Design Precedent - Parco Dora, Turin, Italy

This precedent has been chosen due to similarities shared with the site on Alney Island, spatially defined by the river Dora and characterised by an industrial past. Designed by Latz+Partner, the urban park has varied amenity areas for walking, cycling, skating and other sporting throughout the park. Notably, it repurposes an old strip steel mill into a covered event space, transforming the post-industrial landscape into one that is multi-use for local residents. Similarly, there is a potential opportunity in Alney Island to repurpose the Electricity Sub Station building into a unique post-industrial event space.

The inclusion of street art in this urban park serves as a colourful remedy for the potential eyesores stemming from existing industrial features. Alney Island shares a parallel challenge with a few particularly unwelcoming road underpasses that could be improved through thoughtfully curated street art. This design approach will narrate the island's stories, myths, and its trajectory through time, aligning with the theme 'The Tides of Time.’

It is helpful to see how Landscape Designers have approached a similar project, particularly highlighting significant industrial features as landmarks within the urban park offers inspiration. This concept could be considered for Alney Island's electricity pylons, which, while not inherently aesthetic, possess a unique visual impact owing to their monumental scale. Integrating them into a contrasting environment that showcases nature reclaiming its space could unveil a captivating juxtaposition, turning these elements into points of visual interest.