Lecco Waterfront
Lecco, Italy
International urban design competition - Finalists - Collabotation with Romeo Architects and Engineers
At the south east end of the lake Como is situated the city of Lecco. Surrounding majestic peaks dive into the lake, rays of sunshine brush the water surface, three capricious tributaries anonymously run through the urban fabric and negotiate with dramatic topography and a diverse architecture built over the centuries. Ten kilometres of waterfront create a natural western boundary of the city. Its character changes along the way, from traffic role at the north through promenades, marina and laid-back stretches of old town the to sport grounds in the south. At present all the interesting parts are fragmented, often in a bad state and disconnected from the town by a busy road.
The proposals link the waterfront not just along its own length but also with the wider city. A continuous narrative is created with the revitalized promenades, platforms hovering above the lake, reimagined marina, naturalistic lido luring for a swim or a petrol station turned into a cafe. All these are connected through a thread of a material and wayfinding language which refer to the city's rich past. The anonymous estuary of Gerenzone is revealed at Piazza Stoppani and a contrasting experience of rapacious stream and calm lake can be appreciated. Mountainous planting theme of nearby peaks is brought down and interwoven into the solid mass of the waterfront.
