Santa Fiora River Park

The Fiora River Park 1_Santa Fiora, a city of waters, musicians and industrious people. Marveling travelers Santa Fiora, a city of waters, was founded just before the year 1000 in an area rich in natural springs. Natural springs, along with moats and streams define the character of the local landscape. The “Fosso del Carro” or “Stream of the Cart”, the “Fosso del Mulino” or “Millstream” and the “Fosso della Mannarina” or “Stream of the Mannarina”, along with other watercourses flow through the Fiora river basin and into the Fiora river. Over time, the local population has sought to utilize these natural waterways. Canals and dams were built to control the flow of the water and to generate power for the flour and fulling mills, ironworks, tanneries, and dye works. Dante describes Santa Fiora in his “Inferno” (it is still unclear if he meant a “dark” place or a “safe” one), indicating its importance in the Middle Ages. In the early 1300s the Pescheria (the Fishery) was built, a walled-in artificial basin located inside a tree filled park. It is still today the best known structure in the region. The Pescheria was created by transforming a small natural lake into a fish farm. Pope Pius II Piccolomini marveled at it while visiting as a guest of Guido Sforza in 1462. “On the west side an abundant gush of water fills a large fish pond, and, after flowing through special pipes, falls into the valley below with great roaring sound. In such a fishery, as on a farm, enormous trout are bred and grown, some fished out of the water right in the Pope’s presence.” Observation of the agricultural landscape reveals the effort it took to create spaces for cultivation. Small plots of land, terraced slopes, stone retaining walls, drainage ditches along the sloped sides of the town, show a landscape forged by digging and sowing without the aid of draught animals, utilizing only the spades and hoes. Blackberry bushes, prune trees, and a few cherry trees, are described in the memories of travelers passing through the area at the end of the 1700’s. There were a small number of olive trees, mulberry trees and few grapevines, all part of a the local economy, sufficient for the needs of the people. All this remained unchanged until the beginning of the 1900’s, when construction started on the Fiora aqueduct. This project diminished the amount of water flowing through the existing network of watercourses, resulting in the decline of those activities that had developed in connection to them. After the Second World War, the mills and factories were abandoned as was most of the farmed land. The shortage of water, furthered the broader historical phenomenon of the depopulation of the countryside and of its progressive neglect. At the same time, cinnabar mining from local mountain quarries was becoming one of the main means of livelihood. From the beginning of the 1950’s, mining activities added to the deterioration of the hillsides surrounding the urban center. The result was impoverished plant life along stream basins, the disappearance of native tree species, and the loss of agricultural activities. 2. The Fiora River Park: project strategy. Composing the diverse Knowing the history of the Santa Fiora region helps to comprehend the broad scope of the themes the project has had to tackle. Their complexity and diversity range from the renovation of single buildings to the restoration of the landscape to its original form; from using the minute textures of particular building materials, to redesigning the footpaths connecting the town to its surrounding areas; from the reclamation of landfill sites to the planting of wooded areas with native species. History, geology and the study of the local watershed, are all integral parts of the landscape, defining a complex array of large and small themes equally relevant to the success of project. For this reason the project chose an intentionally broad interpretation of the concept of “open space”. It was to be used as a way to find a method that could sustain the complexity inherent in this region’s landscape, in its public spaces, and in free-standing buildings. The concept of “open space” intended to describe a set of systems and networks of parts only apparently separated from each other by the implications deriving from time and use (spatial or disciplinary concerns). The singularity of any building or any part of the landscape becomes inconceivable, with the awareness that the project could not impact merely physical space. The project must impact the whole “open space” system, the relationships between time, space, people and their activities. Rather than a specific project, it became an approach able to work within a multi-dimensional system, a complex range of themes, spanning from the ecosystem to the economy, from its archeology to its inhabitants. Spaces and not volumes. Three systems: dot, line, and surface. The professional skills involved in this project have worked together on the following construction typologies: Localized Interventions, such as the restoration and renovation of buildings. Linear Interventions, such as the construction and recovery of water courses and land routes. Broad Interventions, such as the reforestation of areas with the reintroduction of native tree species, or the reclaiming agricultural areas and historical vegetable gardens. The Church of Sant’Antonio and the Gardens of the Clarisse. (also called the Poor Clares) The enigmatic obviousness of the landscape, or, looking for something that you realize has always been right in front of your eyes. The grounds that include the Church of Sant’ Antonio and the adjoining gardens of the Convent of the Clarisse (XV-XVIII centuries) are at one end of the town of Santa Fiora. From the openings in the walls one can look along the Fiora valley all the way to the sea. Here, a system of terraced plots once farmed, masonry structures and retaining walls, buildings, all offer vantage points from which to look out over the valley’s landscape. Although the buildings here are of great value due to their history and position, this area was afflicted by misuse, the collapse of major structures and widespread neglect. The walls of the deconsecrated complex of the Church of Sant’ Antonio had become unstable over time because plants and weeds growing into the walls had gradually weakened the mortar. During renovation the state of the old walls was clearly shown. The original spaces were recreated using new walls made recognizable by their plaster finish and built to engage the old parts of the structure and render it earthquake-proof. The two main halls, one used for worship and one used as the cloister, had become a dumping ground for discarded building material. This debris along with that resulting from the collapsed church walls was removed and the floor restored to its original level. New stone floors were then installed at a set distance from the walls. A rain collection system was located in this gap. The halls left without a roof act as open spaces leading to the adjoining gardens. In the same way the opening caused by a collapse in the side of the church, was kept in order to connect the open areas of the church to its more enclosed parts. In the gardens of the Clarisse, the work focused on rebuilding the existing retaining walls that defined the cultivated areas, reopening the gardens and adding new paved areas and playgrounds. Two small arenas were created for the many orchestras that participate each summer in the Santa Fiora Classical Music Festival. Hundreds of musicians gather here to play and study. This area now includes bathroom facilities and a small food bar. On the Sant’ Antonio side, a series of concrete platforms which work as pavements, façades and roofs can become the backdrop for other possible uses of this area. They usher the visitor from the gardens to the square, creating a narration connecting what is natural and what is man made, between what stands close and what stands far, between the graspable scale of the constructed environment and the openness of the landscape. The Castle Mill, also known as the Melampo Mill The memoires of water The Melampo Mill, named after its owner, rises on the town’s eastern side along the stream called “del Carro”. Since 1831, it has been the only surviving structure of the ancient industrial area, moved in the 1300’s from the Carro (or Caro) to the Peschiera basin along the stream known as the Fosso dei Mulini (mills’ stream). The Melampo mill was built here because the volume of water flowing through the stream was large enough to power the mill-works by a simple system of canals and a 7 Meter drop aided by a spillway, located just outside the building. The spillway is part of a larger system designed to control the abundant spring waters along this 2 kilometer stretch of the river. Built between the XII and the XVIII centuries, this system came to light when debris and bushes were cleared, as did a XII century aqueduct used to supply the castle’s fountains (Fonti di Castello) located at the foot of the town’s access bridge. Progressive decline was responsible for the collapse of the mill’s ancient masonry structures. The surrounding cultivated lots were overrun by weeds, and indigenous tree species from the hillsides were lost. Most of the original machinery was also lost with the exception of a grinding wheel and other minor gear parts. The mill was renovated and transformed into a hostel. New wooden roofs were added, a food vending area and visitor’s center built on the ground floor. The original separation between the working mill on the ground floor (with its vaulted ceilings and the entry points for the water canals) and the upper floors where the living-quarters were located was maintained. To connect the floors, stairs and ramps were built on the outside of the building. This structure was supported by a “forest” of steel posts, the top of which house the stairs’ lighting. The footpath loop and understanding the system. The narration of the landscape. The path connects the historical center and its important monuments to both sides of the hill town where the surviving factory structures have been surveyed and inventoried. The area where the tanning works (Conce) stand, and the area around the stream known as “fosso del Carro”, are on the footpath loop. Walking along the south east side of the town the path leads back to the center of town. Some parts of this path are newly paved while others, in the steeper areas, make use of steps. The path meanders through the different areas offering new lookouts and vantage points onto the landscape, gradually revealing the history of the place and bringing together varying parts of the landscape system. It recreates meanings that were lost over time and suggests a new way of regarding the connection between the local environment, local history and the local population. The path’s narrative quality is reinforced by the creation of rest areas provided with seating, shade, and information panels in the most significant locations. Some of these are the tannery structures where the canals have been restored, and the Via dei Gobbacci (Gobbacci St), which runs tangent to the fences of the Fedro’s gardens. The design elements that punctuate the footpath are used throughout the rest of the project, creating a homogeneous communication system for the whole Santa Fiora area. The information panels show images, clippings and old photos, portraits, men and women working, historical photographs from the city archives. Ideally, they are doors that open onto the past, so the observer will look attentively at the landscape, encouraged to a new interpretation of the reclaimed spaces, a new way to narrate their everyday stories. Woods or brush? The preservation of the landscape. The east hillside of the town, after years of agricultural neglect, had been completely covered by a thick brush prevalently of Robinia Pseudoacacia trees, an infesting plant that had erased all traces of the history of the landscape. The decision to intervene on the whole hillside grew from the desire to uncover both the natural morphology and the man made structures that had shaped the hillside over time. The work started with a complicated series of interventions, which included cutting the brush and clearing the land, subsequently replanting indigenous tree species (cherry, walnut and almond trees) and vines on the terraced areas. A particularly meaningful aspect of this reclamation was the clearing of plants from the river basin and from the embankments so that the water could flow more freely with fewer obstacles. This work uncovered the spillways and the original water retaining structures. The eradication of almost 2000 Robinia trees, was carried out carefully considering the important role played by the tree roots against erosion of the hillside. In the steepest parts of the hill the oldest and best specimens were left in the ground. Clearing the rest of the Robinia trees, thereby thinning the woods, allowed vital light to reach the newly planted trees and permit their healthy growth. All the new plants were chosen from tree and bush species indigenous to the area and part of the original ecosystem. These are mountain maple, chestnut, linden and hornbeam, added to a mix of smaller size trees and bushes characterized by extensive root systems that prevent soil erosion. Among the bush species are privet, dogwood and hedge maples. Fedro’s Gardens Sustainable agriculture The Fedro’s Gardens renovation brought back a place and a farming tradition that had been lost. Located close to the southern town walls in a one hectare field, the perfectly leveled plot cuts a distinctly artificial shape in the hill’s landscape. Abandoned after the death of its last owner, Fedro, the gardens were destined to become a public parking lot. The choice was made instead to transform it into a public park, to share this place with the people and the administration of Santa Fiora and to play an important part in the newly developed system of public spaces. The field was divided into small lots varying in size between 400 and 700 square meters, each equipped with its own storage shed. A bigger communal shed was built as greenhouse and plant nursery. The irrigation system was rebuilt using old drawings from the town registry and by checking them against current aerial photos in order to retrace the original network of pipes. Once restored the system regained its full functionality and today it brings abundant water to each of the plots in the gardens. The tools and greenhouse sheds are built out of light metal structures enclosed in polycarbonate or wood panels painted with colored resin. The area has been furnished with educational panels, illumination and electricity poles, benches, pergolas, and a useable ancient water basin. Fundamentally important to the success of the project were the political choices made for the public good. The individual lots were made available to the citizens via an open request system managed by the town administration. The municipality has prescribed horticultural guidelines for the use of these lots favoring the use of local plant varieties and the reintroduction of extinct cultivations. The regional agency ARSIA Toscana (Azienda Regionale per lo Sviluppo e l’Innovazione in Agricoltura) has been engaged to start supplying rare seeds in order further to stimulate biodiversity in the region. The gardeners are expected to maintain and implement these rare local varieties over time. After just a year from its inception the initiative was so successful that the local government promoted a sale point of these locally grown products in the town square, thus reinforcing the ecological importance of a healthy local economy. Project Index Location: Town of Santa Fiora, Grosseto Project: 2tr Architecture, Luca Montuori, Riccardo Petrachi Project team: Simone Capra, Marina Checchi, Francesca Delicato, Alice Lentisco, Simone Stabile Structural and Mechanical Engineer: Silvio de Sisti Project Manager: Riccardo Petrachi Historical and Archeological Analysis: Michele Nucciotti Vegetation Analysis: Sandro Federici Geological Analysis: Giovanni Uberti, Serena Serravalle Client: Municipality of Santa Fiora, Grosseto. Mayors: Luigi Vencia, Renzo Verdi Administrative procedures: Maurizio Onofri General Contractor: Tecres srl Project time line: 1999 – 2009 Total project area: 22 Hectares Length of restores paths: 8 Km Total area of renovation: 25,000 square meters U.E. objective 2 2000-2006, axis 2 measure 2.1.1 Text: Luca Montuori Photos: Riccardo Petrachi Key words: Landscape, public spaces, urban gardens, water, restoration, paths, communication 00 - il sistema degli spazi pubblici - assonometria 0A1, 0A2(04) - vista della chiesa dai giardini prima e dopo i lavori 0B1, 0B2, 0B3(02) - il fianco della ex chiesa - il restauro delle murature prima durante e dopo i lavori 0C1, 0C2 - il Mulino di Melampo e il versante del paese prima e dopo i lavori 01 - la ex chiesa sant'Antonio 02 - il fianco della ex chiesa - il restauro delle murature 03 - la seconda aula della chiesa 04 - vista della chiesa dai giardini 05 - l'arena piccola - dettaglio 06 - vista notturna del complesso dalla valle del Fiora 07 - gli ex orti del convento - i giardini pubblici 08 - il fianco della ex chiesa - il restauro delle murature - dettaglio 09 - l'arena grande nei giardini - dettaglio 10 - la ex chiesa - dettaglio interno 11 - l'arena piccola 12 - la piccola piazza nei giardini con l'affaccio sulla valle del Fiora 13 - la valle del Fiora dai giardini 14 - il Mulino di Melampo - le rampe esterne di accesso 15 - il Mulino di Melampo - ostello della giovent 16 - il soggiorno dell'ostello 17 - gli orti di fedro - il box di servizio 18 - gli orti di Fedro- vista dal paese 19 - totem comunicazione urbana 20 - il percorso intorno al centro storico - sosta all'ombra dei ciliegi 21 - il percorso intorno al centro storico 22 - il percorso intorno al centro storico - la rampa dei Gobacci verso il Fiume Fiora 23 - le sorgenti d'acqua sotto il centro storico 24 - il percorso intorno al centro storico 25 - le arcate dell'acquedotto ottocentesco file:///Users/...itti%20appunti%20tesi/A_%20Pubblicati%20o%20in%20corso/2011%2011%20R+R/foto/didascalie%20foto%20santa%20fiora.txt[02/11/12 15.26.21]