“Tactical Urbanism Now!” – Terraviva concorso internazionale
The center of the city of Varese is characterized by the presence of 3 theaters which have always been considered points of reference.
The project involves the networking of the open spaces corresponding to each Theater, thus creating a lively and liveable neighborhood, with a particular inclination towards the arts. The aim is to create a lively and liveable neighbourhood that engages citizens to fully experience the spaces of the city and with a special flair for the arts and connection to nature, both for people and for the small fauna in the city.
The path is defined by a “carpet”, distinguished by a pavement that acts as a unifying element. The path leads to “islands” of different color that highlight the urban space in an innovative way and go through streets, squares and specific points of the city, connecting them and making sure that pedestrians see differently the areas they frequent daily. Spatial continuity is also managed thanks to the inclusion of trees, flower boxes and furnishings that use a circular element, modulating it at different scales and sizes according to different functions. Each “island” is defined by the vocation of the place but also by the space that is created thanks to the new interventions and related functions connected to it: play, art, music, performance, street food, conviviality. The functions are distributed along the paths, the arcades and on the squares: Cinema Impero Square, Varese Theater Square and Politeama Theater Square, places designed to be flexible and accommodate different activities. The project is dominated by a strong element of social, generational and physical inclusiveness and by a profound predisposition to the increase of natural elements in the city, which bring great benefits to people and contribute to the increase of biodiversity.