Stepping Stones of Polcevera, seeks to address these issues through a bold vision of ecological restoration and urban regeneration. By focusing on four strategic areas along the stream, the proposal aims to create “stepping stones” that serve as havens for wildlife while revitalizing neglected parts of the city. These spaces will offer food, shelter, and safe passage for animals, enabling them to thrive. At the same time, they will reconnect the stream to the urban fabric, inviting people back into these forgotten areas with new opportunities for engagement, recreation, and connection to nature.
“Veniamo a Genova, che dici di non aver mai visto. Vedrai una città regale, addossata ad una collina alpestre, superba per uomini e per mura, il cui solo aspetto la indica signora del mare.”
This evocative quote from Petrarch’s Le Familiari captures the essence of Genoa—an illustrious city nestled between the Alps and the Mediterranean. Its streets, walls, and buildings echo the grandeur of the ancient Maritime Republic, once the capital of Liguria. Genoa’s history is as vibrant as its natural landscape, where streams, or torrenti, carve their way through the city. These waterways, such as the Bisagno, Polcevera, and Fereggiano, are integral to Genoa’s identity, shaping its geography and culture.
However, these streams have transformed over time. Once celebrated for their beauty and ecological significance, they are now often associated with floods, landslides, and pollution—consequences of urbanization and neglect. Among them, the Polcevera stands out, both as a symbol of these challenges and as a site of immense potential.
The Polcevera stream bisects Genoa into two nearly equal halves, forming a vital spine through the city. Historically characterized by a broad natural bed, the stream has been confined by concrete embankments as urbanization encroached upon its banks. Today, it winds through a dense matrix of industrial zones, transport networks, and urban sprawl, bearing the weight of human activity. The area faces a host of environmental threats, including flooding, landslides, contamination from industrial facilities, and habitat degradation.
Despite these challenges, the Polcevera valley holds untapped promise. This corridor is home to diverse plant and animal life, serving as a migratory route for birds traveling between Africa and Europe and a potential refuge for small mammals, amphibians, and aquatic species. Yet, these creatures often find little sanctuary amid the urbanized landscape.
Through thoughtful design and targeted interventions, this work envisions a Polcevera that is not only a lifeline for biodiversity but also a renewed asset for the city of Genoa.
Stepping Stones of Polcevera
Students: Kamila Nasretdinova & Maria Alami
Supervisors: Chiara Geroldi & Federico Zanfi
University: Politecnico di Milano
