 44

Codex Canturium aims to make public space resources accessible to both citizens and tourists through the use of a digital counterpart named the CanTools app. The CanTools app offers services and information to the community while also activating the project’s transformability.

Leveraging existing systems in Cantù, such as the Smart Parking System and the register of trees, the CanTools app integrates existing data with new tools and possibilities.

Users can learn about the various native plants and their significance in Cantù’s manufacturing and artisanal heritage, as well as their ecological importance in promoting biodiversity and supporting the local ecosystem.

Different grid systems organize the design of public spaces, combining natural and man-made elements to create adaptable and transformable ensembles. This approach provides flexibility, enabling public spaces to meet evolving needs within the city center over time.

The first grid organizes the green system, which involves the strategic planting of native plants. Each area of the project is carefully selected to accommodate specific species based on their requirements for healthy growth and their ability to enhance the vitality of the urban environment through seasonal changes of colors, scents, fruit production, and attractiveness to pollinators like birds and bees.

Piazza Marconi and the ex-church of Sant’Ambrogio 45