Pavia 2050 | Nature and People Positive

Pavia’s identity has always been closely linked to water and to the environmental systems shaped by it. Building on this relationship, LAND developed a Strategic Landscape Masterplan to support the general variation of the city’s PGT and guide future transformations towards a greener, more resilient and interconnected urban model.

The vision brings together blue and green infrastructure, cultural heritage, innovation and healthcare hubs, the agricultural landscape and slow mobility within one coherent framework. Pavia is interpreted through three complementary dimensions – City of Water, Dynamic City and City of Excellence – connecting nature, production, culture and urban quality as part of a long-term strategy for the city.

At the territorial scale, the Masterplan strengthens the relationship between the Ticino and Vernavola river systems, the historic centre and the surrounding agricultural landscape. A system of green rings, ecological corridors, tree-lined “green rays”, new woodland areas and city–countryside routes creates new connections across the urban fabric, while Nature-Based Solutions are integrated into streets and public spaces.

Alongside the spatial strategy, Natural Capital Accounting provides a measurable framework to assess the ecosystem services generated by the proposed interventions. The project scenario evaluates benefits including carbon sequestration, oxygen production, pollutant and ozone removal, avoided surface runoff and increased tree-canopy cover, supporting a landscape vision in which environmental performance becomes an integral part of urban planning.