Cagliari, Cagliari (FUA), Italy
City population: 384743
Duration: 2011 – 2011
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 50000 m2
Type of area: Unknown
Last updated: October 2024

The Parco della Musica in Cagliari, inaugurated in 2011 by the municipality of Cagliari, blends modern urban design with a focus on green spaces, music, and culture. Spanning approximately five hectares, the park features a small, winding artificial river that flows from north to south, creating a micro-habitat for various bird species. This waterway, lined with benches on the western side and open green spaces on the eastern side, offers a peaceful setting for both wildlife and visitors. The use of native plants, trees, and shrubs further enhances the biodiversity. In terms of construction, the use of sustainable materials like marble paving and wooden platforms reflects a commitment to modern design. This makes the Parco della Musica an ideal venue for hosting events and fostering social interaction where culture can thrive, and people can relax and enjoy fresh, calm spaces. Overall, the Parco della Musica serves as an example of how modern urban spaces can be designed to promote ecological balance while offering cultural and recreational benefits to the community (Refs. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5).

Photo of the park: green spaces, walking path, artificial river.
Cagliari Verde. 2021. “Parco Della Musica – Cagliari Verde.” Cagliariverde.it. 2021. https://www.cagliariverde.it/parco-della-musica/.

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Blue infrastructure
  • Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Habitat and biodiversity restoration
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Social interaction
  • Sense of community and community engagement
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Economic development: service sectors
  • Tourism support

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Environmental Degradation
  • Biodiversity loss
  • Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
  • Mental health issues (stress, anxiety)
  • Inadequate access to recreational opportunities

Key priorities

Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests, Other

Project objectives

To create an urban space that supports local ecosystems by incorporating native plants and a small artificial river, providing habitats for local fauna, especially birds. The introduction of many trees further favors these ecosystems. To design a multifunctional space, with the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari at its heart and the Arena Giusy Devinu offering open-air musical performances. To encourage community and tourist engagement, providing a venue for artistic expression, particularly during the warmer months. To foster community well-being and accessibility: with numerous entry points and diverse areas for relaxation, the park promotes inclusivity for all visitors. To improve the quality of life for residents and visitors by offering a peaceful, aesthetically pleasing environment within an urban setting (Refs. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5).

Implementation activities

Key actions included strategically planting native trees and vegetation to enhance biodiversity and support wildlife. Paved pathways were constructed to connect essential areas such as the Teatro Lirico, the artificial river, and the Arena Giusy Devinu, while benches and rest areas were added to improve visitor comfort. Additionally, parking facilities were established near main entrances, including designated spaces for individuals with disabilities, ensuring ease of access for all visitors. The Parco della Musica features a diverse array of trees, including olive trees, many Terebinth trees (Pistacia Terebinthus), and Alexandra Palms (Archontophoenix Alexandrae). The park also benefits from the presence of White Poplars, which provide shade for the lawn during the summer. These border trees create interesting views toward the Museum of Peasant Civilization and the paid parking lot of the market, where rows of Ficus Retusa enhance the landscape. Notably, the park boasts a small, tender specimen of Cedar, likely of the Atlas variety (Cedrus Atlantica), located near the last entrance of via S'Alenixedda, close to Piazza Giovanni. This rare specimen is a valuable addition to the park's biodiversity and deserves attention from both visitors and park management. Inside the park, a small, winding artificial river runs from the north to the south, with benches on the west side and a grassy, tree-lined area with hedges on the east. Various bird species populate the river. (1-5)

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity restoration:

  • Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
  • Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
  • Restore native species

Main beneficiaries

  • 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-management/Joint management

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Comune di Cagliari: Outlined the project, supervised it and created the call for the implementation works. De Sanctis Group: it was the construction company in charge of building all the infrastructures inside of the park (Refs. 1 & 3).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (Piano Urbanistico Comunale (1,2))

Type of enablers

Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)

Financing

Total cost

More than €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Achieved increased green space area
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Achieved increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Increased number of species present
  • Achieved increased number of species present

Economic impacts

  • Attraction of business and investment
  • Achieved attraction of business and investment

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Achieved increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Achieved gain in activities for recreation and exercise

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

Unknown

References

Photo of the park: green spaces, walking path, artificial river.
Cagliari Verde. 2021. “Parco Della Musica – Cagliari Verde.” Cagliariverde.it. 2021. https://www.cagliariverde.it/parco-della-musica/.
Photo of the park: green spaces, walking path, and benches.
Cagliari Verde. 2021. “Parco Della Musica – Cagliari Verde.” Cagliariverde.it. 2021. https://www.cagliariverde.it/parco-della-musica/.
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.