Rivarolo Canavese 2018 – design of a new square

A square is by definition a public space to support urban life, bordered by a built perimeter and with its own aesthetic expression. Observed from a morphological point of view, the new square for Rivarolo is a continuous public space conceived in three episodes, like a triptych.

Following the main perspective views and the solar exposure of the place, the trees are placed so as to define three spaces, open or enclosed. Three large objects, each with its own form and plasticity, colonize these spaces, making their use recognizable. These sculptural elements support the public life of the new piazza, defining: a meeting space, an amphitheater space, a soft space for play. A shared ground gives order and dignity to the place through its material and colors. The new square extends to the edge of the convent of San Francesco, integrating it into an accomplished urban design.

The project establishes a link with the territory, re-interpreting the traditional cladding materials in a contemporary key. Bricks, roof tiles, clay claddings are predominant materials and colors of the context. The continuous flooring, in monochromatic casting, is adorned with “special inerts” made of ceramic tiles. The color of the clay reaffirms the bond with the ground while the glossy finish of the tiles reflects the light and creates a contrast with the predominant opaque material.

Client: Comune di Rivarolo Canavese
Team: Alberto Bottero, Simona Della Rocca, Elena Zanet
Landscape design: Diego Baronchelli
Site: Torino, Italy
Year: 2018 – competition Finalist