Park at Lake Como

Competition, 6th Rank

Our project aims to organise the many existing elements present in the Giardini a Lago, reorganise them in a newer and more clear order for the visitors.

A new path, the "Passeggiata del Parco" (Park walk), redefines the park areas by giving back unity to that part of the gardens that before seemed a cluster of messy elements. In this way, the various functions are linked to each other and so recognised by the users as an integral part of the new and more accessible public space.

The axes that we have highlighted are linking the park not only with the city but also to the territorial context that surrounds it. They are not only points of view that help the visitors to orientate, but they are recognisable thematic areas thanks to the unified design. The path that from the city centre leads towards the villas, that we would like to call "Percorso della conoscenza" (Knowledge route), becomes a founding element of the new organisation of the spaces. We want to offer every kind of user a more suitable area, and at the same time to connect the various areas between them (visually or physically), to increase the generations exchange and therefore also encourage the consciousness to be part of the society.

In the centre of the park is the area dedicated to the children, protected and visually distinct from the rest of the park. It will be surrounded not only by new benches for the escorts but also by the little train circuit that surrounds the protected space. Near the children's area, along Viale Vittorio Veneto, we consider the most suitable area to host one or more skate parks for teenagers. It is less walked across, but still in direct contact with both children and the lawn along the lakeshore, where we imagine the kids will lay for sunbathing. Along the axis of the river Cosia we planned a new shallow water mirror. A kind of linear fountain that allows both children to play and visitors in general to find some refreshment, especially on the hot summer days. In addition to the intimate spaces in the centre of the park, we want to plan large and open areas along the lake shore. Large meadows and tall trees are allowing the view through the water mirror. The Passeggiata del parco - paved with black and white granite gravel - allows the 'flaneur' to make endless laps, to get lost in the walk without interruption while at the same time to keep the entire park under control. The Percorso della conoscenza, that is the connection between the old town and the lakeside villas, is made of porphyry flooring and will attract not only the tourists who are going to visit the historical villas, but will also act as a jogging path along the lake or simply the bicycle connection of a large urbanised area.