Antonio Ciampà

Thesis in Architectural Design

Urban Renewal of the Abandoned Areas of the Industrial Port of Crotone

Thesis by Antonio Ciampà
Contact Email: aciampa15@gmail.com
Faculty of Architecture of the University of Parma
Speaker: Prof. Paolo Ventura
Academic Year 2014 - 2015

The thesis deals with the study of the commercial port area of the city of Crotone, capital of the province of the same name. This area was born in 1950 until the early 90s and was mainly exploited by the nearby industrial area. The characteristics of the Crotone industry by their nature concerned the basic chemical sector. The decommissioning of the chemical hub and the consequent serious employment crisis led to the closure of the industrial area in 1994, with heavy repercussions on the commercial port. The Port of Crotone has a geopolitical and geo-economic function that cannot be exhausted within the geographical boundaries of the area of which Crotone is the natural capital. In recent years, several initiatives have been implemented, including the arrival of cruise ships, which ended immediately and badly given the too low seabed. Therefore, it is currently a very important area of the city but little and poorly used.

The first phase of knowledge is structured through the following urban analyses:

Provincial territorial framework and subsequent in-depth analysis of the municipality of Crotone.
Analysis of the morphology of the municipality of Crotone.
Study of urban planning tools.
The local production system.
Analysis of the settlement.
Analysis of the tourism system.
Urban evolution.
Analysis and critical reading of the project participating in the competition for the new master plan of the Municipality of Crotone.

Thanks to the elaboration of the analysis mentioned above, I have come to have a complete level of knowledge of the territory under study, which has allowed me to make critical readings on the interventions proposed previously. The design reflection has led me to consider Crotone and its port area as a possible "new urban hub" and center of development and economic recovery not only for the Municipality of Crotone but for the entire province, characterized by the constant search for economic growth that has never existed.
The second phase concerned the planning aspect, that is, the study of the regeneration of the commercial port.
The initial study started from the reading of the 2003 PRG which has the objective of giving the municipality new areas to be used for greenery and residential buildings. My proposal includes the enhancement of the entire commercial port area, by dividing the area into two different sectors:

Section 1: The residential area and the commercial area
The development of the residential area takes place on the entire industrial pier with a very large surface that allowed me to build sixteen towers with different heights, well-known buildings suitable for my case study were built. They are connected to each other by large glass corridors. Inside this area, swimming pools with different shapes are built, internal paths and large green spaces and reliefs. Underground near the swimming pool, I also built underground parking for the residents of the towers.
The commercial area was developed on the central dock of the port, this area was designed as a meeting point for the entire population of the province of Crotone, characterized by a large commercial area designed with various types of commercial activities, shops, restaurants. With four buildings in line with a height of six meters. There is also a building built as a commercial parking lot with a basement and a ground floor, designed with a hanging garden on the roof. The area is characterized by internal paths and a green square.

Section 2: Urban park
In this area I have preserved the original intended use of the land, that is, green. This area is currently in a state of complete abandonment, closed to the main road and isolated from the surrounding territory and port area. Starting from these shortcomings, the idea of designing an urban park was born, such as to revitalize and give a green belt to the entire port area and the city. I have developed different paths within the park that open it to the entire city. Inside, species of trees and plants characteristic of the Mediterranean greenery have been chosen.
Through the development of the thesis work, I wanted to demonstrate the potential and possibilities of economic, social, cultural growth, environmental and landscape enhancement of the area under study and of the entire city, in this regeneration process.