REQUALIFICATION OF “PARCO DELLA GHIAIE” AND “ARGONAUTI” BEACH

The competition area presents particularly interesting and contradictory characteristics: we could classify it as an urban beach, because of the context where it situates, but at the same time this place possesses significant landscape values, such as the unique quality of the water. The presence of the Forte Falcone and its service areas that develop up to the plane, determines the choice of future planning actions which have to deal with this important building. At the same time we should underline that this is a historically marginal area of Portoferraio, far away from the Darsena Medicea’s prosperity and from the bustle of the bay of Portoferraio. This is also demonstrated by the overall architectural quality, which is even more impoverished by comparison with the beauty of the local nature.
The project design has been developed on the basis of these premises, producing an approach that aims to the requalification of the landscape and the architecture of the site, with predictable effects on the social aspects. The project is in step with particularly simple actions. The objectives are: the functional reorganization and landscaping of the park, the redevelopment of the beach and the structuring of services to the beach.
The park must have a key role in the redevelopment of the waterfront, with the dual function of park (games, rest, walks) and square by the sea, with structures and services.
The beach has beautiful natural aspects, but is forced by the protective wall, a raw and ruined artifact. The project aims to solve the problem of the depth of the beach, creating a relationship with the park and an improved accessibility to the beach.
The main access to the beach is on Viale Manzoni, a tree-lined formal, semi-pedestrian street, which today doesn’t have a clear functional destination and ends directly on the beach. In this project we intend to consolidate the avenue in his character of a structuring axis, a “Rambla” that leads to the beach and draws the public space with services, bars and restaurants. On this axis find place the park and the beach access, the area for events, bars and the main restaurants. Even the parking lot, redesigned, stands on Manzoni avenue.