Piombino Waterfront

The Port of Piombino project starts from the analysis of data on presences and use of the port complex; during the analysis phase, the project objectives were established, the main one being the growth and development of the port hub's potential with regards to tourism, production and commercial activities relating to the nautical supply chain. With the new interventions of the Waterfront project which concern landscape mitigation on the outer piers, the new pilots tower and the redevelopment of the maritime station, the port completes and expands its range of services.

 

This is in the belief that Piombino can develop the vocation and potential in this sector, proposing itself as a hub and service point for the Tuscan archipelago. The project is divided into three main parts: The Maritime Station, the Pilots Tower, the Piers. The project of the new Maritime Station is one of the focal points, as it also made it possible to carry out a redevelopment of the entire complex that houses the headquarters of the Port Authority. The project focused on the reorganization of the external space, the architectural redevelopment of the Maritime Station and the functional redevelopment of the accesses and paths. The idea of ​​the project is that of an "architectural promenade", capable of creating a rhythmic perception of the external space according to a logic of vertical and horizontal sequences that connect the existing spaces. A series of open and covered spaces capable of enhancing the external space of the maritime station, with the aim of creating an external vertical and horizontal covering skin that allows:

 • better liveability of outdoor spaces;

• increases the architectural dimension of the building;

• transforms external space into an urban continuum;

• allows the integration of other architectural elements such as the tower, the terrace and the hill.

 

These successions of vertical and horizontal sequences also represent elements of mitigation from direct solar radiation, of electricity production, improve the reception space and management of passenger flows, create a visual and architectural compositional relationship with the pier, the sea, the hill and the sky.

The redevelopment of the maritime station involves the construction of 13 glass shelters approximately 18 meters high which expand the covered area, integrating the external spaces, for a total surface area of ​​6140 square metres. These elements contribute to the sustainability of the project thanks to their coverage with glass containing photovoltaic cells, compensating the building's energy consumption with solar energy. The maritime station will be equipped with a photovoltaic system with a total production of 896,677.6 kWh/year.

 

The Pilots tower, the focal point of the project, is inspired by Tuscan watchtowers, with a structure that will host port services, a museum and a space open to the public. The tower features an external skin designed to exploit the reverberation effect of light from the sea, creating a new coastal landmark. The project includes the installation of a photovoltaic solar system on the west facade of the tower (at least 14 kWp) and on the canopies of the Maritime Station (at least 43 kWp) to offset energy consumption with renewable sources. Insulating materials with high thermal performance are used to reduce energy dispersion and comply with current regulations.

 

In the port regeneration system, the construction of a new pier approximately 1260 meters long in the northern part is planned, defining a new port basin protected by a breakwater. The project aims to visually extend the natural coast above the two new dams, integrating vertical steel elements that mitigate the visual impact of the industrial buildings on the platform. The theme of energy is central to the pier project, with over a thousand vertical tubular-conical elements that reduce energy consumption, creating a semi-transparent backdrop and integrating photovoltaic panels at the base of each element.