Le Quattro Viste di Marciana Marina

“QUATTRO VISTE A MARCIANA MARINA”

Architetto Nicola Ghilardi

Every time I go back to Marciana Marina I am embraced by a multitude of pleasant emotions, but the one that fascinates me the most is the plenitude of panoramic views
Unfortunately, a lot of this glamour is of difficult perception, that’s why I feel compelled to provide a little bit of my creativity and leave an advice that I hope will be appreciated
The idea is the one of the “four views”
“The first view” cannot be anything but the one that welcomes you at the entrance of the gulf in the Victoria Plaza, a view that embraces the sea and the history of the place
On one side “Torre Saracena” known as “Torre degli Appiani”, on the other the access to “Borgo del Cotone”, and in between the sea with the touristic port
The ideal cue is the one of the info point
I thought about a tower shaped construction that would serve as a counterpoint to the historical tower
Created with the characteristic traits of the old boroughs and coated with the granite from Elba to emphasize the spirit of belonging to the land
A building with areas that serve as reference for tourists
In addition, its terrace constitutes a new and breathtaking panoramic view point, free from the inconvenience of parked vehicles and accessible through a broad staircase, but most of all by a ramp that embraces the tower, designed as well as an advantage for people with limited mobility
The tower at its height represents the starting point of the path of the four views and becomes a landmark for tourists and residents
Moving forward we get to the area of “Piazzale Bonanno”, a space located half way through the seafront
When I think about the town that renovates, the first thing that I want to suggest is the creation of a multifunctional and versatile complex, whose main function is the auditorium
A building with a front characterized by light and transparent forms, projected toward the sea, supported by granite pillars
A recipient suited to welcome shows, concerts, meetings, and able to transform into a grand hall for mundane and cultural events, like the Literature Prize “La Torre”
Even the area on the ground level is a multifunctional space, that converts from parking lot for the events to indoor market
An important attraction even during rainy days
The rooftop of the building, designed as lounge bar, equipped with a wide terrace becomes of course “the second view point” of the journey, that literally dominates the entire gulf
From the auditorium we continue on to “the third view point”, a catwalk on the sea.
This time the sight is captured by the immense beauty of the sea
By eliminating the parking area that obstructs the view of the port, the visual field is placed at sea level and continues all the way to the harbor office.
By day we enjoy the contact with the water and by night we are driven by a line of lights that represents the skyline of the house fronts on the way, in a series of emotions that will amaze the tourists
“The fourth view point” is another terrace
An element that brings to mind the idea of the ancient elevations, that goes perfectly with the architectural style of the old tower
Built in the vicinity of the harbor office with the purpose of concealing the old and anonymous harbor building without, however, altering it to insert new public restrooms and at the same time to expand the beach through the creation of a series of big steps that are positioned on the terrace as if they were rocks suited for laying down and sunbathing
The journey is now complete
I am sure that the four viewpoints will be attractive gathering sites on the night of Santa Chiara’s festival, to admire the spectacular fireworks of Marciana Marina