The context in which Cava Pontrelli is located, called the Dinosaur Quarry or Cava dei Dinosauri, is the typical agricultural landscape of Murgia, interspersed with areas with productive settlements, land sown to arable crops and marginally with vineyards and olive groves alternating with areas of natural pastures. Other elements that characterize the landscape are the farm complexes and the typical dry-stone walls, scattered inside the agricultural fabric.

The combination of the nature of Murgia, the quarry that was instated and then abandoned with its derelict machinery testifying to the mining activity carried out, the backdrops defined by the walls of excavation and the different work surfaces up to the inclined plane with the footprints, define an extraordinary and unique stone landscape.

A very different landscape from the one that would have characterized this area when it was inhabited by various species of dinosaurs, had a tropical climate and vegetation and was muddy underfoot!

The project therefore wants to capture the essence of this stone landscape by emphasizing the spatiality of the quarry and inserting resonant elements and materials, which will become one with the quarry landscape.

A walkable loop route will open up the entire perimeter at quarry height where two cantilevered structures meet on the quarry: the balcony on the history and the balcony on the landscape will allow you to safely look toward the quarry front and have a breath-taking view of the landscape and paleosurface.

Finally, the large abandoned stone crushers, industrial archaeology to be preserved, will be discreetly and artistically lighted, discreet in terms of light power – in order to respect the wildness  of the area – but of effective enhancement.