Urban regeneration is often measured through physical transformation, new functions, or economic investment. Yet the long-term success of regeneration projects depends equally on their capacity to reconnect people with places, rebuild identity, and support new forms of collective life. This project explored these broader dimensions within the context of a former industrial site in Pietra Ligure.

The study focused on understanding how future users might perceive, interpret, and inhabit the regenerated environment. Particular attention was devoted to the relationship between memory, place identity, accessibility, and public life, recognising that former industrial landscapes often carry both symbolic and social significance for local communities.

The project developed a series of strategic guidelines aimed at supporting future transformation processes. These recommendations addressed public space, pedestrian connections, landscape systems, and opportunities for community engagement, seeking to create an environment capable of accommodating diverse forms of use while maintaining a strong sense of character.

By integrating insights from neuroscience and environmental psychology into urban design strategies, the project proposed a human-centred approach to regeneration. The resulting framework emphasised the importance of experience, belonging, and social interaction as fundamental components of successful urban transformation.

Works List

Year: 2021
Location: Pietra Ligure
Service: Neuro Brief
Status: in design
Size: 200.000 mq