Rebirth of the Velino: An Urban Regeneration Project in Rieti | 3rd Prize for the Proposal by Spazio Trasversale Architects.

Awarded the 3rd prize in the National competition for the redevelopment of the Velino River in Rieti, the proposal “Rebirth of the Velino” by Spazio Trasversale Architects reimagines neglected riverbanks in Rieti as a continuous public landscape. A pedestrian and cycling promenade links three areas—an open-air theatre and gardens, a riverfront square near the Roman Bridge, and a natural park—restoring access to the Velino. Rooted in the historic bond between city and river, the project creates inclusive spaces for culture, memory, and everyday life.

In the heart of Rieti, the Rebirth of the Velino project proposes the transformation of a long-neglected stretch of the Velino riverbanks into a new, continuous public landscape. The masterplan is organized into three main areas, connected by a pedestrian and cycling promenade that restores physical and visual access to the river and creates a new destination for residents and visitors.

Concept

The project starts from the historic, reciprocal relationship between the city and the river: Rieti has long depended on the Velino as a resource, while seasonal floods once reached the urban edge and, as the waters receded, left fertile soils and productive land. The intervention is set precisely within this threshold zone—this limes between the consolidated city and the fluvial landscape—conceived as a place where citizens and the river can meet again through public spaces linked to local identity, memory, and river life.

Symbolically, the river is imagined as extending toward the city: it draws people closer through a continuous route and, as it “withdraws,” it leaves traces—stories, opportunities, and new shared spaces—turning the riverbank into an active civic ground.

Three connected areas

1. Open-air theatre and gardens: a riverside performance space for concerts and events, surrounded by greenery, botanical gardens, parks, and quiet areas. Platforms and water features reinforce a dialogue between landscape and architecture.

2. Riverfront square: near the Roman Bridge, the project redesigns a central urban node as a two-level pedestrian platform. The upper level supports movement and crossing while framing key views; the lower level offers more intimate spaces for rest and for narrating local history within everyday urban life.

3. Natural park: a calmer landscape of gardens and riverbank spaces, designed for relaxation and water-oriented leisure, completed by continuous pedestrian and cycling routes.

Gardens of memory and call for artists

Along the promenade, small “gardens of memory” host temporary installations and public narratives: one dedicated to women’s independence in Rieti and their emancipation through work on the river; one to Saint Francis, featuring ceramic motifs inspired by Assisi and used as paving across all three areas; one linked to indigo production with contemporary art displays; and a community garden as a meeting place for residents.

Sustainability

The proposal emphasizes environmental and social sustainability, relying on local materials and low-impact construction to create an inclusive, accessible public space that strengthens Rieti’s natural and cultural heritage.

Physical Model

Facts & Credits
Title Rebirth of the Velino: An Urban Regeneration Project in Rieti
Typology National competition for the redevelopment of the Velino River in Rieti
Distinction 3rd award
Competition Organiser Province of Rieti, Italy
Year 2025
Architecture Team Spazio Trasversale Architects — Arch. Artemis Papakosta, Arch. Simone Damiani
Representative Arch. Paolo Lancia
Structural designer Eng. Daniele Rossetti
Renderings VEMA Studio — Arch. Luca Manca
Feasibility study Geom. Egidio Damiani
Geological report Geol. Roberto Seri
Junior professional Eng. Placido Malagrinò
Topographic survey Eng. Cristiano Giamogante
Text by the authors