The project for the transformation of the churchyard of Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie – currently a car park – is the regeneration of one of the last large open spaces in the historic centre in Modica, Sicily. An opportunity to improve the quality of the urban environment with a project that enhances the significance of the historic buildings that surround the area and to reconnect this important square with the rest of the town and its inhabitants.
This design takes a long-term and whole-system vision of a historic urban environment to cope with climate change. Cities, in fact, are complex ecosystems in which everything is interconnected. With a multidisciplinary strategic design, we can foresee how the resolution of negative aspects such as urban heat islands and the management of rainwater can also positively affect other problems of the city such as traffic management, green spaces and consequently on the health of citizens. and the success of cultural or economic activities.