Boschetto horizontale – Potenza

Il Boschetto Orizzontale – Potenza

Il Boschetto Orizzontale is a low-cost public garden project designed and built together with the residents of Potenza. It is rooted in a collective approach to public space-making, based on frugality, rapid implementation and the activation of everyday uses.

The site is a neglected urban space located below street level, adjacent to a sports field. Poorly visible, enclosed and shaded, it had long been ignored by local residents. The project set out to reactivate this forgotten place through a one-week construction process, radically transforming its atmosphere and perception.

The intervention relies on simple and effective design gestures. A white gravel surface was introduced to increase brightness and improve the spatial legibility of the site. A series of terraces were built to structure the changes in level, provide seating and create places to stop and gather. Plantings of small fruit trees, aromatic plants and hardy vegetation contribute to restoring attractiveness and encouraging new uses, from gardening to informal social activities.

Developed as part of Matera 2019 – European Capital of Culture, with the support of UILP, Il Boschetto Orizzontale demonstrates how light, collective interventions can quickly transform overlooked urban spaces into lively, shared places.

With thanks to Antonio Santandrea, Serena Notarangelo, Vincenzo Tortorelli and the entire squadra.