Piazza Domenico Fontana, Melide

A new, flowing green framework transforms previously underused open spaces into a connected and legible public realm. A sinuous, accessible pedestrian path weaves through the landscape, linking areas for recreation, gathering and everyday activities. Existing amenities, including the playground and seating areas, are retained and integrated into a safer, more inclusive and welcoming environment for people of all ages. Together with the wider reorganisation of parking and connections, the project aims to make the journey between the historic centre and the lakeside more fluid and inviting.

Nature becomes an essential part of the square’s infrastructure. Permeable paving supports the infiltration of rainwater, while new trees provide shade and help improve the local microclimate. Planted islands and a diverse palette of trees and herbaceous vegetation introduce rhythm, colour and seasonal change along the path, creating a landscape that evolves throughout the year.

Different types of lawn respond to both social and ecological needs. Robust, walkable grass areas accommodate everyday use, while flowering meadows, managed through selective mowing, provide habitats for pollinators and enrich local biodiversity. This interplay between accessible open space and more naturalised planting creates a varied landscape that supports recreation while strengthening the area’s ecological performance and resilience to climate change.

A practical expression of LAND’s Let’s Break It Up approach, the project reconnects fragmented open spaces through a continuous landscape system that brings ecological processes into everyday urban life. Here, landscape is more than a green addition: it becomes the connective tissue between the historic centre, the lakeside and the community.