Italy’s National Association Of Nursery Stock Exporters (ANVE) and the Association of Italian nursery stock growers (AVI) today announced that the Parco della Pace in Vicenza is among the outstanding landscape projects vying for the Green Cities Europe Award 2024. Vicenza’s participation is the fruit of the collaboration between ANVE and AVI announced at this year’s Myplant show in Milan.
The coveted Green Cities Europe Award, involving 10 countries, celebrates the most innovative and sustainable urban green projects, selecting each year a national project that stands out for its environmental impact, social cohesion, and the well-being of citizens. The award ceremony will take place at the 2025 IPM Essen show on 29 January 2025.
The jury describes the Parco della Pace as a great work of landscape and environmental redevelopment and enhancement in which water, vegetation and fauna have found continuous reciprocal connections.
The park is located on the outskirts of Vicenza, the city of Palladio, which is set in a highly industrialised and urbanised area.
It is located in the area of the former airport and covers an area of 650,000 square metres. It is a work of urban regeneration realised with Nature with the aim of creating an ‘ecological machine’ that provides ecosystem services on an urban and territorial level. Within it, an innovative union of engineering, environmental, cultural, social and aesthetic components is realised, offering visitors an extended experience of contemplation, use and knowledge of nature and its dynamics in an urban context. The park has been designed by adopting innovative solutions in the field of sustainability with the aim of becoming a paradigm of the park of the future: an example for the regeneration of European cities realised with nature.
The park is divided into numerous spaces that host various permanent or temporary functions. It is characterized as a place dedicated to leisure, walking, sports, music, gatherings and socializing, culture, education, and the promotion of peace.
The main entrance, or “East Gate” is a large covered square created from a former hangar, useful for events of all kinds, with a refreshment and reception area. Around it, also housed in the airport facilities, there are a museum dedicated to aeronautics, a multipurpose space for contemporary art, the Park House, and spaces for associations.
The large lawns and paved internal squares host recreational activities (model airplane flying, kite flying, skating, events, etc.). A terrace overlooking the lake is an ideal spot for hosting shows and concerts. The former airport runway is equipped for large events.
The park also includes an area for horticultural cultivation, large lawns, and spaces equipped for individual or team sports (basketball, volleyball, soccer, and rugby). The “kilometer” canal hosts canoeing activities.
The project has fully preserved the existing structures, enhancing the historical significance of the site.
The primary objective of the park project is to increase the area’s biodiversity, particularly through the extensive and varied water network, which richly intersects the different habitats.
Various types of vegetation and areas (different types of grasslands, wet meadows, areas with hygrophilous and mesophilous forests) ensure highly diverse habitats. The “wet meadows,” small water-covered plains, are environments of great natural and ecological value, now particularly rare in lowland areas and even containing species that have become extinct in the region.
The efficient management of water resources, combined with the creation of new wet ecosystems, goes beyond mere urban drainage: it actually creates new living spaces for rich animal and plant biodiversity. Thanks to this water network, local wildlife has rapidly repopulated, including not only birds associated with aquatic environments but also other bird species, amphibians, fish, molluscs, insects, and small mammals.
Birds, in particular, have fully taken advantage of the opportunities offered by the park: the red poles used to mark forestation areas have become excellent perches and observation points for herons, cormorants, and egrets. Coots and bee-eaters nest in the ponds, and the black-winged stilt is a constant presence.
The gradual realization of the works has allowed for the creation of a continuously evolving landscape, where water, vegetation, and wildlife have found ongoing mutual connection
Designed by Studio Pan, Parco della Pace is characterized by its focus on sustainability and social inclusion. With its vast green spaces, recreational areas, and facilities dedicated to sports and culture, the park serves as a model of biodiversity and innovation. This urban space is designed to foster a connection between citizens and the environment, offering integrated solutions for the management of natural resources and the enhancement of cultural heritage.
The nomination has been officially submitted to the European Nurserystock Association (ENA), which organises the award.
“Parco della Pace, once an airport, is a striking example of the redevelopment and reuse of disused spaces. It shows how the integration of urban greenery can not only improve the quality of life but also promote social cohesion and encourage respect for the environment,” said ANVE President, Luigi Pagliani. “We are honored to represent Italy with a project of such significance and hope it can inspire many other similar initiatives.”
AVI President Alessandro Michelucci added, “This nomination reflects our commitment to a greener and more sustainable future, promoting models of urban development that respect and value the territory. We are confident that Parco della Pace will be appreciated for its landscape, environmental, and cultural value, a testament to Italian excellence in the sector.”
