Revived Context

Rocco Valentini Architecture revitalises an urban public space while simultaneously aggrandizing the historic fabric in its context.

- Dhwani Shanghvi

The “Urban Renewal of Crecchio Castle” concerned the urban area located at the entrance of the historic centre of Crecchio.   The intervention revives the Ducal Castle and gives back to the town’s community, a public space, by eliminating the parking lots under the walls of the castle, and levelling the street.

The new levelled square, transforms into a more ample, usable and more accessible space for people with disabilities, due to the elimination of the architectural barriers. The area at the entrance of the town has a social function for the execution of events, and becomes a strategic viewpoint for the Ducal Castle and for the natural terrain of the surrounding territory like: Maiella, Gran Sasso and Abruzzo’s hills. The ground under the walls of the castle is lowered to bring to light the nineteenth-century cobblestones. The trench formed puts in evidence the majesty of the low castle walls, which is enhanced by the use of lighting. The entire square is extended towards the entrance of the town, with a new parking area. A secondary parking area, situated on the school square, is connected to the panoramic viewpoint by a stairway made up bricks and travertine.

The project draws the visitor’s attention to the castle from all the different vantage points of the square and beyond. The old connections within the school square and the panoramic viewpoint of the castle were redesigned whit the objective to frame the landscape and to give value to the cultural point of attraction of the town.

The main pathway is realized by inserting a pedestrian ramp, starting from the south side of the school area and culminating on the square, between the containment walls of the old green scarp. The new pedestrian ramp, made of sandstone, is accessible also by disabled people and acts as cornice of the underlying parking lot.