Ancient Port

buildings

The Porto Antico area is recovered for urban uses, in direct connection with the historic centre. The lighting is faithful to these two new functions. "White" light sources are chosen to contrast with the "yellow" ones, which are more port-like. The light centers are located in different points: the light is at the service of the city and its needs

Year

1992

Location

Genoa – Italy

Client/Collaborator

Renzo Piano Building Workshop

On the occasion of the celebrations for the fifth centenary of Christopher Columbus' feat, the city of Genoa recovers the area of the Old Port for urban uses, connecting it directly to the historic center. Many areas are freed from the disorderly clutter of constructions stratified in the last century and the existing architectural complexes are recovered and enhanced: the walls, Porta Siberia, the nucleus of the 17th century Free Port, the Cotton warehouses, the Old Customs. The Aquarium is built, the Big Bigo, a symbolic element of the new area which supports the tensile structure covering the new Piazza delle Feste and which contains a panoramic lift, and the exhibition space of the ship "Italia" is also set up.
The lighting of the area was designed keeping in mind the dual nature of the place recovered from the city and directly connected to the historic center without betraying its memory as a "port factory". To underline the new destination to which this area belongs, "white" light sources ( mercury vapor, halogens with dichroic reflector ) are chosen to stand out from the surrounding port areas characterized by the "yellow" color of sodium vapor sources. Furthermore, the maximum possible fragmentation of the light centers was chosen to obtain lighting solutions dedicated to each different situation and rather small lighting bodies to underline the urban aspect of the area ( in contrast to the port squares generally illuminated with light towers ).

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