Bagnoli Competition - Hope Park

In the south-west of Naples, hidden behind the hill of Posillipo, is the district of Bagnoli. Its name, which comes from the Latin balneolis (small bath), refers to the natural hot springs that still exist on the slopes of Mount Agnano. It is possible to imagine it in its remote past: an enclave of natural beauty, rest and pleasure, where the warmth of the earth and the freshness of the sea brought wellness and joy. The Grotto of Seiona connects to the ancient imperial palace of Posilypum, in the beautiful bay of Trentarmeni: the casual walker unexpectedly lands, astonished and blissful, at that exact spot where nature meets the simple majesty of Roman architecture.
But recent history has been too harsh on this once paradisiacal spot. The ambitious blindness of the industrial era saw in the enclave a purely economic value and turned Bagnoli into one of the main poles of the steel industry in southern Italy. Hard, rough concrete obscured the natural beauty. The chimneys hid the sky and the line of volcanoes. A massive, indifferent harbour replaced the beach and separated the town from the sea. The brutality of concrete also sheltered the brutality of hearts: in the 1930s, an imposing building was constructed in Bagnoli to house the Ministry of War. It was then occupied by the Fascist youth and later by Nazi NCOs. Bagnoli saw the arrival of the Allied forces in Southern Italy, and the same complex took in thousands of poor refugees from Eastern Europe. The height of the tragedy came when many of them were forcibly repatriated by the Allies, back into the hands of the Soviet government to suffer in the gulags or be executed. In the words of the poet Guido Ceronetti: “Bagnoli was destroyed; an empire, one of many, of pure matter and pure power”.
But the landscape is still there, with its sea and its volcanoes. And the people are still there, in need of beauty and joy. It is necessary to break away from the bitter crust with which the 20th century covered the place. It is not a question of erasing or turning back the clock, but of encouraging life, natural and human, to break through like a root breaking through concrete. It is necessary to reconnect people with their place: to give them back access to the saltwater of the Tyrrhenian, to give them back the green and gold of their cliffs. Let them reoccupy the wastelands, amidst the rubble and rust, to lead healthy, happy and dignified lives. May Bagnoli once again become a real lung for Naples: a refuge, a haven for families, lovers and solitary strollers.
For all these reasons, we propose a total revitalization and re-dignification of the site, returning it to the community after the abandonment of the heavy steel industry nearly 30 years ago: This includes renovating the waterfront to transform it into a beach capable of welcoming the families of Bagnoli and the entire Naples community and a beautiful green park, with plenty of shade to shield from the summer sun, inviting people to walk through the landscape on pleasant, meditative routes. Additionally, we aim to connect the neighborhood with a new metro station.
Along the routes, the massive and imposing remains of the industrial past will not be obliterated (because, again, it is a question of moving into the future without suppressing the past): the chimneys and other landmarks will remain standing, as a place of memory and learning. But now they will be incorporated into the park, dotted with vegetation and placed within easy reach. In this way, in more ways than one, Bagnoli will look like the future itself: a future in which human civilization moves forward carefully and gently, learning from its own mistakes and limits, favoring the access of life in every available crevice. Bagnoli will thus be a place of hope.