CRESCENDO - A LEARNING GARDEN (project approved)
After a year of collaboration with the municipality, residents, teachers, educators, and parents, the proposal has now been approved by the City Council.
After deliberation, the funding request for the construction of the Geissberg Children’s Center will be submitted to voters for approval. If accepted, the next steps will include further development of the construction project, submission of the building application, and tendering of the works. The children’s center is scheduled to open for the 2029/30 school year.
Design team:
Masson Tarsoly Architects + Marceline Ruckstuhl Architektur GmbH, Renna Studio and Chaves Biedermann Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH
THE COOLING GARDEN
Finalist in the @concentricofestival 2026 in the Urban ecologies category.
The project draws inspiration from a historical environmental design system first developed in Arab cultures and later reinterpreted in Sicily: the Pantesco Garden. This ancestral device was conceived to naturally cool outdoor spaces, creating sheltered microclimates capable of sustaining vegetation during periods of extreme summer heat. Traditionally built with thick circular stone walls, the garden was able to lower internal temperatures, protect plants from hot desert winds, retain humidity, and generate shade at different moments of the day. Within these protected enclosures, a single tree could survive for months without irrigation, benefiting from the remarkable thermal mass of the stones, the slow release of moisture, and the carefully calibrated geometry of the enclosure, which together built a delicate but efficient climatic balance.
Our proposal reinterprets this ingenious passive system through a contemporary architectural language and intentionally positions it as an active climate agent within the urban landscape. Instead of masonry, the new structure is composed of a robust wooden framework wrapped with perforated panels. Between the external skin and the inner face, the cavity of the wall is filled with layered stones of different sizes. This composite envelope absorbs heat during the day, stores it, and releases it gradually, moderating temperature fluctuations, increasing thermal inertia, and filtering the natural movement of air. At the same time, the stones also become an ecological device: their interstitial voids create small shelters for insects, microorganisms, and urban biodiversity, offering refuge, protection, and stable microhabitats within the city.
Design team
Angelo Renna, Julie Wolters
ABOUT OUR STUDIO
The studio is set inside a former 1950s butcher shop, located in a historic building in the city center of Prato. The transformation was carried out with full respect for the site’s historical identity, stripping the space of all layers added over time and favoring a conservative and sustainable approach that enhances the memory of the place through the mindful reuse of its original elements.
The characteristic features of the former butcher shop were preserved and integrated into the new layout: mosaic and ceramic tile wall coverings, the original cold-room doors, Carrara marble thresholds, and the metal beams once used to hang meat. These elements, beyond their strong identity value, are high-quality materials that retain aesthetic and functional relevance, avoiding the waste associated with their removal and promoting an ecologically responsible logic of reuse.
A key component of the intervention is the introduction of indoor plants (40 specimens of 23 different species) which occupy roughly 8% of the overall volume of the space. The vegetation serves a dual function: it creates a visual and climatic buffer towards the street, improving indoor comfort, and it contributes to acoustic well-being thanks to its sound-absorbing properties, making the space more welcoming and quieter.
The new furnishings have been introduced with sobriety and discretion: wooden tables, chairs, and shelving—often second-hand—blend harmoniously with the existing context, enhancing its character without overwhelming it. The choice of natural materials and the use of circular-economy principles further reinforce the project’s sustainable approach.
photography @carlotta.disandro
last image: Via Firenzuola, Prato, Italia, 1964 - Archivio Storico
PALAZZO BOCCA TREZZA
The garden of Palazzo Bocca Trezza is an essential part of one of Verona’s most significant Renaissance complexes. Historically rich in cypresses, citrus trees and geometric parterre, it once formed a strong unity with the palace. Over the centuries, however, transformations, war damage and the loss of many trees—especially after the storms of 2020—have weakened its identity. Today the garden shows signs of decay: worn paths, damaged walls, neglected vegetation and a non-functioning fountain.
A restoration project approved by the Municipality and the Superintendency aims to recover both the historical value and the social role of this space. The design restores the Renaissance-inspired geometry through a simple ground layout and preserves existing trees while introducing new native species. Paths in gravel and compacted earth improve permeability, reduce maintenance and provide safer, softer surfaces. Rainwater will be collected for irrigation, and lawns will be planted with resilient grass mixes that require far less water.
To support flexible public use, fixed furnishings will be removed and replaced with movable metal chairs, inspired by Parisian gardens. Educational gardens and areas for medicinal plants may be hosted within the parterre, managed by local associations. Lighting will be discreet, with low-impact fixtures along the perimeter. The historic fountain will be restored, and the Neptune statue will be reinstalled above the water basin.
The intervention reconnects palace and garden, creating a fully accessible, barrier-free space that can be crossed from north to south, offering a safe pedestrian alternative to the narrow surrounding streets. The renewed garden will once again serve as a civic and cultural hub for the Veronetta community.
In collaboration with:
Sinergo Spa
AcME Studio
Lorenzo Jurina
R.O.M.A. Consorzio
Sinthesi
Elisa Sirombo
Matteo Collareda
Angelo Merluzzi
MONKEY FACTOR — ANIMAUX DANS LA VILLE
Originally developed in 2018 as a research project and publication, Monkey Factor brings together drawings and stories that explore new strategies of coexistence between humans and animals, envisioning a less anthropocentric metropolis. These works are now part of the exhibition “Animaux dans la Ville” at Fondation Cartier (@fondationcartier ).
The drawings were created following a conversation with @andrea_branzi about his concept (developed with Stefano Boeri @stefano_boeri in 2008) concerning the possibility of inserting free animals into the city of Paris.
“The presence of free animals within urban territories creates a sort of reduction of stress — like elastomers inserted in an accelerated mechanism — which increases the system’s level of unpredictability and forces it to slow its pace.”
— Extract from an interview with A. Branzi, 2017.
“Il Giardino dei Semplici: un archivio vivente” è tra i progetti selezionati per la IV Edizione della Biennale di Architettura di Pisa che inaugurerà questo Venerdì 10 ottobre. 🌱
A Firenze, il Giardino dei Semplici offre un modello secolare di come natura, cura e cultura si intreccino nello spazio architettonico. Fondato nel 1545 da Cosimo I de’ Medici, è uno dei giardini botanici più antichi d’Europa. Il termine “semplici” si riferisce alle piante medicinali – rimedi naturali studiati e coltivati per secoli come parte del sapere medico e botanico.
Il giardino fu progettato da Niccolò Pericoli (detto Il Tribolo) e curato da Luca Ghini, pioniere della botanica moderna. Servì come laboratorio vivente per l’Università di Firenze, coltivando migliaia di specie vegetali usate per la cura, l’insegnamento e la ricerca scientifica.
Oggi, il Giardino dei Semplici continua a prosperare come parte del Museo di Storia Naturale della città. Rimane un santuario di biodiversità, un luogo di apprendimento e un sottile promemoria che la natura è sempre stata parte integrante della vita umana – anche all’interno delle geometrie strutturate di città e istituzioni.
Questo giardino non è solo un reperto storico: è un esempio precoce di paesaggio interiore – uno spazio progettato, chiuso e coltivato in cui la natura viene deliberatamente introdotta negli ambienti umani per la riflessione, la cura e la conoscenza.
Testi e ricerca: @renna.studio
CHAM SCHOOL – A LEARNING GARDEN
3rd prize in the competition for the school complex in Cham, Switzerland! The landscape strategy for the new school revolves around the concept of establishing a “learning garden” — a space designed to foster human connections and facilitate learning processes.
The design begins with the landscape: a place where nature and city meet, offering the chance to transform outdoor spaces into living classrooms. Our vision was to create an environment where children don’t just study indoors, but learn directly from the world around them — in gardens, shared spaces, and fields that invite play, collaboration, and discovery.
By weaving together biodiversity, sustainability, and pedagogy, the project turns the campus into a dynamic ecosystem. Rain gardens manage water naturally, urban gardens invite hands-on learning, and the “Learning Garden” becomes an open-air classroom where students explore botany, nutrition, ecology, and climate in real time.
More than a schoolyard, it’s a place where nature and education grow together — enriching the daily life of both students and the wider community.
In collaboration with:
Architects: Alessandro Zotta Architektur,
Structure: CSD Ingenieure AG, Bern
Images: Giorgio Notari
TERRENO RIVERGARO – THE RED GARDEN
The project is set within the unique landscape of the River Trebbia, characterized by its undulating terrain shaped over centuries of natural processes and human interventions. The design preserves the existing topography and mature trees, enhancing the site with a network of low-impact gravel paths that gently weave through the area and improve connectivity. New plantings of red oak and acer introduce seasonal variety, with warm red and orange tones in autumn enriching the visual experience. At the heart of the site, a circular bench offers a shared space for meeting, rest, and contemplation, reinforcing the project’s aim to blend ecological sensitivity with community use.
Design team:
Angelo Renna, Apurva Baldawa, Alessio Santuososso
PINETA DVX - THE FOREST OF LOVE
Located on Mount Giano in the province of Rieti, the Pineta Dux is made up of over 20,000 pines, planted over about 8 hectares in a formation that spells out the word “DVX” (the Latin form of “DUCE”). The letters, approximately 190 meters tall and 415 meters wide, are visible from dozens of kilometers away and, on clear days, even from Rome. It is one of the largest arboreal inscriptions in the world.
In 2017, a large fire severely damaged the pine forest, particularly destroying the letters “U” and “X”. The following year, around 200 volunteers from the CasaPound movement took part in restoring the inscription, planting 1,000 new pines.
The presence of the inscription has sparked heated debate over time. Some call for its removal due to its explicit connection with fascism, while others see it as an integral part of the landscape and local historical memory. From this debate comes the idea for an artistic and landscape proposal intended to stimulate critical reflection on history — not to deny or erase it, but to reinterpret it. This is not an act of “cancel culture,” but an attempt at symbolic transformation that preserves — and ideally enhances — the environmental value of the site, converting it into a contemporary monument and a warning for future generations.
(The Proposal)
The proposal involves planting a new row of 2,000prunustrees of various species (including spinosa, mahaleb, and avium), typical trees of the Apennines, known for their intense spring blossoms in shades ranging from white to pink.
The new trees would form a sinuous line, almost like a floral scribble, weaving through the empty spaces left by the pines. In the more open lower area, the prunus trees would be arranged to form the shape of a heart — a symbol of a loving gesture rooted in a place marked by history.
A land art installation with a strong emotional and symbolic impact, aimed at regenerating both the landscape and the meaning of the site itself. Not an erasure, but a conscious and critical stance toward the past.
Design team:
Angelo Renna
Iris Istrella
Ryusei Koike
REDISCOVERING THE GIARDINO DEI SEMPLICI – BIENNALE ARCHITETTURA DI PISA 2025
In collaboration with Carlotta Di Sandro
Our research on the Giardino dei Semplici has been selected through the Biennale di Pisa’s open call to participate in its VI Edition, dedicated to the theme of Nature.
In Florence, the Giardino dei Semplici offers a centuries-old model of how nature, healing, and culture intertwine within architectural space. Founded in 1545 by Cosimo I de’ Medici, it is one of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe. The term “semplici” refers to medicinal plants—natural remedies studied and cultivated for centuries as part of medical and botanical knowledge.
The garden was designed by Niccolò Pericoli (known as Il Tribolo) and curated by Luca Ghini, a pioneer of modern botany. It served as a living laboratory for the University of Florence, growing thousands of plant species used for healing, teaching, and scientific inquiry.
Today, the Giardino dei Semplici continues to thrive as part of the city’s Museum of Natural History. It remains a sanctuary of biodiversity, a place of learning, and a subtle reminder that nature has always been integral to human life—even within the structured geometries of cities and institutions.
This garden is not just a historic artifact—it is an early example of the interior landscape: a designed, enclosed, cultivated space where nature is deliberately brought into human environments for reflection, care, and knowledge.
To design interior landscapes today is to acknowledge our shared ecology with other species and systems. It is an act of stewardship and of remembering. Whether through healing gardens, indoor green infrastructure, or historical models like the Giardino dei Semplici, the integration of plants and natural processes within buildings challenges the artificial separation between humans and nature.
Text & research by Angelo Renna
Photos Carlotta by Sandro @carlotta.disandro
SWEEP ISLAND – BIENNALE DI VENEZIA_ITALIAN PAVILION
Sweep Island has been selected through the open call of the Italian Pavilion to be part of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition at the Biennale di Venezia. The Italian Pavilion is curated by Guendalina Salimei under the theme Terrae Aquae. Italy and the Intelligence of the Sea.
Sweep Island is an ongoing investigation into the Pelagos Sanctuary and its transformation due to environmental challenges caused by human activity. The Sanctuary is a vital marine protected area, home to numerous species increasingly impacted by pollution and marine litter. According to the latest WWF report, it is the most plastic-polluted area in the Mediterranean Sea, with a staggering 1.3 million plastic fragments per square kilometer—levels comparable to those found in the great oceanic garbage patches.
Sweep Island proposes a prototype for a new kind of resilient water infrastructure. Combining design innovation, advanced 3D printing technologies, and marine biology expertise, it functions as a floating laboratory. The structure is designed to coexist productively with its environment, providing real-time data on the condition of the sea.
Research team:
Angelo Renna, Apurva Baldawa
@terraeaquae
CARRARA WATERFRONT - NUVOLE BIANCHE
Entry proposal for the competition of the new waterfront of Marina di Carrara. The “Nuvole Bianche” project marks a major step in the urban redevelopment of the existing waterfront. Designed to reconnect the city with the sea, it focuses on creating continuous, accessible public spaces, improving mobility, and enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors.
The plan includes a new pedestrian corridor from the inner urban area to the sea, green infrastructure to manage stormwater, and sustainable materials throughout. A central pavilion inspired by the Apuan Alps and their relationship with the clouds will serve as a space for events and public gatherings, powered by renewable energy.
Further improvements near the lighthouse area will feature new commercial spaces, shaded walkways, and redesigned access to the beach. The entire project reflects a vision of sustainability, functionality, and harmony with the local landscape and community.
Design team:
Angelo Renna, Iris Estrella, Kittan Kodijat
