Bonding Natures

Bonding Natures 

From the Fiumara to the Coastline

From the Fiumara to the Coastline

2019 | Politecnico di Milano
MArch | Final Design Studio
Instructor:  Marialessandra Secchi
Design Team:  Houman Riazi  |  Yassin Nooradini  |  Natalia Saltan  |  Michele Mazzoleni 

2018 | Politecnico di Milano
Master Degree | Urban Design Studio
Tutor:  Stefano Boeri 
Design Team:  Houman Riazi | Mathilde Lamothe | Marta Begnini | Miriam Colombo | Sara Rossi | Esteban Castello

2019 | Politecnico di Milano
MArch | Final Design Studio
Tutor:  Marialessandra Secchi
Design Team:  Houman Riazi | Yassin Nooradini  |  Natalia Saltan  |  Michele Mazzoleni 

Bonding Natures is an overview of two natural edges of Scicli city, Fiumara and Coastline, as the two key environmental elements that overlap with the urban infrastructures. The railway along Fiumara and a fast transit road are paralleled with the coastline edge; moreover, the sprawling greenhouse is replacing the typical agriculture and gardening system. Consequently, this configuration caused many conflicts inside the territory.

— Regional Development of Ragusa, Scicli since 1988. © Edited Google Earth Photos

Territorial Terrain & Toporgraphy

Territorial Terrain & Toporgraphy

Flow of Local Farmers, Workers, and Tourists

Flow of Local Farmers, Workers, and Tourists

In the same way, natural elements (Fiumara and coastline) are reactivated through various types of urban connections to sustain the destructive interventions with the site's nature. The importance of environmental aspects focuses on growing interventions in the area. Nature stretches along two paths, allowing for places to rest, observe, think, meet, and interact. It gives an important lively vibe to the local path, which will be beneficial for the local markets inside the greenhouses.

Because of the characteristic of the side the mosque needs to be put inside the old warehouse of the existing train station. Accordingly,  the mosque can be seen as an object, put it better, as a machine (mosque), inside another machine (Stazione Centrale).

In the same way, natural elements (Fiumara and coastline) are reactivated through various types of urban connections to sustain the destructive interventions with the site's nature. The importance of environmental aspects focuses on growing interventions in the area. Nature stretches along two paths, allowing for places to rest, observe, think, meet, and interact. It gives an important lively vibe to the local path, which will be beneficial for the local markets inside the greenhouses.

BD – main scheme

Fiumara

BN – Cover – Fiumara Section

With Fiumara as the starting edge of Scicli, the main strategy activation was set in an urban context. The abandoned fields between the railway and Fiumara have been reorganized as a green island, an urban park to serve Scicli. 

In this frame, the role of the mosque is considered as an urban artifact in dialogue with the city through the edges of Stazione Centrale. Due to this fact, the public space in front of the main entrance is activated by using a monumental shape as the Mihrab in the prayer room, which simultaneously can be a sign for identifying the mosque in the scale of the surrounding neighborhood and a replacement for the Minaret, as a strong billboard in the urban scene. 

 

With Fiumara as the starting edge of Scicli, the main strategy activation was set in an urban context. The abandoned fields between the railway and Fiumara have been reorganized as a green island, an urban park to serve Scicli. 

What Does Fiumara Look Like?

BN – Existing Condition – Photos
BN – Existing Condition – Drawing

1. Olive Grooves,
Agriculture Fields

2. Canes, Bushes,
Agricultural Fields

3. Fiumara
and
Topography

4. Fiumara
and
the City

5. City
and
Agricultural Fields

In this way, a system of new connections among existing Masseria (the prevalent form of farmhouse) is improved. It is crossing through a high level of biodiversity and morphological variation, making a rich condition for bike and pedestrian paths. Following the passage, a green corridor is surrounded by canopy trees, and the valley with the diversity of greenery comes next, where its topography changes drastically.

In this frame, the role of the mosque is considered as an urban artifact in dialogue with the city through the edges of Stazione Centrale. Due to this fact, the public space in front of the main entrance is activated by using a monumental shape as the Mihrab in the prayer room, which simultaneously can be a sign for identifying the mosque in the scale of the surrounding neighborhood and a replacement for the Minaret, as a strong billboard in the urban scene. 

 

In this way, a system of new connections among existing Masseria (the prevalent form of farmhouse) is improved. It is crossing through a high level of biodiversity and morphological variation, making a rich condition for bike and pedestrian paths. Following the passage, a green corridor is surrounded by canopy trees, and the valley with the diversity of greenery comes next, where its topography changes drastically.

Coastline

BN – Cover – Coastline Section

The Coastline, as the touristic destination, naturally absorbs local people, while the extension of green houses and infrastructures causes degradation in the area. Provincial Road 64 – connects Donnalucata and Cava d’Aliga – as a paralleled element with the coastline is affecting the secondary roads and greenhouses, as a project, they were designed with a sort of shading path, a zero-kilometer restaurant, and local markets.

In this frame, the role of the mosque is considered as an urban artifact in dialogue with the city through the edges of Stazione Centrale. Due to this fact, the public space in front of the main entrance is activated by using a monumental shape as the Mihrab in the prayer room, which simultaneously can be a sign for identifying the mosque in the scale of the surrounding neighborhood and a replacement for the Minaret, as a strong billboard in the urban scene. 

 

The Coastline, as the touristic destination, naturally absorbs local people, while the extension of green houses and infrastructures causes degradation in the area. Provincial Road 64 – connects Donnalucata and Cava d’Aliga – as a paralleled element with the coastline is affecting the secondary roads and greenhouses, as a project, they were designed with a sort of shading path, a zero-kilometer restaurant, and local markets.

What Does Coastline Look Like?

BN – Existing Condition 2 – Photos
BN – Existing Condition 2 – Drawing

1. Private Houses


2. Parking Lots

3. Beach
Infrastructure

4. Facing
the Beach

5. Greenhouses
and Fields
Facing the Beach

Research Booklet

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