PADIGLIONE NEL PARCO
The construction of the new pavilion is part of a larger urban project to reclaim and enhance a large green space called PARCOBROLO, which extends to the southern part of the town of Bonate Sotto in the Villa district, covering an area of over 30,000 square meters. This large orchard (brolo) has survived over time, untouched by the expansion of the surrounding buildings.
The term brolo is closely linked to the history of the Lombard landscape and refers to a protected space enclosed by a wall. The broli system constitutes a true settlement principle, a way of constructing that portion of land between the densely built-up areas of towns and the open countryside, characterized by the presence of valuable crops (vegetable gardens, orchards, vines, and prized trees) that therefore needed to be protected and cared for. The edges of the brolo border the gardens of the villas and the courtyards of the farmhouses in the surrounding area.
The redevelopment project focuses on transforming the large orchard from a closed and exclusive space into an urban park, through the redesign of the large green space that will eventually be fully accessible to the entire community.
The project involved three main steps:
- The restoration and consolidation of the walled enclosure that defines its boundary with the surrounding buildings, also introducing new access and connection thresholds.
- The redesign of the internal terrain, with a network of dirt paths and green spaces designated for the park's various thematic areas, including the planting of new trees.
- The construction of a pavilion serving the park.
The new pavilion is located on the western edge of the large empty space, near the entrance on Via Villa, the main entrance to the park. From a general view, the pavilion occupies a central position that guarantees a complete view of the entire park and vice versa. The pavilion consists of a simple, linear rectangular structure 30 meters long and 7.6 meters wide, divided into a succession of single-story spaces facing east toward the large empty space of the park and west toward the tree-lined square bordering the houses of the hamlet of Villa. The north and south ends overlook the park, with generous porticoes protecting the opposing entrances. Architecturally, the pavilion is defined by a large gabled roof set at the same height as the park's perimeter wall. The design draws inspiration from the "caselli," small structures built by farmers to service their cultivated lands, often composed partly of masonry and partly of sheet metal. The load-bearing structure of the new pavilion is made of galvanized steel sections arranged in a modular grid measuring 2.40 x 2.40 meters, resting on a reinforced concrete slab slightly raised from the ground. The envelope, constructed entirely dry, alternates opaque and transparent sections asymmetrically on the two long sides to create alternating views and glimpses of the surrounding park. The entire volume (walls and roof) is clad in black corrugated sheet metal. The internal walls are finished with plaster. The floors of the interior spaces and porticoes are polished concrete.
