The proposal consists on a support facility to the sea baths for the Rosignano Marittimo beach in the coast of Livorno, appropriated to all the users including disabled people, pregnant women, children and the elderly.
The place is characterized by the presence of a longitudinal breakwater delimiting the Mediterranean from the sand-pit. This construction, efficient on sea protection, disqualifies the natural bound of the sand-pit sea meeting, obstructing the visual-field of the bathers seated on the beach.
The proposal is organized in 3 punctual interventions in the pre-existing structure: two addorsed tanks to the breakwater, being one from the sand-pit side and another one from the sea front. The first tanks are set in an analogous altimetry to the pre-existent upper level, allowing the view of the Mediterranean without obstacles.
The sea tank is intended to stress the sky vision, cut by its organic form, given the length of the breakwater. The presence of the Mediterranean is defined in an acoustic space resulting from the impact of the waves on the tank.
The three tanks are articulated by a walking path ramp and a stair-carpet fixed on the sand-pit in order to enable the access to users in wheelchairs. The main strategy for the orientation of visual disabled people consists on a fix reference guide through a handrail that incorporates tactile information. It also allows the reading of the inherent legends to aquatic botanic in exhibition in the equipment which is easily perceived through tactile tanks. In order to enable the stay, sitting places that give the user the possibility to be partially covered by water were planned.
This proposal is materialised by “in situ” recycled concrete and is a requalification of a pre-existent breakwater. The recycling of the water is natural, making use of the inherent hydrodynamic energy, through the waves of the Mediterranean.