RAVENNA – STATION MOBILITY HUB

Program: Masterplan composed by 5 functional plots: pedestrian and bicycle bridge; Darsena residential complex; P.le Farini Office building; Vertical parking lot

Budget: 41.46 M

Client: Municipality of Ravenna

Location: Ravenna, Italy

Design: 2020-2021

Team: NAUTA architecture & research, urban and architectural design

ENSER S.r.l.  – structural engineering

Studio TI S.r.l.- MEP

(IT below)

EN

The project goal is the redesign of the public spaces, east and west of Ravenna station, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to circulate smoothly in the area without any obstacle caused by train traffic. From this purpose, the delpoyment of a cycle-pedestrian bridge on top the railway.
The masterplan proposal focuses on the conception of the area as a Transit Oriented Development, to free the city centre from the traditional mobility, offering a spatial and typological flexibility able to adapt to future changes in the field of sustainable mobility. The cycle-pedestrian bridge plays a predominant role in the spatial reorganization of the area, solving the historical problem of the gap between the historic city and Darsena, as well playing a primary role in renovating the image of the city at national and international level.

A_’BELVEDERE’ BYCICLE AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
The final choice is characterized by a simple linear crossing supported by two pillars, with the intention of minimizing the impact on the rail traffic, concentrationg construction operations at the east and west ends of the bridge. The structure is designed as a large beam with a C section, higher in the central structural portion and lighter at its extremities.
The bridge has an external cladding of burnished steel, in armony with the harbor context to which it relates. Iinside its quality of welcoming urban space is increased by the choice of a warm color stone mosaic.

B_MULTI-LEVEL PARKING
The structure is designed as permeable on the ground floor, thanks to the use of a truss structure on the upper floors, in order to leave circulation fluidity on the urban level.
Its structural semplicity and flexibility come from the intention of re-functionalizing it in the future, into a productive and/or office building, as soon as the city center will benefit from actions aimed at reducing the vehicular traffic and consequent need for parking.
Extra goal for the immediate future is the provision of car-sharing, bicycle parking, info point and cash desk, bike sharing, snack bar and kiosk for bicycles repair.

C_RAILWAY BUILDINGS V.LE FARINI
The goal is to achieve the desired volume while maintaining a building height proportionate to the existing context. The result is a building that changes on its four sides. A monolith on the tracks, with a strong institutional character, fragmented into multiple terraces towards the historical city center, in harmony with its scale and offering a panoramic view towards it. The building offers spaces for relax, gym, squash courts, ball room, conference room and shared outdoor terraces; all flexible functions and suitable for a program resilient in time. The program concentrates maximum human activity around the railway hub, in line with the principles of TOD, aiming at removing the use of cars and promoting the design of autonomous multifunctional urban clusters.

D_’EX DOGANA’ BUILDING
The new architectural ensamble is the result of the combination of the existing volume with a newly conceived one. The new linear building and the reused building create an internal void with a trapezoidal shape. The space is occupied by an elevated square to allow the ground floor use for parking reserved to the new residences. Stairways reconnect the square to the urban level both to the east and to the west, making it part of the system of public spaces gravitating around the Darsena. The linear building is occupied by mixed functions with the aim of activating the urban context: on the ground floor a row of small commercial spaces and the lobby of a boutique hotel that occupies the two upper floors. The third floor of the linear building hosts a wellness-spa-gym with access to a roof garden with a panoramic lounge.
The center can be operated by unique or multiple operators, offering flexibility to the project leasing plan. At the level of the square, the linear building hosts a restaurant/bar, which can also be operated independently from the hotel. The square can host the terrace of the restaurant/bar. The cubic volume that crowns the complex includes apartments and penthouses, with surfaces between 50 sqm up to 140sqm.

IT

Obiettivo generale della proposta di progetto è il ridisegno degli spazi pubblici ad est ed ovest della stazione, che permetta soprattutto a pedoni e ciclisti di circolare fluidamente nell’area senza ostacoli dipendenti dall’operatività del traffico ferroviario. Da ciò, la previsione di un superamento ciclo-pedonale della ferrovia, in forma di “ponte” sui binari.
La proposta di masterplan si concentra sulla concezione dell’ area come Transit Oriented Development, atto a liberare col tempo il centro città dalla mobilità tradizionale ed offrire una flessibilità spaziale e tipologica capace di adattarsi ai futuri cambiamenti in campo di mobilità sostenibile. È inoltre chiaro che il ruolo predominante nel piano di riorganizzazione urbana venga assolto dall’attraversamento ciclo-pedonale che non solo provvederà a risolvere lo storico problema della cesura tra città storica e Darsena, ma che avrà anche un ruolo fondamentale per l’immagine innovativa a cui la città contemporanea ambisce a scala nazionale ed internazionale.

A_’BELVEDERE’ BYCICLE AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
La scelta finale ricade su un semplice attraversamento lineare poggiato su due piloni, derivante dall’intenzione di ridurre al minimo la logistica a carico dell’operatività del traffico ferroviario, concentrando il cantiere alle estremità est ed ovest del ponte stesso. La struttura si configura come una grande trave dalla sezione a C, alleggerita alle estremità successive al superamento della luce centrale.
Il ponte presenta un rivestimento esterno in acciaio brunito, adatto all’ ambito portuale a cui si interfaccia, mentre al suo interno la sua qualità di spazio urbano accogliente viene incrementata dalla scelta di un rivestimento lapideo.

B_MULTI-LEVEL PARKING
La struttura si configura come permeabile al piano terra, grazie all’ uso di una struttura reticolare nei piani superiori, in modo da lasciare fluidità di circolazione al piano urbano. La scelta della semplicità strutturale e della flessibilità in pianta deriva dall’ intenzione di rifunzionalizzare il manufatto in edificio produttivo e/o per uffici, non appena il centro città beneficerà di azioni atte a ridurre se non azzerare i flussi veicolari e quindi la necessità di parcheggi. Questo intervento è pensato anche per l’immediato futuro, con la possibilità di prevedere car-sharing, parcheggio per biciclette, info point e cassa, bike sharing, snack bar e chiosco per la riparazione delle biciclette.

C_RAILWAY BUILDINGS V.LE FARINI
L’ obiettivo è di raggiungere la volumetria desiderata mantenendo un’altezza proporzionata al contesto esistente. Ne risulta un edificio cangiante sui quattro lati. Un monolite sui binari, di spiccato carattere istituzionale, che si frammenta in molteplici terrazzamenti verso la città storica, dialogando con la sua scala ed offrendo un ulteriore punto panoramico su di essa. L’edificio offre spazi per il relax, palestra, campi da squash, calcio balilla, ball room, conference room e terrazze collettive all’aperto; tutte funzioni flessibili e adatte ad un programma resiliente nel tempo che concentri la massima attività umana intorno all’ hub ferroviario, coerentemente con i principi di TOD atti ad annullare l’uso dell’automobile e promuovere la progettazione di cluster urbani multifunzionali autonomi.

D_’EX DOGANA’ BUILDING
Il nuovo ensamble architettonico deriva dalla combinazione del volume esistente con uno di nuova concezione. La nuova stecca e l’edificio recuperato formano un vuoto interno di forma trapezoidale.
Lo spazio viene occupato da una piazza in quota per fare spazio al piano terra ad un parcheggio riservato alle nuove residenze. Delle scalinate riconnettono la piazzetta al livello urbano sia a est che a ovest, rendendola parte integrante del sistema di spazi pubblici gravitanti intorno alla Darsena. La stecca viene occupata da funzioni miste con lo scopo di attivare il contesto urbano locale: al piano terra una fila di piccoli spazi commerciali e la hall di un boutique hotel che si sviluppa per i successivi due piani superiori. Il terzo piano della stecca ospita un centro benessere-spa-palestra, con accesso a un tetto giardino con lounge panoramica. Il centro potrà essere operato dallo stesso gestore dell’hotel o da un ulteriore locatore, offrendo flessibilità al leasing plan di progetto. Al livello della piazza in quota, la stecca ospita un ristorante/bar, anch’esso operabile in modo indipendente dall’hotel. La piazza può ospitare la terrazza del ristorante/bar. Il volume cubico che corona il complesso ospita appartamenti e 2 penthouses.

BRUGES – KAAIDISTRICT

ENGLISH

The position of the Kaaidistrict within the urban structure of Bruges presents special value from every aspect. Located along the intersection of the main east-west and north-south infrastructures of the city, the area occupies the centre of the spatial structure that includes Bruges till the Zeebrugge port development, making it the exact centre between the historical egg-shaped Unesco protected area and the harbour. This location is as well touched by the waterline that from east to west follows the Sint-Pieterskaai, presenting the high potential for waterfront redevelopment.

Weaknesses and Threats

The proximity of the Unesco area might become a threat for the possible redevelopment of the area into a contemporary icon of urban regeneration, because of the very restrictive rules on historical preservation and respect of the existing building typologies. The area could play an important role for the city in the gradual transition towards sustainable energies and infrastructure, acting beyond its local potential as an engine for the whole green and blue performance of the city. The social inclusion of local stakeholders and the open communication at all times can facilitate fast realization projects, bottom-up actions and the constitution of cooperatives that can bridge the gap between project and realization.

The block currently considered most valuable for residential densification and higher construction is the Janssens site, which will soon become available for development. The site received a negative assessment from the Unesco commission even if situated in a valuable position, adjacent to the canal, the site presents as well as contrasting elements. It is, in fact, more proximate than others to the Unesco buffer area, as well as the closest to the most unfriendly infrastructure of the whole district: the Sint Pieterskaade fly-over.

Traffic interventions need special attention due to the proximity of the site to the main axis east-west and the central ring. The proposal of turning the area in a multifunctional development brings considerations about the possible future increase of incoming car traffic, making necessary to combine its optimization and access to improved public transport, pedestrian, and bicycle routes.

As opposed to the tradition of reserving parking areas to each autonomous commercial, residential or office building, we propose to plan shared parking garages, retrofitting some of the existing commercial sheds, yet keeping them flexible for alternative long term uses as the future would bring an additional reduction of needed parking, due to a hopefully improved low carbon mobility.

THE PARTICIPATION PROCESS

The way in which government and society see each other is changing rapidly. The terms ‘government participation’, ‘doing democracy’, and ‘participation society’ refer to this development in different terms. Central to these developments, however, is that society will have to deal mostly with itself and the government will have to set loose more. This requires a fundamentally different attitude from all parties involved. Increasingly we see that the government is embracing citizens’ initiative and organic ‘bottom-up’ developments and linking them to its own processes. This development poses a challenge for society and the government because the roles vary and ultimately, they need each other. It influences the interaction between government, citizens, and social partners. The challenge is to find the right balance of participation in this playing field. For participation to be a success, it is therefore important that all parties involved actively participate. Our team has built up the necessary experience to successfully design participation processes. In general, we use the same system, but we ensure that a suitable solution is sought for every situation with customization. After all, participation is tailor-made, there is no blueprint. Therefore, we want to consider in consultation with the city of Bruges the preconditions within which participation is possible. An invitation is only useful if there is also room to exert influence. Our experience is that complex spatial developments often offer less room to influence the process and the outcome. If that space is not available, participation is not done thus avoiding disappointment and frustration. In this case, informing the data subjects will suffice. We do see room for broader participation for parts of the process and we propose to organize participatory workshops on the following themes. These themes then give us input to come up with scenarios with which we can determine the macro and micro strategies for the area. Interactive workshops play an important role in our approach. In view of the current restrictions surrounding COVID-19, we also see an important role for (online) surveys in this process. We want to make use of students from the University of Leuven for both variants. In summary, participation for team Nauta is no different than making agreements with each other about how we work together or may participate in a particular topic. Team Nauta believes that when a participation process is begun, two preconditions must be met:
• There is a clear framework in advance in which participation is demarcated. The participation rate is determined in advance in consultation with the client.
•  With active participation, participants can actually make a contribution.

NEDERALNDS

De plek van het Kaaidistrict binnen de stedelijke structuur van Brugge biedt een specifieke waarde vanuit menig aspect. Gelegen op de kruising van de belangrijkste oost-west en noord-zuid netwerken van nfrastruc-tuur, neemt het gebied een centrale plek in de ruimtelijke structuur op grotere schaal, die loopt van het historische, eivormige beschermde Unesco gebied tot en met de haven van Zeebrugge. Het gebied ligt aan het water, dat van oost naar west de Sint-Pieterskaai volgt en hiermee een grote kans biedt voor de herontwikkeling van een waterfront.

Zwakke punten en gevaren

De nabijheid van het Unesco gebied kan zowel een potentiële kans, als ook een bedreiging vormen voor de herontwikkeling van het Kaaidistrict tot een hedendaags icoon voor stede- lijke transformatie, in verband met de strikte regelgeving die met de werelderfgoed status en de historische gebou-wtypologieën samenhangt. Het belangrijkste is de rol die het Kaaidistrict zou kunnen spe-len in de geleidelijke transitie naar het gebruik van duurzame energie en infrastructuur, waarbij het een bovenwijkse bijdrage zou kunnen leveren aan de groen-blauwe ambitie voor heel Brugge. Het betrekken van lokale belanghebbenden in een inclusief en open participatie proces, ondersteunt een snellere realisatie, acties van on-derop en het vormen van samenwerkingsvormen die het gat tussen project en uitvoering kun-nen overbruggen.

Het blok dat momenteel het meest waardevol wordt geacht voor verdichting van de woonfunctie en hoog-bouw is de Janssens-locatie. Het ligt binnen het Kaaidistrict het dichts bij het Unesco-buffergebied, maar ook het dichtst bij de meest onvriendelijke infrastructuur van de hele wijk: het viaduct Sint Pieterskade. We begrijpen het belang van het benutten van het potentieel van het Kaaidistrict voor hogere gebouwen, omdat het precies tussen de twee belangrijkste landmarks van de stad ligt: het histo-rische centrum en de kust bij Zeebrugge.

Verkeersinterventies verdienen speciale aandacht vanwege de nabijheid van het gebied tot de oost-west hoofdas en de centrale ring. Het voorstel om in het gebied een multifunctionele ontwikkeling mogelijk te maken, zal leiden tot een mogelijke toekomstige toename van inkomend autoverkeer, waardoor optimalisatie van en toegang tot verbeterd openbaar vervoer noodzakelijk zal zijn, evenals verbeterde voetgangers- en fietsroutes.

In tegenstelling tot de traditie om parkeerplaatsen te reserveren voor elk autonoom bedrijfs-, woon- of kantoorge-bouw, stellen wij voor om gedeelde parkeergarages te plannen, door enkele bestaande commerciële loodsen hier-voor in te richten en deze flexibel te houden, voor alternatief langdurig gebruik, aangezien de toekomst een extra vermindering van het aantal benodigde parkeerplaatsen met zich mee zal brengen in verband met een steeds CO2 neutralere mobiliteit.

HET PARTICIPATIEPROCES

De manier waarop overheid en samenleving elkaar zien verandert snel. De termen over-heidsparticipatie, doe-democratie en participatiesamenleving refereren met verschillende bewoordingen aan deze ontwikkeling. Centraal bij deze ontwikkelingen staat echter dat de samenleving meer zelf zal moeten oppakken en de overheid meer zal moeten loslaten. Dat vraagt om een fundamenteel andere houding van alle betrokken partijen. We zien steeds vaker dat de overheid burgerinitiatief en organische ‘bottom-up’ ontwikkelingen omarmt en koppelt aan haar eigen processen. Deze ontwikkeling vormt een uitdaging voor samen-leving en overheid, omdat de rolinvulling varieert en ze elkaar uiteindelijk nodig hebben. Het beïnvloedt het samenspel tussen overheid, burgers en maatschappelijke partners. Het is de uitdaging om in dit speelveld de juiste balans van participatie te vinden. Participatie betekent actieve deelname. Om participatie een succes te laten zijn is het dan ook belangrijk dat alle betrokken partijen actief deelnemen. Zoals uit de praktijk blijkt, is dit eenvoudiger gezegd dan gedaan. Hierbij is het van belang om goed na te denken over de start van het traject en of de juiste vraag aan het juiste publiek gesteld gaat worden. Ons team heeft de nodige ervaring opgebouwd om participatietrajecten op een succesvolle wijze vorm te geven. Wij hanteren hierbij op hoofdlijnen dezelfde systematiek, maar zorgen met maatwerk dat voor elke situatie een passende oplossing wordt gezocht. Participatie is immers maatwerk. Voor participatie bestaat geen blauwdruk. Wij willen daarom in goed overleg met de stad Brugge nadenken binnen welke randvoorwaarden participatie mogelijk is. Een uitnodiging tot participatie is alleen zinvol als er ook ruimte is om invloed uit te oefenen. Onze ervar-ing is dat complexe ruimtelijke ontwikkelingen vaak minder ruimte bieden om daadwerkelijk invloed uit te oefenen op het proces en de uitkomst. Is die ruimte er niet, laat participatie dan achterwege en voorkom daarmee teleurstelling en frustratie. In dit geval zal informeren van de betrokkenen voldoende zijn. Gezien het in de aanvraag geschetste verhaal zien wij voor delen van het proces wel ruimte voor bredere participatie en stellen wij voor op de volgende thema’s participatieve workshops te organiseren. Deze thema’s geven ons vervolgens input om te komen tot scenario’s waarmee we de macro en micro strategieën voor het gebied kun-nen bepalen. Interactieve workshops spelen in onze aanpak een belangrijke rol. Gezien de huidige restricties rond COVID-19 zien wij in dit proces ook een belangrijke rol weggelegd voor (online) enquêtes. Wij willen bij beide varianten gebruik maken van studenten van de Universiteit Leuven.Samengevat is participatie voor team Nauta niet anders dan dat we met elkaar afspraken maken over hoe we samenwerken of mogen meedoen met een bepaald onderwerp. Team Nauta vindt dat wanneer een participatietraject gestart word aan twee randvoorwaarden voldaan moet worden:
• Er is vooraf een helder kader waarin participatie wordt afgebakend. De partici-patiegraad wordt vooraf in afstemming met de opdrachtgever bepaald.
• Bij actieve participatie kunnen participanten ook daadwerkelijk een bijdrage leveren

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