A new train for a new park

A NEW TRAIN FOR A NEW PARK

The exceptional territory that I have chosen is located in the East of Rome, in the third District. It is surrounded by important railways and the historicalcemeteryofVerano. It includes the districts ofSan Lorenzo, Esquilino and Prenestino, which are separated by a great rolling stock of 50 acres. Its particularity consists in an elevated highway running through the apartment buildings. For this reason, the inhabitants call it ‘the monster ofSan Lorenzo’.

In the future, it’s planed to replace this embarrassing highway by an underpass crossing the rolling stock. It would be logical to destroy it, but the question of preserving the original site is still asked.

By watching the site, we notice several problems.

First, the district of San Lorenzo is disorganized because of the numerous working-class and artisanal run-down buildings.

Second, the road network is confused and unsafe, putting together different means of conveyance like tramways, cars, buses with pedestrian areas.

Third, the highway’s traffic produces air pollution, noise nuisances for the inhabitants, especially those having their window two meters apart.

Fourth, the streets are congested with cars and motorcycles on account of the insufficiency in parking.

New Mobility

To give back a positive image of the city and conserve the memory of the district altogether, the solution put forward is the transformation of the highway in two news mobilities:

-         On the upper road, we recover the tramway number 19, formerly situated on the street “Scalo San Lorenzo”. Then, we create a new tram who start on the central station Tiburtina, borders thecemeteryofVerano, across the new site university, passes under the aqueduct Claudia to finish in the historical center close to the Basilica San Giovanni.

-         On the lower road, we set up a small tram which comes around the park and serves the different amenities.

The idea is to leave cars in one of the three big parking outside the park, and take the mini tram to move, to walk, to ride a bicycle,…

An international campus

Moreover, the rolling stock which used to separate the districts and populations becomes the new “campus” of the university La Sapienza, situated a few meters on the south.

This is the biggest inEurope, but only the thirtieth of the famous European university. In order to boost and raise the fame, we create a new area offering thousands of halls of residence, cultural and sports facilities like the “Cité Universitaire” ofParis. This area, which is in the first place a new green lung, could receive on its territory new pavilion of different country in order to increase internationals exchanges.

The futures pavilions will become established in the park gradually.

Two characteristic buildings of the ancient area are preserved and restored: several train’s depots become a sportive center and an engine shed looks to be aNewMusicCulturalCenter.

Besides, the project plans to suppress the apartment buildings bordering the former highway in order to offer to the street and other inhabitants more brightness and perspective. Instead of these old buildings, new edifices of student accommodation and services will punctually take place to maintain an image of the street.

On the old “largo Passamonti”, an international hotel and a Congress centre take place to finish the street.

An ecological corridor

The train network disused becomes the green grid of the park. The trees and lush vegetation will be plant following the old rail. The space void looks like a “glade” where we have the impression that the city is intimately and harmoniously integrated in the plant environment.

The vegetation creates a new ecological corridor in the city in order to increase the biodiversity.

Life’s district

On the border of the cemetery, a new avenue such as “las Ramblas” of Barcelone welcomes the new flower market.

The chaotic artisanal buildings are replaced by new functional studios. In addition, other services are created to provide for one’s population such as shops, a nursery, a college, a community center, restaurants and bars,…

The aim of this redevelopment project is to bring the inhabitants back together with their quarter and to allow the mankind to get closer to the Nature.

Then, the second aim is to give back notoriety and prestige at the university with new opportunities for the Italian and foreign students.

The “monster” of San Lorenzo grows to be a new symbol of the city of Rome.