From the early twentieth century The Piave Military Barracks, together with numerous other military settlements still present in the area, contributed to the development of the city of Belluno, where the massive presence of the army made a small city, the headquarters of the Alpine Brigade “Cadore”.

In 2013 the Municipality of Belluno launched a social experiment in the areas of the former barracks by making the buildings within the area available for initiatives, proposals and associations that enhance heterogeneous planning in order to make this great void area pro-active: a virtuous regeneration process is in progress.

Video interview with representatives of Spazio EX Associations
Video: Beatrice Suraro

Rather than investing in buildings and postponing the redevelopment of external areas for future interventions, the innovative choice that underlies this process is to have planned interventions in the public space as the first promoter of quality and development.

The intervention involves an extensive naturalization of the surfaces, by reconfiguring the relationship between the extensive paved areas and the few, mostly marginal, remaining natural surfaces.

The overall design is dealt with through a basic module which, diversely represented in different materials, gives the result of an image similar to a fresco with blurred and changing borders.

The new fence depicts the newfound relationship with the city: a filter, the elements of which are designed to favour its visual permeability and whose colors integrate with both the natural and man-made landscape.

The exchange of views with the associations already present and active in the sector played a decisive role in the focus of the project structure: listening to their voices allowed us to vary and organise the spaces by giving strength, atmosphere and a concrete prospect for the future as a whole.