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PROJECT CONCEPT, 2020
The proposal to regenerate the former “Fiumaretta” power station complex is part of the Civitavecchia Port tourist hub heritage promotion programme, which is supported by the local council as a way of streamlining resources. At the heart of the project is a building, in the port area, for commercial space and a service centre to welcome visitors. It is designed to be a multipurpose complex to rebuild the urban community, giving the entire area more facilities, and boosting how it looks – an epicentre built to be a landmark and act as a catalyst for development projects in the entire surrounding area.
The Wave makes sustainability a key theme in the relationship between visitors and architecture: the whole project has been developed around the criteria of light absorption, accessibility to green areas, air purification, and the use of cutting edge temperature and energy-control solutions. The relationship between the built and the natural environment is balanced through a functional and active – and not merely decorative – solution. Continuous glass walls encourage the filtration of light, which is exploited to the full by the architecture. Meanwhile, the greenery typical of the coast’s natural vegetation not only surrounds the building but takes over its interior spaces and roof.
The Wave meets LEED Platinum status thanks to its use of the latest energy-saving technologies.
The building employs an elongated L-shaped layout, which allows it to optimise the use of the ground it occupies and the interior spaces. The irregular, smooth wave-shaped roof brings out the relationship with the sea, an integral part of the whole project. Vertical glass facades lend transparency and lightness to the whole structure. The Wave is built over three levels. The first floor is for commercial space – spread out along a large gallery of around 15 m – and houses the Port Authority offices and services for visitors and passengers. The raised floor is home to the hospitability area with access to terraces, where visitors can enjoy views over the sea and the surrounding area. The underground floor is for parking – and, at over five metres high, it is suitable for all vehicle types, including coaches. A further parking area is planned for the external area to the rear of the building.
