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A bridge is defined as an artifact that provides continuity between one element and another. Poetically, it heals a fracture by filling space. And it is precisely this that led to the project's nascaita: on the night of October 2 to 3, 2020, the fury of the Roja River swept over Ventimiglia, sweeping away the Squarciafichi footbridge, one of the town's most beloved symbols, due to bad weather. Hence, the urgency to "scar" this deep wound, contrasting the disaster of the flood event with the hope of the birth of a new symbol of connection.
Its form stems from the desire to create a path that elevates the viewpoint of the user, reversing the role between the structure and the passerby.
The urban redevelopment proposal therefore includes the search for spatial and conceptual continuity: continuity between banks and footbridge, thought of as a single integrated element capable of securing the city from flooding events and enhancing the river and urban landscape; continuity of the views from the nineteenth-century city toward the historic center and the sea; continuity of the protected ecosystem of the river with the plant elements of the banks and public gardens; continuity of the route of the Ciclovia Tirrenica realized and of the one under construction on the waterfront to connect with the Nervia; continuity of the materials used in the areas already subject to redevelopment.
The main themes followed for the design are: the footbridge; the redevelopment of the left bank with the creation of new pedestrian rest areas and a belvedere terrace overlooking the old town; and the reorganization of the road system with a bicycle route and two bicycle stations.
The left bank is imagined as a large terrace of the nineteenth-century city overlooking the river, from which there is a view of the old town perched on the hill in front, an element of union between the old and new city through the views created.
At the center of the project we find the element of the footbridge. The latter, in the past, had already encountered three different collapses: it was therefore decided to build a structure that, with a single span, would reach the opposite banks, without in any way interfering with the course of the river. A steel footbridge consisting of a single beam with a net span of 125 meters whose section increases as one moves away from the banks. The cross section of the footbridge consists of an enclosed metal caisson with an upper width. The abutments are thought of as monoliths of cast-in-place reinforced concrete.
It's a very interesting, beautiful and functional walkway idea. It will be built in the same location, so [...] there will be continuity between Ventimiglia's commercial center, the marina area, the new port and the historic center.
EXA Engineering srl was founded in La Spezia as an engineering company in 1998 after a common path of its founding partners, Sabatino Tonacci and Paolo Biggeri.
Exa's main value lies in presenting itself as a company capable of solving the problems of a varied clientele thanks to the consolidated experience of the partners as well as the different educational backgrounds and complementary tasks of its internal collaborators.
KK associated architects is an Architecture Atelier founded in 2005.The firm operates nationally and internationally in the fields of architectural, urban and landscape design for public and private clients. KK's philosophy is sartorial: each project tells a story sewn to the individual client.
SIPAL: Since the late 1980s, entry into a large Italian group, the FININC Group, has enabled SIPAL to establish itself in the infrastructure sector as well, becoming the benchmark in engineering design.
