Natural Urban Revival

 

The region consisting of the lake of Molentargius, the abandoned salt pans and the plain of Is Arenas together comprise 1622 hectares of one of the richest wetland biodiverse zones in Europe. For perspective, this is almost 5 times the size of Central Park in New York. In spite of being in a state of neglect, unique flora and fauna have been thriving on this site. 

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The project proposes to resolve the abandoned nature of this artificially created natural ecosystem, where people, flora and fauna can co-exist with the already industrial nature of the site, and make the ecosystem flourish. The proposal is to ‘free the edge’, not only making the site more accessible to the city but also clearing barriers and accessing all the zones inside the site. The sheer size and quality of this lush land offers promises that this proposal captures: to become a ‘green lung’ for the city of Cagliari, an important spot for industrial and natural heritage, as well as one of the biggest homes to migratory birds such as the pink flamingo and others in Sardinia, redefining the character of public space in Cagliari. 

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Restoration and maintenance of the ecosystem’s water network is proposed, to retain the fragile flora and fauna it supports – this includes Bellarosa maggiore, Bellarosa minore, Perdalonga, Stagno di Quartu, Stagno di Stato and Perdabianca. The running of the existing water channels will maintain salinity to ensure that the area conserves its biological diversity, making it an important place of natural heritage. 

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The conversion of the strip of land of Is Arenas and Medau su Cramu (approx. 317 ha) is proposed, which are currently in a state of urban distress, to different agricultural, gardening, recreational and entertainment land uses. Buildings of historical and cultural value shall be retained, along with the housing, only relocating a small percentage of the housing in order to revive the landscape and convert it into a public use facility.

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Walking and biking paths are introduced throughout the site, passing through different zones such as gardens, meadows, canals, ponds and salt pans. A perimeter path of 25km will enclose the the site – the lake, the plain and the salt pans, and will provide connections with the city. Vehicular access is restricted. The entire site now has various opportunities: boat rides along the canal, walks along the lake, wild cherry gardens, lavender gardens, vineyards, meadows, olive plantations, an evergreen forest, sweet chestnut groves, an equestrian riding school, a sheep meadow, an endemic flower garden, cafes, a library, a biking hill, spiaggia di fossile, an amusement park,  and so on. 

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A simple infrastructure is proposed which sits lightly on the ground and facilitates the dynamic activities of the site: a 2km long thin timber pavilion which runs along the length of Bellarosa maggiore. The structure and space are both flexible and adaptable to different needs. In addition to this, 9 birdwatching towers are proposed at specific locations through the site, with the possibility of being set up or dismantled with ease. The thin steel frame structure supports a delicate set of wooden stairs and floors which offer the possibility of climbing up above the canopy of trees and looking out over the site.

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'Our professor Bijoy Jain constantly pushed us to to think beyond our conditioning - to unabashedly challenge the status quo. The studio centered itself around the themes of migration, displacement, affection and co-existence. We worked with what the context of the land and its offerings, while evolving our own distinctive personal methodologies. Our travels, observations and conversations with Bijoy taught me how to see and understand things differently.'

 

www.arc.usi.ch

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Photographs: Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio (Alberto Canepa), Manish Kandakatla, Margherita Lurani

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Master Diploma, Accademia di Architettura, Mendrisio

2019