Regeneration of the Lecce Marina Coastal Park

Description

The project proposes a strategy for the landscape and architectural regeneration of the Torre Rinalda, Spiaggiabella and Torre Chianca marinas, interpreting the coastline as an ecological infrastructure capable of reconnecting the city, the landscape and the sea. Developed as part of the international competition for the new Lecce Coastal Park, the masterplan addresses the area’s main environmental challenges – coastal erosion, ecosystem fragmentation and vulnerability to climate change – through an integrated approach that combines environmental protection, public space and local development.

With the aim of restoring infrastructural continuity to green spaces as a coherent system of public spaces, the proposal identifies five strategies designed to define ways in which the man-made and natural environments interact. These are implemented at five strategic points along the coastline, where the restoration of dune systems and wetlands is integrated with a network of cycle and footpaths, new public spaces and facilities for non-motorised transport. The project enhances the connections between the coast and the hinterland, strengthening the relationship with the agricultural landscape and the historical heritage of the coastal towns.

The use of natural materials, dry construction techniques and fully reversible interventions reduces the impact of the works and ensures they are in keeping with the character of the site. The coastal park is thus conceived as a dynamic entity, capable of adapting to natural processes and evolving over time.

Alongside its environmental dimension, the project promotes new social and economic opportunities by supporting local agriculture, slow and nature-based tourism, and participatory landscape management models. Coastal regeneration thus becomes an opportunity to build a more resilient, inclusive and productive region, where care for the common good translates into the quality of public spaces, the protection of biodiversity and new development prospects for the community.