Waterfront regeneration in front of heritage protection: challenges and opportunities in Catania waterfront

Abstract

Catania waterfront identity is based on spatial relationships between the “Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto” UNESCO site and the infrastructures – rail and harbour – that are in front of the XVI century city wall. Many realised and ongoing regeneration projects in this area (will) have impacts on cultural heritage. Protecting the cultural heritage will be critical to the promotion of a sense of identity and it should be a part of a further development that balances transformations with heritage protection. Like in some realised projects – “Le Ciminiere” expo centre and Old Customs building restoration – this will be relevant in “Archi della Marina” viaduct ongoing regeneration project. This is the focus in Catania case study of the ESPON targeted research “ENSURE - European Sustainable Urbanisation through port city Regeneration”. The research has analysed the ongoing transformations in Catania historical waterfront, inspiring some solutions for regeneration project, based on a good practice framework drafted by the research group (RAMBOLL sa, School of Geography at University College Dublin, Department of Architecture at University of Palermo)