On 11 November, Sassari’s municipal executive approved the design brief for the renewal of Corso Trinità and Via delle Muraglie. The €1,512,010 project aims to make it easier to follow the route along the medieval walls, which are still visible in this part of the historic centre. The brief sets out what architects and engineers will need to address when the city puts the design work out to tender.
One priority is to make both streets easier to use for pedestrians and people with disabilities. The brief calls for the historic paving to be kept wherever possible, with sections replaced only where necessary. On Corso Trinità, the existing concrete paving on the footpaths is due to be replaced with a more durable material.
The route will also have new lighting, benches, bins and features that provide shade. Signs and information panels will help visitors follow the route and explain the history of the streets. Parts of the medieval wall along Corso Trinità survived demolition in the nineteenth century, and coats of arms recall Sassari’s ties with Genoa dating back to 1294. Via delle Muraglie is lined with terraced houses built in the mid-nineteenth century.
The renewal of the two streets is the second project in the Sassari Città Regia programme, which also covers the area between Piazza Mercato and the Fontana di Rosello. The wider programme includes improvements to the terrace above the Mercato Civico and a separate project worth around €915,000 to restore and stabilise the towers, the Porta del Rosello and the surviving sections of the city walls.
Project lead Fabio Mura prepared the brief, which the municipal executive approved following a proposal by Massimo Rizzu, the councillor responsible for transport infrastructure. The next step is to select the professionals who will turn the brief into a detailed design. The approval covers the design stage, and a construction timetable has yet to be set.