Piazza Matteotti Public Gardens Revitalization by Pool Landscape

The revitalization of the Piazza Matteotti Public Gardens in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy, presents a thoughtful reimagining of a beloved urban space whose original early-1900s character had gradually faded through decades of fragmented interventions. Designed by Pool Landscape, the project restores architectural clarity, spatial hierarchy, and ecological coherence, transforming one of the town’s most iconic terraces overlooking the Val di Chiana into a welcoming, vibrant civic destination.

Reconnecting the Historic Garden to its Landscape Heritage

The architects approached the project as an opportunity to recover the garden’s cultural identity while meeting contemporary expectations for comfort, accessibility, and environmental resilience. Situated at the gateway to the historic center, the gardens now serve as a refined urban threshold, strengthening the relationship between the town’s architectural fabric and the surrounding Tuscan landscape.

A new masterplan reorganizes the entire 3,200-square-meter site with a clear and balanced spatial logic. Vegetation once again becomes the defining element of the composition, reinstating the botanical richness that originally characterized the gardens. The design re-establishes a strong contrast between the “solids” of the dense, sculpted shrub beds and the “voids” of the central open areas: calm, shaded pockets for rest, gathering, and social interaction beneath the existing mature trees.

Simplified Geometry and Modern Material Strategy

Pool Landscape emphasizes a clean, legible geometry throughout the site, enhancing usability while preserving the garden’s historic atmosphere. A new draining pavement supports inclusive, barrier-free circulation and improves environmental performance by increasing permeability and reducing heat accumulation. This updated surface subtly unifies the pathways, small plazas, and rest zones, offering users a smoother and more comfortable experience.

Architectural elements: including seating, borders, and structural features, are crafted with a controlled and thoughtful selection of materials that merge durability with visual harmony. The result is a cohesive language that allows contemporary interventions to coexist respectfully with the site’s historical context.

A 1930s Garden Typology Reinterpreted for Today

The design echoes the structure of the 1930s garden layout while translating it into a fresh, modern framework. Pathways are distilled into clear hierarchies, connecting a sequence of “little squares” and shaded spaces that encourage slow, contemplative movement through the landscape. This reinterpretation preserves the spirit of the original design while making it relevant for today’s urban life.

All photographs are works of Alessandra Bello, Marco Frappi