Winning project
UNStudio van Berkel & Bos
Ponte Parodi
Genoa, Italy

UNStudio van Berkel & Bos wins prestigious public assignment in Genoa, Italy.

UNStudio has won the international competition 'Ponte Parodi and the city of Genoa'. The project concerns the restructuring of the 23.000 sq. meter harbour pier in Genoa. The other finalists were Foreign Office Architects (London), OMA en Stefano de Boeri (The Netherlands) and the Italian office of Giancarlo de Carlo.

The jury voted for UNStudio because in the design a strong link is made between the historical city and the program creating a public attractor for the inhabitants, tourists and students of Genoa.

Located on the pier 'Ponte Parodi', UNStudio has designed a 3-dimensional 'piazza sul mediterraneo' (square on the water). Located within the design are different public functions, such as sport facilities, exhibitions, terminal for cruise ships, cinemas, shops, cyber cafes, studio's, restaurants, an auditorium and offices. The 3-dimensional design continues in the roof and is designed as a park, sport fields, beaches and other public facilities. With its low-slung, undulating outlines the piazza leaves open the view of Genoa and its Alpine setting. The integral continuity of the design intends to bring the liveliness of the city to the waterfront. It presents itself as the central link in the chain of events of the city and the Port Plan.

UNStudio stands for United Net Studio a 1998 offshoot of Van Berkel & Bos Architectuurbureau in Amsterdam, Netherlands. UNStudio is a network of specialists in architecture, urban development and infrastructure.
Principals: Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos.