the architect wins the provincial competition for the redevelopment. Massimiliano Cafagna – AndriaLive.it

Giving life and luster back to the ancient Lama Santa Margherita: this is the aim of the project that won the BAT Province tender for the redevelopment of the naturalistic environment adjacent to the Madonna dei Miracoli.

The competition is aimed at the recovery and valorisation of the naturalistic and cultural values ​​of the Lama itself in order to enhance its ecological connection function (as a portion of the Regional and Provincial Ecology Network) and as an area of ​​concentration of evidence of the rock culture of Puglia pre-murgiana.

The design will be aimed at increasing the eco-use activities (educational-naturalistic, sports and leisure) of the Lama and conservation of the naturalistic and testimonial heritage present within it, through:
– botanical vegetation recovery and consolidation of the slopes, of the walled garden attached to the convent building;
– functional redevelopment of the sports area serving the ITA school and the adjacent building once intended for storage of agricultural vehicles connected to agricultural production activity;
– redevelopment of the convent green area indicated as the walled garden, of the cistern and of the Rose Grotto.

The winner was the group coordinated by the landscape architect Massimiliano Cafagna from Barletta, together with colleagues Clara Bulfoni (Udine), Francesca Tita (Trento), Giulio Bruschi (Massa), Federico Zomero (Pordenone), Luca Colomban (Trieste), CG Associati SRLS (Naples), Marina Strippoli (Bari).

What is the strategy of the winning project?

The project intends first of all to restore the Lama to its role as a natural infrastructure inserted in a complex territorial system, to enhance its identity and increase the security of the territory. Through operations of subtraction, implementation and integration of the strong elements that constitute it, a complex landscape will be created capable of telling its story and opening up to educational and recreational functions. The routes will guarantee full accessibility from the surface to the lowest levels, in order to enhance knowledge and inclusiveness; at the same time, they will be an instrument of union between the different areas that compose it and the surrounding territory, through both rapid movements between the functional areas and a slow exploratory immersion in the different historical and naturalistic areas of the Lama. The strengthening of the existing vegetation and the inclusion of a contemporary landscape language will restore a varied and harmonious landscape.

Why is hydrogeology and the centrality of the element “water” important?

The local hydraulic arrangement becomes the main theme of the project: the safe flow of the water will be managed so as not to modify the geonatural balance, redeveloping the green spaces and guaranteeing water infiltration; its sudden retreat will be slowed down by the riparian vegetation and rain gardens, which will become visible traces of its passage and sinking. The water resource will be managed with care: the surface waters of the slopes will be naturally infiltrated into the ground and made to flow towards the bottom of the Lama, as happens today, safeguarding the complex hydrogeological balance; where this is not possible, a rainwater collection, accumulation and reuse system will be created.

Proceeding by “subtraction”: what does it mean?

The elimination of all non-coherent, valueless or unstable artefacts will allow us to restore legibility to the most significant architectural and arboreal elements, while freeing up unusual views and surfaces to be used for new functions. We will aim to eliminate as many reinforced concrete structures and walls as possible, and all floors that prevent the natural infiltration of rainwater will be removed, replacing them with permeable flooring.

How will the plant system be implemented?

The project vegetation draws strong inspiration from the observation of the natural landscape present around the site and aims to enhance its most identifying characteristics. The natural areas will be recovered and enhanced in order to protect biodiversity, restore dignity to riparian landscapes, provide an engineering service in reducing the erosive effects of heavy rains, outline compositional characteristics serving the project such as views, volumes, shapes, colours. The choice of plant elements will be aimed at protecting, sustainably managing and restoring natural and anthropized ecosystems. It will be essential to consider their adaptability to the Mediterranean climate of Andria with hot and dry summers but also to the marshy character of the blade, whose basin will fill following heavy rains. The diversity of selected plants must support the local ecosystem and encourage the presence of pollinating insects, birds and other animal species; sustainability and the need for low maintenance of the selected plants will be central.