Work submitted for the competition
"Best Diploma Architecture"
La via dell'acqua is a public space project combining architectural and landscape approaches, located in the south of the Italian island of Sardinia, more precisely in the area of the city of Quartucciu. The area is located on the Is Cungiaus River, once used for agricultural purposes. The river, now regulated and brought into an orderly bed, is being renaturalized in the project by correcting the course and banks of the riverbed.
river renaturalization
© Katarzyna Jamioł
Strategically placed natural barriers additionally provide water flow slowing, flood mitigation and habitat enrichment for native animal species, especially waterfowl inhabiting the neighboring areas covered by the Ramsar Convention since 1977. The park's transformation goes beyond restoring the river to as close to its natural state as possible. Formerly neglected fields, now wasteland and a wild garbage dump will be revitalized. These abandoned spaces will be transformed into vibrant habitats for native flora and fauna.
design elements
© Katarzyna Jamioł
The project is both educational and recreational. Walking along the alleys with the direction of the river's current, we are guided along an educational path that depicts humanity's evolving relationship with nature over the centuries and shows a plan for harmonious coexistence with it in the years to come.
view of the river
© Katarzyna Jamioł
Because Sardinia is located in the Mediterranean climate zone, and record temperatures (48.2º C in July 2023) underscore the urgent need for action, the project also thoughtfully introduces the role of a climate shelter. Inspired by an Italian grotto and prehistoric buildings from the Nuragic period, the underground structure emerges as a sanctuary that provides a shelter from the heat that intensifies year after year. Its function refers to the buildings under construction in 2022 in Spain, intended to provide residents with a publicly accessible space in which to cool off during hot days. Made of waterproof concrete, it protects from the heat and provides respite from the intensity of the sun and the uncertainty of an ever-changing climate.
construction of the underground part of the shelter
© Katarzyna Jamioł
Fluidly connected to the course of the river, during periods of intense rainfall causing the water level to rise, it becomes a retention basin, reflecting the balance of functionality and aesthetics of the newly created architecture. The facility also serves as an educational center, an exhibition informing visitors about the impact of climate change on humanity has been entirely carved on the walls and ceiling of the building, so it will not be destroyed by water flowing into the facility.
visualization of the area next to the shelter
© Katarzyna Jamioł
The project shows how we can micromanage the problems caused by climate change. In the underground shelter, the concrete walls carry important messages about the state of our planet and the need for conscious action. They invite us to overcome barriers, both physical and conceptual, and strive for a future in which humans and the environment work together rather than fighting against each other.
Katarzyna Jamioł
Illustrations: © Author
