POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF TURIN
Atelier: Urban Design Barbaroux Boulevard in Carmagnola
A Walk Experience Along Viale Barbaroux
Academic: Atelier | Urban Design Architectural Design: Prof. Riccardo Balbo | riccardo.balbo@polito.it Urban Planning: Prof. Alessandro Fubini | alessandro.fubini@polito.it Level: Third Year, First Semester Date:February 2014 Colleagues: Michal Zilberberg Mert Nihat Ogut
Barbaroux Boulevard in Carmagnola
Carmagnola is a place that has a sharp boundary between the city center and the outer skirts in which the limitation of car access enhance this strict boundary. In the outer skirts there are a lot of abandoned places and unused spaces. The aim is to blur this sharp boundary which divides the two parts and undergo a transformation of potential spaces into useful places. Having interventions in these spaces will invite people to spread to the outer skirts, hence blurring the boundaries. Viale Barbaroux is a potential space. It is one of the main streets that leads directly to the city center. Perpendicular to Viale Barbaroux is the parking area in Via Marconi where everyone parks their cars to go to the city center. This parking area is a section of that sharp boundary. Although this parking space is well used there are many other parking areas nearby which are not frequently used. The first intervention will take place in the parking area in Via Marconi attacking that sharp boundary. By transforming the parking area into an open square, it will welcome people to transfer from the city center to the outer parts. From this point the concept of Passive to Active activities begins and moves towards the end of Viale Barbaroux in order to lead the people. The square in Via Marconi will consist of amphi-theaters that faces the center point of the square. This open center lets the people see from the city center the activities along Viale Barbaroux. The second interventions is along Viale Barbaroux where small platforms will be lifted with steps where people can also sit containing the different types of main activities. The main activities consist of: open galleries, a playground for children, and a skate ramp for teenagers. Outside of these platforms there will be sub-activities that consist of sitting, chess tables, and walking. This Passive Active Boulevard will create an incredible walking experience where the citizens of Carmagnola are relaxing and enjoying their day.
Postcards Problems 3. Viale Barbaroux
1. Via Marconi
Church of S. Agostino
Entrance to the city center
Careless design of land
Wide space
Occupied parking Discontinuous road
Via Marconi Road
Youth need somewhere to hang out
- Arianna B.
We do not have anything to do
- Arianna B.
The parking lot highlights the sharp boundary of the city center. The wide open space should be designed in a way to smooth the contrast between old and new.
Secondary road which leads to the city center. It is an incomplete street with a potential to become a main connected between the core and the outer neighorhood.
2. Via Alcedi de Graspi
4. Via Solavagione Nearby residential buildings Nearby residential buildings
Insifficient equiptment Careless land use
There is too much asphalt and very little vegetation
- Vittoria P.
The town suffers from some abandoned places around the periphery. With a transformation of those places the town can benefit some green areas that will attract people.
There is only one park in Carmagnola, we need more green areas
- Alice C.
The town suffers from some abandoned places around the periphery. With transformation of those places the town can benefit some green areas that will attract people.
Viale Barbaroux Strategical Concept Via Solavagione
3
spi Alcedi de Gra
Viale Barbaroux
roux Viale Barba
4
2
1 Via Marconi Via Cavassa
Via Alcide de Gasperi
City Center
PASSIVE Sit Observe Learn
MIXED Meet Play Sports
Via Bartolomeo Ronco ACTIVE Running Bike Explore Viale Barbaroux
Via Giac Puccini
Via G. Alberti
1
ENTRY STAGE An open square which marks the transition between the city center and the outskirts. The square welcomes visitors from the city center into the a new renovated boulevard along Viale Barbaroux. It is the center point where the benches and openness creates a spot to arrive, gather and meet friends.
2
SEATING TERRACES A platform with terraces that wraps around creating a destination for viewing, gathering and contemplation. Its a fun way to sit and relax.
3
OPEN GALLERY Two long sloped platforms that rises into an open gallery. This soft movement creates the passage between Passive and Active. Steps are wrapped along the sides allowing visitors to sit.
GROUND LEVEL
UPPER LEVEL
Viale Barbaroux Boulevard 4
SUN LAWN The Sun Lawn provides a flexible space for sports, games, and other leisure activities. It can accommodate large events and provide an ideal spot for a picnic or a quiet place to relax.
Legend 5
BOARD-GAME TABLES A place where visitors of all ages can sit down for a round of chess or any other board game.
6
BIKE PARKING A safe place to park your bikes before entering the boulevard.
7 GARDEN Two large gardens that leaves a smell of perfume.
LOWER LEVEL
Street 8 PLAYGROUND There is a stronger movement where the platforms starts to be carved in into the ground for safety issues while having the road transform into slides, a fun way for kids to enter.
Buildings 9
Greenery
SKATING AREA A great place for teenagers to skate. The ramps are integrated within the platform.
Cross Section
Renders
Entry Stage
Bike Parking
Seating Terraces
Playground
Open Gallery
Board-Game Tables
Design Process
STEP 1
STEP 2 As the lines goes further the they get curvier. This represents the movement that we want to create along the path.
STEP 5 Due to other safety issues buffer zones were created in the middle of Viale Barbaroux in order to have a certain amount of space between the activities and the road.
STEP 6 Certain plots were chosen for the green areas and gardens.
A regular grid was created.
STEP 4 STEP 3 Certain plots were chosen for the activity points. These platforms were given different height These activities will go Passive and move towards dimensions. At the beginning the platforms are lifted and while it reaches the mid point it starts to be Active activities. excavated due to safety issues.
STEP 7 Diagonal lines in between the green spaces. This breaks the rigidity and merges different uses, paved surfaces are interrupted by green areas, creating hence various paths and visuals.
STEP 8 Certain plots were chosen for secondary activities on the ground level: gathering and passive recreation activities.
Connection between natural and built
Interaction of Carmagnola