The project establishes a symbiotic relationship between the community and the natural environment in and around the city of Reggio Nell’Emilia. What was once the edge of the city now has the opportunity to become a new city center. This is done by creating a link between the old town and the landscape. The key objective here, is to reduce the traffi c congestion and enhance the quality of life by shortening commute times and providing alternative method of living in harmony with the landscape. This strategy offers a proactive response to the dynamics created by the new interregional rail connection, with particular sensitivity to the rich fabric of the already existing city. This approach pays respect to the beauty of the Plain, and does no not exploit it.

The residential community is organized in several clusters, grouped with shared public green areas. Children and adults will meet, interact and play in the community gardens, orchards, and playgrounds; travelling between the public areas with bicycles and along walkways. The three to fi ve story residential housing provides different size units allowing for social, economic, and ethnic diversity. The proposal inserts public spaces which host a variety of functions during different hours of the day, in all seasons of the year and refl ects the diversity of the Pianura. This activation of public space is fundamental to the success and dynamic of the site. For it stitches the landscape and the city together by connecting them with the public.
The sequences of open spaces in the residential areas are created to allow the agricultural landscape to remain on the site and connect the residents to it. The green spaces are now considered as both productive and recreational areas where the community comes together. The orchard or “orti” provides fresh vegetables and fruit creating a colorful and perfumed environment throughout the seasons. The Bosque along the Rodano canal, is to be planted with native plants that will provide the perfect pathway to connect the water with the agricultural landscape north of the site.

The whole complex is made of unique elements, generated by the nuances of density that dissolve toward the Pianura Padana.