PARMA Piazza Ghiaia

1. Renovation of the Piazza Ghiaia, Parma 2007 - 12

2. Parma
looking West
with the Piazza
Duomo at
lower left.

3. Over the course of time the TORRENTE PARMA was diverted in 1177 as a reslt of material that
accumulated in the curve. The space that was left started to adopt the name of its basic
material; gravel.
It became a market for grapes, livestock and meat; a «forum boarium». The Duchess of Parma in
1838 asked te court architect Nicola Bettoli to build a row of Neo Classical ice producing
warehouses of 50 columns . In 1928 these were demolished to make way for the road that runs
beside the river. In 1944 there was damage to this area in WWII.The phrase «to go to the gravel»
became the local term meaning to go to market. Now it is a twice weekly event.

4. Parma; Piazza Ghiaia

5. BRIEF
Francesco Asti: renovation of Piazza Ghiaia in Parma. Project together with
architect Andrea Mambriani.
Consists of the renovation of buildings and market spaces in the historic Via
Mariotti and creation of a new market square covered by a lightweight steel and
glass structure entrusted to the architect Paolo Mancini.
Creation of 3 underground floors of mixed use: indoor market, food stores and
210 garages.
Size: 6,000 square metres, 1,200 m² shop area under ViaMariotti, 3,500 square
metres each basement level on 3 levels.
Total amount: € 30 million. 2007/2012.
Francesco Asti website

6. Parma; Piazza Ghiaia
aerial view of
completed project
(CAD view)

7. Parma Piazza Ghiaia; project board

8. Parma;
Francesco
Asti atelier
Piazza
Ghiaia

9. Piazza Ghiaia
Paolo Mancinii

10. Parma; Piazza Ghiaia

11. Parma; Piazza Ghiaia; panoramic view from street level North of
the Piazza

12. Parma;
Piazza
Ghiaia

13. Parma;
Piazza Ghiaia

14. Parma;
Piazza
Ghiaia

15. Piazza Ghiaia shops (previous slide view circled)

16. Parma;
Piazza
Ghiaia
solar
panels

17. Parma; Piazza Ghiaia view of the Roman + Medieval
bridge as originally projected. Currently incomplete.

18. The Roman Bridge

19. Parma; Piazza Ghiaia; bridge heritage conservation, closed
to the public at 1.1.15

20. Post script: Mario Botta and
Parma
Piazza della Pace 1989

21. Mario Botta and Parma;
Piazza della Pace