Last updated: September 2024
Cagliari's waterfront is currently characterized by extensive soil sealing, which has rendered the soil impermeable, leading to a loss of biodiversity and contributing to the urban heat island effect. Additionally, the waterfront is disconnected from the city due to heavy traffic. In 2023, the Municipality of Cagliari launched the "Green Promenade for Cagliari’s Seafront" project, aimed at revitalizing the waterfront and reconnecting the city with its coastal heritage. Led by Stefano Boeri Architetti, the project seeks to transform the area into a continuous green space that integrates pedestrian pathways with shaded public areas, functioning as a "green lung" to mitigate urban heat and enhance biodiversity. The initiative will introduce over 200 new trees and 5,700 square meters of green space, creating a park that beautifies the area, improves air quality, and lowers local temperatures. A key focus of the project is fostering cultural and social inclusion by developing new community hubs that encourage diverse activities and strengthen social cohesion. Additional features include recreational areas, sports fields, and outdoor seating. (Ref. 1, 2,3) The project also aims to enhance social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and urban connectivity, ultimately transforming the waterfront into a vibrant public space that reflects Cagliari’s identity. However, the lengthy construction process has disrupted local businesses and reduced foot traffic, making the area less attractive during the redevelopment phase. (Refs. 10, 11, 12 & 13).
promenade-verde
https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/press-release/unione-sarda-green-promenade-for-cagliaris-seafront/#:~:text=The%20new%20project%20aims%20to,and%20community%20cohesion%2C%20creating%20new
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Coastlines
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
- Green corridors and green belts
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
- Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social cohesion
- Social interaction
- Sense of community and community engagement
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Urban flooding (stormwater)
- Heat stress & Extreme temperatures
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Soil degradation and loss
- Air pollution
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)
- Disconnection from nature
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of green corridors (including connectivity between urban and rural ecosystems), Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests, Coastal landscape management or protection, Coastal ecosystems restoration and maintenance (mangroves, dunes, saltplains, underwater meadows), Improving coastal resilience
Project objectives
1. To reconnect Cagliari's waterfront, particularly along Via Roma and Piazza Matteotti, with the city center and transform it into a "green lung" that is a vibrant, sustainable, and accessible public space.
2. To mitigate urban heat islands, combat biodiversity loss, improve air quality and reduce risk of flooding caused by heavy rains by significantly increasing green areas and planting trees.
3. To encourage sustainable urban practices throughout the project, contributing to a more environmentally friendly city.
4.To encourage social cohesion and community interaction by integrating recreational areas, sports facilities, and public gathering spots.
5. To reestablish the waterfront area as a cultural and social hub, reflecting Cagliari's identity and history while impproving urban livability. (Refs. 1-6)
Implementation activities
The project for Cagliari's waterfront begins with an initial assessment of Via Roma, Piazza Matteotti, and the surrounding waterfront areas, identifying key challenges such as soil impermeability and disorganized traffic patterns. Based on this assessment, a master plan is developed to reduce traffic, expand pedestrian areas, and introduce green spaces. Infrastructure improvements are then made, including the installation of irrigation systems, traffic restructuring, and land preparation for planting.
Following these preparations, over 200 trees are planted and 5,700 square meters of green areas are established, creating a an environmentally friendly space that helps in filtering rainwater and mitigating runoff. The project improves the underground capacity of the storm water drainage system, allowing it to collect more rainwater and direct it efficiently to the sea. Public spaces, including a new promenade and recreational areas, are built using sustainable materials. The project also integrates sustainable mobility by incorporating pedestrian pathways and creating connections to the Marina district.
The final phase involves community engagement and maintaining the new urban landscape, ensuring the project's long-term success (Refs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Urban heat islands
Main beneficiaries
- Private sector/Corporate/Company
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Taskforce groups
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Municipality of Cagliari: The local government body responsible for overseeing the project and its implementation.
Following a tender for the redefinition of Cagliari’s waterfront, the project will be implemented by Stefano Boeri Architetti, in association with MATE Società Cooperativa (Engineering architecture company), MIC-HUB, StudioSilva (landscape architecture), S.T.P , and the archaeologist Demis Massimiliano Murgia. The project is co-funded by the EU, the local municipality and the national government (Refs. 2, 3 & 4)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(Coesione Italia 2021-2027: PN Metro Plus e Città Medie Sud 2021-2027 (8))
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The project has been developed as part of the Cagliari strategy within the PON metro project. The PON Metro is a strategic tool designed to address social, environmental, and economic sustainability challenges in urban areas. This program aims to improve the quality of services provided by local administrations and to promote social inclusion by tailoring interventions to the specific needs of each territory. The key areas of intervention include the metropolitan digital agenda, the sustainability of public services and urban mobility, social inclusion services, and infrastructure for social inclusion (Ref. 7).)
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), Support from transitional governance actors, Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Public national budget
- EU funds
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
- Prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves
- Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Expected improved air quality
- Improved soil quality
- Expected improved soil quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Expected increased protection against flooding
- Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Expected enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Expected increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Expected increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Attraction of business and investment
- Expected attraction of business and investment
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Expected improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Expected increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Expected increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Social justice and conflicts, Lack of social acceptance
References
1.
Mic HUB (n.d.). A Green Promenade for Cagliari’s Seafront. Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Stefano Boeri Architetti (2022). Una Promenade Verde Lungomare di Cagliari. Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Milan, L (2023). Promenade Verde, la Green Obsession di Stefano Boeri per Cagliari. Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Ingenio (2023). Riqualificazione waterfront di Cagliari: nuova promenade verde a firma Stefano Boeri Architetti. Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Comune di Cagliari (2023). Presentati i cantieri e la nuova viabilità di via Roma e viale Trieste. Cagliari: Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Comune di Cagliari (2023). I nuovi cantieri e le modifiche alla viabilità in via Roma e viale Trieste. Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Comune di Cagliari (n.d.). PON Metro Cagliari. Cagliari: Accessed on August 20, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Italian Government (2021). PNRR: rivoluzione verde e transizione ecologica. [Source link];
9.
Gruppo di Intervento Giuridico (2024). Cagliari, realizzazione della nuova Via Roma, rimozione delle Palme.. Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Rapeanu, P (2023). Via Roma ko, i commercianti di Cagliari tremano: “Lavori fermi in piena estate? Un disastro”. Casteddu Online, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
11.
Sardegna Live (2023). Lavori in via Roma a Cagliari sotto la lente dei carabinieri. Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
12.
Rapeanu, P (2024). Cagliari, via Roma “stritolata” tra il bosco di Boeri e l’hotel extra lusso al porto: “Anni di lavori, solo disagi per residenti e negozianti”. Casteddu Online, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
13.
Musu, L (2024). Cagliari, gli ingabbiati dal cantiere infinito di via Roma. Unione Sarda, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
14.
Comune di Cagliari (2022). Atlante Demografico di Cagliari 2022. Cagliari: Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
Image of the expected results of the project in Via Roma.
Stefano Boeri Architetti. n.d. “Una Promenade Verde | Lungomare Di Cagliari | Stefano Boeri Architetti.” Stefano Boeri Architetti. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/project/una-promenade-verde-per-il-lungomare-di-cagliari/.
Image of the project that will be implemented.
Stefano Boeri Architetti. n.d. “Una Promenade Verde | Lungomare Di Cagliari | Stefano Boeri Architetti.” Stefano Boeri Architetti. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/project/una-promenade-verde-per-il-lungomare-di-cagliari/.
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.