La Piazza di Olivastri | Davide Andracco

In the heart of the Imperia valley, the village of Olivastri has rediscovered its collective identity through an urban regeneration project that transforms a once-anonymous parking lot into a welcoming pedestrian square rich in meaning. The design draws deeply from the local olive-growing tradition, reinterpreting symbolic elements such as olives and the nets used for harvesting through a geometric composition that, while structured, evokes the irregular, flowing movement of nets swaying between branches.

The paving, the visual and sensory centerpiece of the space, is made with high-quality local materials: natural stone, granite aggregates, and river pebbles that recall the shapes and colors of the surrounding landscape. The interplay of textures and tones creates subtle chiaroscuro effects that shift with the daylight, blending seamlessly into the historic and natural context.

 The project emphasizes flexibility and restraint: no new benches were added to the center, only seating along the perimeter and a large circular stone—once elevated and hidden—now lowered and repurposed as both a convivial seat and sculptural feature. Every element is designed to harmonize with the setting, avoiding foreign architectural languages and instead celebrating the authentic soul of the place.

 Today, the square has become a vibrant gathering place for all generations—a living space where memory, material, and landscape engage in a timeless dialogue. Like a centuries-old olive tree, it sinks its roots into the past while gracefully and confidently looking toward the future.