The municipal council has approved the administration project for the urban speeches of EPP buildings in via Turchia, located in the San Giusto district, an urban area with a high population density and large green areas. The speech covers three residential buildings built in 1992, comprising a total of 102 dwellings.

Approved the final project/administration of via Turchia conceived by Stefano Boeri Architetti for the buildings of Public Building Pratese, competitions and works within 16 months

The municipal council has approved the administration project for the urban speeches of EPP buildings in via Turchia, located in the San Giusto district, an urban area with a high population density and large green areas. The intervention involves three residential buildings built in 1992, comprising a total of 102 dwellings, and is a pilot project part of Prato Urban Jungle.

The project conceived by Stefano Boeri Architetti for the buildings of Edilizia Pubblica Pratese in via Turchia involves the “greening” of the facades, the demineralization of the southern area, used as a parking lot, the realization of a large green entrance pergola and the creation of spaces of common socialites in the garden.

The project envisages for the prospectuses, the installation of different structures composed of thin steel cables that allow the growth of climbing plants, able to improve the local microclimate, mitigate the temperature and cool the surfaces of the existing buildings.

The choices made for climbing species aim at ensuring the economic and financial sustainability of the intervention and sporadic maintenance, as well as ensuring synergy with both the structure of the building itself and the lives of its inhabitants. The species have also been selected to allow for different seasonal colors to be available throughout the year and to increase local biodiversity.

The project for the residences of via Turchia also deals with the creation of common social spaces, dedicated to collective and recreational activities, such as social gardens, equipment for gymnastics, tables, sessions and more.

A new large pergola of about 100 square meters, covered with climbers and furnished with seats, will be realized at the entrance of the complex, between the two buildings south of the block.

Continuing, in the central space between the cellars, they have been designed of tanks with vegetation and of the sessions that will create a new scope of access to the area suitable for rest and sociality.

In addition to the climbing component, plant elements that develop on the ground play an equally important role in achieving an effect as distinctive as possible. Both tree and shrub species and grasses have been identified, with natural combinations and contrasts that will return a diverse set, as informal as possible. In this set there are no shortages of blooms large, conspicuous corollas, vivid and intense colors that will appear mainly in summer. The management of these species is not intended to be challenging either: species with low maintenance needs and synchronized at the same time have been selected.

The southern parking area will be affected by a soil demineralization intervention that will transform 1600 square meters of waterproof flooring into draining surface.

One of the objectives of the project is to minimize the consumption of mains water, using where possible the storm water that will be intercepted and accumulated in a system of underground tanks.

The new large vegetated areas will serve as green hubs in the city's ecological corridor system, bringing various socio-environmental benefits and ecosystem services (ESS) to the inhabitants and citizens, such as mitigation of air pollution, improvement of the microclimate, reduction of the phenomenon of runoff and flooding, increase of biodiversity, accessibility and environmental justice, improvement of social, physical and mental well-being and finally the growth of the aesthetic and economic value of the area. 

"With the final design approval of Via Turchia, the project takes shape and starts to its phase of competition and realization” explains the deputy Mayor for urban planning, environment and circular economy Valerio Barberis, "that of the buildings of Via Turchia is an innovative project that aims to use nature based on solutions as architectural key not only to improve the buildings and energy performance of the latter, but also as an occasion to improve the living conditions of its inhabitants".

"The Prato Urban Jungle project is a real opportunity to re-green the social housing of via Turchia” explains EPP President Marzia De Marzi “this allows us to create more sustainable places and give new spaces to the community, transforming marginal areas into real green hubs. As EPP we are already coordinating the next phase of the project i.e.: complete the tender procedures and entrust the works for which it is expected to be delivered by October 2022".

Prato Urban Jungle
Prato Urban Jungle is a participatory and innovative model that employs natural elements as active tools to promote a more sustainable urban environment, more comfortable and more attentive to the health of citizens. The project, funded with European funds of UIA Urban Innovative Actions for 3,7 million euros, sees the collaboration of the Municipality of Prato - leading subject - with numerous partner entities including: Stefano Boeri Architetti, Pnat (Society of multidisciplinary design co-founded by Stefano Mancuso), Legambiente Toscana, CNR IBE - Institute for the BioEconomy, Estra, greenApes and Treedom. Info: www.pratourbanjungle.it/.