Parco del Mare

The Parco del Mare project in Rimini was born from the desire to create a space dedicated to the city and its citizens of all ages, a space that can be enjoyed throughout the year thanks to a wide range of functions and activities. The core idea behind the project is that of an urban park that fosters dialogue between the city of Rimini and its sea, a connection that has long been interrupted by the presence of a road.

The Parco del Mare extends for a total length of around 8.5 km, is divided into nine sections, and its primary objective is to promote culture, well-being, and sports. The "renaturalization" of the seafront—through the introduction of large green areas and the selection of local plant species, the creation of artificial "dunes," and the use of diverse paving materials that follow sinuous lines intertwined with the cycle path—are the strategies chosen to ensure a consistent character along the entire stretch of coastline.
Greenery is expressed in various forms, from lawns to shrubs, up to tall trees that provide natural shading along the entire promenade.

The park's distinctive element, elongated in shape and reminiscent of fish, varies in use and material and is repeated throughout the park in groupings that evoke the movement of schools of sardines in the sea. These elements create a unified identity for the promenade and offer a perspective that constantly shifts depending on one’s point of view.
The “sardines,” differing in size and materials, accommodate multiple functions: they can serve as large green flowerbeds, sports and fitness areas, play zones, or small recreational pavilions.

Decking and ceramic tile pavements follow each other harmoniously along the seafront, while squares and side streets serve as natural access points to the park, enhancing the renewed connection between the city, the beach, and the sea.

In the ceramic tiles that compose the pavements, bas-reliefs depict characteristic themes that define the identity of Rimini: from the city's ancient roots, with Roman mosaics from the Domus del Chirurgo in the historic city centre, to the forms of the Malatesta Temple, including tributes to Fellini's characters, moments of leisure and folkloric tradition such as ballroom dancing, motor industry, as well as highlighting the significance of the sea, and local vegetation.

The sand dunes, which follow one another along the entire seafront with varying density and size, together with the “sardines,” unify the language of the nine sections that make up the Park and gently connect the sandy shore with the elevation of the promenade. In doing so, they contribute—almost imperceptibly—to eliminating the existing barrier between the city, the seafront, and the historic centre

Moreover, with low shrub vegetation, the dunes serve to protect against sea spray and enable the growth of taller tree vegetation on the promenade’s “sardines,” thereby ensuring shade during the hottest summer hours.

The seafront has been designed with particular attention not only to well-being, fitness, and soft mobility, but above all to the beauty of the coastal landscape—offering spaces for rest beneath the trees in a relaxing and natural environment.