Catene’s Park by CZStudio Associati
Design: CZstudio associati
Paolo Ceccon Laura Zampieri architetti
Architettura Paesaggio
Location: Marghera / Venice / Italy
Collaborators: R.Palmieri, A.Barro, F.Labelli, N.Pegolo, A.Imperato, G.Sperandio
Client: Municipality of Venice
Collaborating firms: Ecis s.r.l., Marghera
Project: 2004 / 2006
Construction: 2008 / 2010
Cost: 2.000.000,00 € (25 €/m²)
Area: 80.000 m² (volume 1.500 m³)
Photos: CZstudio associati, and I.Consolaro, A.Imperato, E.Petriccioli
Catene’s park, Venezia Marghera / Italy
CZstudio associati Paolo Ceccon Laura Zampieri architetti Architettura Paesaggio
The Catene’s park redefines an agricultural relict, landlocked between the Mestre ring road to the south, a transit route to the north and new Real-Estate developments east and west, remaining inside the town of Marghera, where low density residential areas are predominant.
In 2001 the Municipality of Venice commissioned the park to the office, as a part of an overall renewal of the city of Marghera. This park finally re-defines a nearly eight hectares agricultural spot, situated inside a urban area, while accomplishing all the purposes planned by the District representatives and the territorial Boards and citizens Associations during their several meetings, such as the creation of play grounds, spare time and sport areas, a meadow-area for events, a structure with toilets and facilities as well as a bar. The low budget of the Municipality for the construction and the maintenance of the park determined the simplicity of the methods and materials employed, thus the reuse of the existing drainage system and the conservation of the existing vegetation.
The plan started from an analysis of the state of facts, having the purpose to find out the signs and the relationships that could become the first steps towards the layout; to preserve, as far as possible, the existing water structure, through maintaining the agricultural ditches and plants. Over 250 trees and 4 ha of meadows were planted, having different features: central clearings available as highly frequented areas and wildflowers meadows having a low maintenance cost on the embankments. In the Southern part, the nearly 6000 m2 existing wetlands were kept, being a rare example of an ecotone area in an anthropised environment. The design of the sloping grounds interprets the agricultural know-how of shaping the earth to control the water drainage and re-uses the excavated material coming from the new side-buildings construction to build the hills. The water supply is possible through a rain gathering tank, getting water from the meadows surface drainage. In order to make the circulation possible, several pedestrian and vehicles surfaces were built with fibroreiforced concrete and stabilized earth; other gravelled paths join them, following the pre-existent agricultural canalization layout, being an integral part of the underlying drainage made of micro-perforated pipes. A concrete platform, where two soccer fields and a basketball court were built on a synthetic surface, leads to a panoramic terrace passing through a slightly steep slope, siding the new bowls pitches. From there it is possible to get to the below multipurpose room, with the bar, the facilities and the toilets, made of exposed concrete, which are strongly related to the park structure.
The simplicity of materials and construction of the park, according to the economical needs of the Municipality, determined the robust and flexible nature of this urban facility, that can be implemented over time with new functions, even the unexpected ones. For the same reason, since its opening, it has become a much frequented meeting place used in multiple ways, day and night. The multipurpose structure, in particular, is considered a special place for young people. The park is well connected with the adjacent buildings too and supports also their pressures, like the storm-water collection. The recent assignment of the bar and the sports facilities to a social cooperative will contribute to the reduction of management and maintenance costs and will introduce new activities in the park. Opening 365 days a year it will also reduce security problems.
