DANU engineers could bring a new era to Mazzarino, a small Sicilian town of 11 000 inhabitants currently struggling with an ageing population. Our winning design proposal would bring youth, vibrancy and exciting new features to the historic centre of this 800-year-old town, rich in Baroque architectural heritage.
The proposed reconstruction process will recompose and connect the spaces of the historic city centre in three steps, make transport safer and more pedestrian-friendly, and propose real estate and climate adaptation improvements that will enhance the economic and social sustainability of the city.
Learning about and mapping Mazzarino, which is almost a thousand years old, was a major challenge, using satellite maps and image archives, social media sites and interviews with local stakeholders, as well as a variety of online sources.
Thanks to thorough background work, we have produced a forward-thinking proposal that not only restores the baroque squares and landmarks, but also creates a more open network of spaces with new public functions, while at the same time creating smart street lighting and operationally focused, enhanced green spaces in line with 21st century requirements. Increased pedestrian surfaces, public spaces, reorganised parking and reduced vehicle traffic will contribute to safer transport, with a new car park at the entrance to the city centre and e-bike rental facilities. As part of the tourism development, a development and training centre will be created in Mazzarino, while programmes to make use of vacant premises will also help retain young people.
In many cases, our application approached the objectives of the call in a novel way, including the use of software tools for urban development, which met the expectations of the jury. Such solutions included the creation of a new urban gateway by squeezing back yards, the idea of a multi-level car park and a square wall as the gateway to Mazzarino, and the reprogramming of an old building by relocating a supermarket. The piazza has been developed as a shaded community space, with a bespoke rainwater and irrigation water management system to care for local plants.
Anna Dörögdy, Bálint Kádár, Tamás Kertes, Laura Kovács, Katalin Papp L., Boglárka Pető, Szilvia Pleskó, Júlia Pokol, László Rátgéber, Csaba Spengler and Balázs Szigetvári participated in the competition, which was led by Samu Szemerey and Barbara Bozsik.
