Commissioned by the municipality of San Donà di Piave, this 20.000 mq neighborhood park transforms a residual lot within a new housing district as a cohesive and inviting public space, using topography and using a unified material palette, it addresses and counterbalances the fragmentation of the “transitional landscape.”
Site Conformation
Set within a confines of multi-storey buildings and originally constrained by limited accessibility, exacerbated by a parking strip along the main road, the plot has been reconfigured to open toward the south, establishing a more legible and inviting pedestrian entrance.The central meadow becomes the project’s calm core, while radial paths connect it to the surrounding pedestrian and cycling network, re-stitching the park with neighborhood and the wider city infrastructure.
A continuous earthwork
Rather than scattering isolated elements, the design is organized around a single continuous form: a green earthwork that shields the central lawn from suburban disorder while maintaining visual connections with the surrounding houses. Through variations in height, curvature, and cross-section, the mound creates a series of everyday experiences—benches, shaded picnic areas, play edges, and a small waterfall—minimizing visual clutter while concentrating multiple functions (buffering, microclimate regulation, and spatial orientation) into a single, legible gesture.
The amphitheater
On the concave, higher slope, a set of shallow ripples forms an informal amphitheater for small events and spontaneous gathering. A subtle level offset creates a gentle ramp seamlessly integrated into the landform, providing accessible seating and circulation without additional structures, and reinforcing the concept of terrain as the park’s primary infrastructure.
The white paving
A continuous surface of white crushed stone mixed with matching concrete profile unifies the paths and platforms, then gently “deforms” to become seating edges, a small auditorium floor, fountain surrounds, play and picnic areas, and cycling continuity. Trees, white stone benches integrated with tree pots, and a layered lighting scheme—slender poles tracing curves, ground-level points emphasizing texture, and a taller marker at the playground—create distinct microclimates and enhance nighttime legibility. Meanwhile, the paving’s shifting glare and tonal variations throughout the day and across seasons heighten awareness of light and weather.
Data
Landscape: Paisà
Other designers involved in the design of landscape: CZA – Cino Zucchi Architetti
Project location: San Donà di Piave, Venice, Italy
Year completed: 2006
Photo credits:
© Paisà
© Cino Zucchi
