The proposal for the requalification of Piazza Matteotti’s public gardens offered an opportunity to redesign a historical place from the early 1900s, which the stratification of subsequent interventions had distorted, and to restore a new identity to the gateway to Castiglion Fiorentino’s historic center (Arezzo -Tuscany), providing 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, which, with the new planimetric design, is back to being the protagonist. The perimeter “solids” represented 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 unified and careful selection of materials, balance 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 adapting these elements to contemporary usage needs.
Piazza Matteotti Public Gardens
Location : Castiglion Fiorentino (AR) Tuscany, Italy
Landscape Architect: Pool landscape
Restoration: Arch. Ilaria Forti
Text: Pool Landscape
Photos: Alessandra Bello, Drone photos: Marco Frappi
