Geraci 2.0 Competition, 1st prize
Reactivate the old town
The center of Geraci, between the Castle and the Piazza del Popolo, called ‘A mmuntata’, is an area affected by a slow but progressive phenomenon of ‘abandonment’ by residents, mainly due to access difficulties.
In fact the area is actually not very used by residents since placed marginally in relation to major community gathering places and without adequate urban functions.
The idea of the project, in line with the proposal of the call, is to reactivate the area of the historical center, starting from the axis road that crosses all the historical town in the upstream part of the Piazza del Popolo, connecting the same to Castle (via Maggiore – via the Arabs – via San Giacomo)
This axis is potentially interesting for commercial activities related to tourism and craft activities, could be the cornerstone around which to reactivate the ancient center of Geraci.
pedestrian infrastructure
The main topic of focus to restore life to the top part of
Geraci Siculo is accessibility, so we chose not only to design a lift system as required by the call, but also to think of a pedestrian road network that brings together the proposed lift system with the existing ones, with aims to create a network of paths that have the double purpose of improving accessibility to the old center, but also enable the scenic and nature trails that can attract a greater flow of tourists.
new polarity
The area of the castle, the main axis point of arrival, is rethought as a new polarity through a series of proposed new uses, but also through easier access to the archaeological area. The downstream area of the castle is transformed into a new centrality, a “square” where is located an indoor space and the one dedicated to shows and performances, along with the new entrance to the archaeological area.
Project: Pietro Airoldi, Vito Priolo, Michele Puccia