Network of Places

The context of the project is located in an important agricultural area of the province of Mantua, rich in history: dominated by the Gonzaga family and before that by Matilde di Canossa, one of the most important figures of the Italian Middle Ages. The context in also characterized of the Po river, the main Italian river, and its nature. Building a network of places is the strategy that gives the name to the project and has as its main objective the creation of networks and links between the different elements of the context: neighborhood centres, cycling path, architectural heritage and historical buildings, agricultural landscape,
waterway network, high biodiversity areas. Building a network of places to preserve the elements of the traditional agrarian landscape that created a unique relationship between Man and Biosphere in the Valley of Po river. How to achieve the aim with a sustainable approach? Creating walkable sustainable towns and preserve agricultural land, containing the urban sprawl, re-define the relationships between town and nature, upgrading industrial areas, improving the efficiency of infrastructural networks and promoting the intermodal transportation system, controlling the impact of the industrial and quarries areas, converting of derelict farmhouses, concreating a continuous green network and linking isolated ecological elements, planting new forests in the floodable areas to absorb CO2.