Cattolica Inclusive Harbour-A Staircase
Cattolica Inclusive Harbour - Staircase Project for People with Visual Impairments
The regeneration project of the harbour staircase in Cattolica is part of an inclusion journey that not only caters to the needs of visually impaired individuals, but also aims, through the collaboration between different backgrounds and associations, to offer to all the stakeholders a sensory and cultural experience of the harbour that will serve as a starting point for reflections on climate, culture, and local identities in a global perspective.
Italy
Via Don Minzoni, corner with via Antonini, 47841 Cattolica (RN) Italy
Prototype level
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
099002: Cattolica (IT)
The initiative involves the renovation of the staircase leading to the city harbour, making it inclusive and accessible for visually impaired individuals. The main goal is to increase the inclusion of more vulnerable groups and enhance the use of this structural element by the entire city, highlighting its beauty and unique characteristics through a project guided by the principles of sustainability. The initiative is therefore specifically aimed at people with visual impairments, but more broadly, it will benefit all citizens and potential visitors.
Through the implementation of informational and multimedia totems, the project has the specific aim of creating – with a transdisciplinary approach – cultural and emotional content that prompts reflection on the themes of local identities (particularly within the globalised tourism market), sustainable development, dialogue on diversity, and the role of the sea in the lives of citizens in coastal municipalities. Emphasis is placed on the emotional and sensory component, promoting a multi-level emotional engagement, with the intention of transforming a passageway into a meeting place where people can stop, appreciate, and enjoy the beauty; a place of well-being, integrated within the broader city harbour, drawing strength from the natural element of the sea and the beauty of the location to create positive emotions.
Inclusion
Regeneration
Multi-level Emotional Engagement
Transdisciplinarity
Local Identities
The project has four main sustainability objectives: regeneration, low environmental impact materials, renewable energy, and attention to biodiversity.
The initiative aims to regenerate rather than create from scratch. Therefore, the existing material will be enhanced by restoring the stone that already makes up the staircase, without covering or replacing it.
The project includes the implementation of specific aids to ensure accessibility for visually impaired individuals, namely perceptive barriers on the floor (tactile paving in natural stone), two side handrails (in addition to maintaining the existing central handrail), and two informational totems with tactile reading relief. The choice of these products will be guided by the principle of environmental sustainability, favouring companies that ensure minimal environmental impact and sustainable production processes. The same selection criteria will also be applied to the terracotta cladding of the side walls.
The initiative also includes the installation of two multimedia totems with motion and sound sensors at both ends of the staircase. These will be powered by solar energy, using photovoltaic panels. Additional light points will also be powered through renewable energy.
Finally, the staircase will feature three green areas. The current greenery, which serves purely aesthetic purposes, will be replaced with native plants that integrate with the local biodiversity and are suited to the area's climatic characteristics, as successfully implemented in other parts of the city.
The initiative aims to regenerate rather than create from scratch. Therefore, the existing material will be enhanced by restoring the stone that already makes up the staircase, without covering or replacing it.
The project includes the implementation of specific aids to ensure accessibility for visually impaired individuals, namely perceptive barriers on the floor (tactile paving in natural stone), two side handrails (in addition to maintaining the existing central handrail), and two informational totems with tactile reading relief. The choice of these products will be guided by the principle of environmental sustainability, favouring companies that ensure minimal environmental impact and sustainable production processes. The same selection criteria will also be applied to the terracotta cladding of the side walls.
The initiative also includes the installation of two multimedia totems with motion and sound sensors at both ends of the staircase. These will be powered by solar energy, using photovoltaic panels. Additional light points will also be powered through renewable energy.
Finally, the staircase will feature three green areas. The current greenery, which serves purely aesthetic purposes, will be replaced with native plants that integrate with the local biodiversity and are suited to the area's climatic characteristics, as successfully implemented in other parts of the city.
The harbour is not merely a boat docking area or a tourist landmark: it is a point of connection with the sea where people meet, walk, play sports, and relax. Above all, it is an integral part of the lives of local residents, a symbolic place where economy, history, and culture intersect. It is therefore necessary to take care of it both functionally, by making it accessible to all, and aesthetically, understanding beauty as an expression of the awareness of its importance. The desire to restore the staircase is, therefore, an act of good administrative governance that takes responsibility for the happiness of its citizens.
The project is inspired by the objects in the city museum, selecting the same materials and colours for the restoration. It creates a route that not only links different parts of the city, but also connects the past with the future, enhancing the identity of a town whose roots are deeply tied to the history of seafaring.
The initiative aims not only to enhance the physical experience by making the staircase more accessible but also seeks to engage the emotions of the visitors, offering a new experience of the location. The installation of multimedia totems intends to transform a mere passageway into an opportunity to pause, a mindful moment where one can experience the harbour through the senses. In addition to an audio description of the site, the multimedia totems provide content about the history of the city and seafaring, allowing for a more conscious experience of this symbolic place.
The initiative is exemplary of the desire to move beyond the common view in touristic coastal towns, where the harbour is seen solely as an economic centre or tourist landmark, whose value is only recognised in terms of promotion and marketability. Instead, through a multilevel emotional engagement, it aims to emphasise the symbolic and cultural importance of the site, promoting an experience that is mindful of the layers of meaning and functions it embodies
The project is inspired by the objects in the city museum, selecting the same materials and colours for the restoration. It creates a route that not only links different parts of the city, but also connects the past with the future, enhancing the identity of a town whose roots are deeply tied to the history of seafaring.
The initiative aims not only to enhance the physical experience by making the staircase more accessible but also seeks to engage the emotions of the visitors, offering a new experience of the location. The installation of multimedia totems intends to transform a mere passageway into an opportunity to pause, a mindful moment where one can experience the harbour through the senses. In addition to an audio description of the site, the multimedia totems provide content about the history of the city and seafaring, allowing for a more conscious experience of this symbolic place.
The initiative is exemplary of the desire to move beyond the common view in touristic coastal towns, where the harbour is seen solely as an economic centre or tourist landmark, whose value is only recognised in terms of promotion and marketability. Instead, through a multilevel emotional engagement, it aims to emphasise the symbolic and cultural importance of the site, promoting an experience that is mindful of the layers of meaning and functions it embodies
The main objective is to improve the accessibility of the staircase for visually impaired individuals, in terms of both usage and experience of the location, as well as participation in the development and implementation of the project. The project includes two handrails specifically designed for visual impairments, with Braille signs indicating the start, interruption, and end, installed on the side walls of the staircase, alongside the existing central handrail. At the top, bottom, and central interruption of the staircase, tactile perceptual barriers made of natural stone will be placed on the floor, while step markers will be installed on the stairs. The project includes two informational totems with tactile Braille reading relief, placed at the base of the staircase, providing a description of the location and its history. On either side of the staircase, two multimedia informational totems with motion sensors and sound will be installed. These offer various audio content, such as an audio description of the harbour's structure, information about the history of the city, maritime traditions, and fishing activities. These contents aim to provide an immersive experience that engages senses and emotions, highlighting the complexity of the place. All informational content is developed and produced in collaboration with the Museo della Regina, historians, representatives of fishing associations (Casa del Pescatore) and citizens (Comitato Fronte del Porto), the Association PuraVida 2.0, and the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired (UICI). This project is exemplary because inclusivity goes beyond simply facilitating the physical overcoming of architectural barriers; it seeks to amplify the emotional experience of the place through content that reflects its complexities, enabling a more conscious interaction. Additionally, it promotes the involvement of the directly affected individuals in the development and implementation of social inclusion projects.
The design and development of the initiative involves the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired (UICI), as well as the PuraVida 2.0 association, both of which have expressed their support for the development of good practices aimed at inclusion and the removal of architectural barriers. Additionally, the local fishing and merchant associations have already been involved. Through feedback and suggestions, representatives from vulnerable groups and associations can identify specific needs and guide the technicians in making the right choices to ensure the initiative meets its goals. The entire community will benefit from the initiative, both in terms of accessibility to the staircase and aesthetically, thanks to the regeneration of this feature within the city harbour. Furthermore, the implementation of the totems aims to create opportunities for reflection and discussion on the life of the harbour and its activities, but above all, to transform the staircase from a mere passageway into an opportunity for emotional experience. The involvement of specific associations impacts the development, implementation, and choices of materials, furnishings, and aids, maximising the practical outcome of the project. It also provides opportunities for dialogue between the administration, technicians, and specific groups, within the broader ambition of completely eliminating architectural barriers. The creation of content to be included in the multimedia totems will allow for collaboration between local expertise, associations, and citizens in the production of educational and cultural content that directly engages with the life, experiences, and memories of the community related to the harbour. The goal is to transform what could be a simple functional renovation into an opportunity for the direct involvement of stakeholders.
The stakeholders have been identified on several levels: the group of visually impaired individuals, the local community (including associations and committees), the potential visitors to the city, and the broader Romagna area. The Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired uses the communication channels already established with the Municipality, directly engaging in the design and implementation process. The initiative is developed within a broader framework aimed at greater inclusivity for various categories, which has characterised administrative decisions for years. The administration has already committed to making beaches, public buildings, and parks accessible, collaborating with local associations such as PuraVida 2.0. For example, the municipal theatre has been involved in the "Teatro No Limits" project for years, providing audio description for blind and visually impaired audiences. Local stakeholders have been identified, including the general community and organised committees. Additionally, those who live and work in the area, such as representatives of the fishing community and the economic operators within the harbour (Cooperativa Casa del Pescatore and Comitato Fronte del Porto), are involved in the development and implementation through feedback, proposals, and direct engagement. From a broader perspective, potential visitors to the city represent a group of stakeholders, not only in terms of tourism promotion, but also through the aim of encouraging more conscious tourism, aware of the places they visit and the local identities. Finally, the initiative actively interacts with local networks, particularly the strategic plan for the broader Romagna area, Romagna Next EU+, which aims to grow the region in a co-designed and shared way through the implementation of good administrative practices and development strategies, in alignment with the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Green Deal, and Next Generation EU
Skills and expertise from various disciplines work in synergy for the development and implementation of the initiative. Architects and technicians take care of its aesthetic and structural features, historians and archaeologists create some of the cultural content to be displayed on the totems, representatives from the PuraVida 2.0 association and the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired guide the choice of specific components, while fishing associations, economic operators, and citizens give voice to the current life of the area, through already established collaborations. Through a transdisciplinary approach, the project aims to integrate a reflection on historical traditions, the cultural identity of the city, and how these values are reflected in the contemporary reality of a globalised world, with the social and environmental consequences arising from changes in fishing techniques and the exploitation of the sea. Furthermore, this approach allows for a reflection on the identity of coastal communities, which is particularly important in small towns with high tourist traffic like Cattolica: an identity that does not nostalgically look to the past, but rather values the specificities and uniqueness of a community that aims to include all its members and strengthen itself through its history to face the challenges of the future in a unified way. Transdisciplinarity allows for the incorporation of multiple perspectives that together can construct the intricate mosaic that makes up local identities and implement these new understandings in social, cultural, and economic terms
The initiative is innovative in that it aims to transform a simple aesthetic and functional renovation into an opportunity for a broad reflection on urban society, tourism, and ecology. The choice of building materials and the creation of audio content for the multimedia totems, thanks to its transdisciplinary approach, offer a space for reflection and discussion on various current issues: first, as already mentioned, the space and role that local identities play in a globalised world; the development of new strategies for tourism promotion, aimed at adding value to the places through multilevel emotional engagement and conscious tourism, moving beyond the voracious exploitation typical of mass tourism; the emotional rediscovery of spaces from the perspective of sharing with the community and including all its diversities, in the effort to make stakeholders active participants in the design of the city; the political and administrative effort in the choice of low environmental impact materials and construction techniques, as part of a wider educational commitment to the citizens at all levels, starting from the school level, towards increasing ecological awareness and actions to combat climate change; finally, the focus on fishing techniques and the exploitation of the sea encourages reflection both on the importance of the sea in the life of coastal cities and on the environmental consequences of fishing, promoting conscious behaviours and good practices on various levels.
The innovation and repeatability of this working method lies in seizing every possible opportunity to encourage discussions and exchanges between stakeholders around fundamental issues of the contemporary world, giving value and importance to each of the actions implemented.
The innovation and repeatability of this working method lies in seizing every possible opportunity to encourage discussions and exchanges between stakeholders around fundamental issues of the contemporary world, giving value and importance to each of the actions implemented.
The methodology applied by the Municipality in the development and implementation of the initiative involves, first and foremost, listening to the citizens, both in terms of including vulnerable groups and giving importance to the symbolic places of the city. Therefore, it is necessary to begin with the needs of specific categories when choosing the methods for restoration, aiming to align them with the general well-being of both the citizens and the city, through the direct involvement of associations representing these groups in the area, as well as citizen associations and representatives of particular groups who can contribute to the development of the initiative.
In this case, the aesthetic starting point was the city's history, identifying the city museum as the custodian of key aspects of the local identity and using its heritage to guide aesthetic choices, ensuring they are coherent with the rest of the city; while the functional starting point was to expand accessibility by contacting representatives of dedicated associations.
After identifying the location and potential stakeholders, the needs to be met, the aesthetic inspiration, and receiving feedback and/or declarations of willingness to collaborate from the associations, the choice of materials and construction techniques should prioritise low environmental impact and the use of renewable energy, which must guide every new project.
Furthermore, the method used aims to seize the opportunity to promote discussion and educate both citizens and tourists on fundamental contemporary issues, making them part of the various phases of the project, also through the creation of dedicated working groups. In this way, not only does the development of the initiative, but the very location undergoing renewal, become an opportunity for reflection on current issues, always favouring a transdisciplinary approach that allows for the coexistence and collaboration of multiple perspectives and areas of expertise.
In this case, the aesthetic starting point was the city's history, identifying the city museum as the custodian of key aspects of the local identity and using its heritage to guide aesthetic choices, ensuring they are coherent with the rest of the city; while the functional starting point was to expand accessibility by contacting representatives of dedicated associations.
After identifying the location and potential stakeholders, the needs to be met, the aesthetic inspiration, and receiving feedback and/or declarations of willingness to collaborate from the associations, the choice of materials and construction techniques should prioritise low environmental impact and the use of renewable energy, which must guide every new project.
Furthermore, the method used aims to seize the opportunity to promote discussion and educate both citizens and tourists on fundamental contemporary issues, making them part of the various phases of the project, also through the creation of dedicated working groups. In this way, not only does the development of the initiative, but the very location undergoing renewal, become an opportunity for reflection on current issues, always favouring a transdisciplinary approach that allows for the coexistence and collaboration of multiple perspectives and areas of expertise.
The initiative offers many replicable aspects, in the following order:
The enhancement of symbolic places of the city through a process of inclusion of different categories of citizens, improving their accessibility for everyone.
Expanding the aesthetic experience into a complex sensory and emotional experience, taking into account the diverse characteristics of potential users.
In renovation works, always opting for low environmental impact solutions with the aim of reactivating existing places and structures in cities, favouring the repurposing of spaces rather than developing new constructions.
Transforming administrative actions into best practices aimed at involving stakeholders, seizing every possible opportunity to promote discussions and debates on central issues of contemporary life, from mental health and well-being, to inclusion, globalisation, and climate change.
Reflection on local identities and their positioning in the globalised world is a repeatable practice in small tourist towns (coastal and non-coastal) that are facing an increasing number of visitors, while striving to develop an attractive tourism offer without compromising the uniqueness of places and risking losing their local specificity. On the contrary, it is important to think about how these local characteristics and uniqueness can become strengths in terms of tourism promotion, keeping cities and their historic centres alive.
Transdisciplinarity approach in the creation of informative and educational content allows for expanding cultural discussions about the history and identity of places, promoting a variety of skills and perspectives that together can offer a comprehensive framework for addressing the major issues of the contemporary world.
The enhancement of local identities aims to address the growing problem of the depersonalisation of tourist destinations in the name of a globalisation that flattens identities in favour of the rules of a fast-paced, mass-market tourism industry. The rediscovery and enhancement of local specialties and uniqueness, grounded in their history, responds to the increasing challenge faced by cities with high tourist traffic (and, particularly, small municipalities), which, in their efforts to meet the growing demand, risk to negatively impact the well-being of their residents.
Naturally, the inclusion of vulnerable groups responds to the contemporary challenge of making equality between people a reality, offering the same opportunities and embracing diversity in the creation of a united and cohesive society.
Through the multidisciplinary content offered by the multimedia totems, the initiative aims to promote reflections on climate change, propose best practices for daily life, and encourage conscious consumption of seafood products, thanks to information on the development of fishing techniques and the exploitation of the sea.
Finally, the emphasis on positive emotions and sensory experiences seeks to transform the staircase from a mere passageway into a place to stop: in an overstimulated world like the contemporary one, it is increasingly important to create mindful moments, using the beauty of the place and the element of the sea as an encouragement to pause, reflect, gain perspective, remember, and take care of oneself and others.
The NEB values and working principles have guided the development of the initiative and continue to steer its implementation. In terms of beauty, it aims to activate the social and cultural qualities of the place, using local materials inspired by the city's history for the restoration, and local skills in the creation of multimedia content that aims to offer a positive emotional experience. Regarding sustainability, it aspires to repurpose existing materials through regeneration, the choice of low environmental impact materials, the use of renewable energy, and the selection of native plants to support local biodiversity. The third core value (together) seeks the inclusion of the visually impaired group through the implementation of specific aids, and promotes equality for citizens in enjoying the multi-sensory beauty of the harbour. The participatory process already leverages established communication channels with associations of vulnerable groups, citizen associations, and category representatives who have shown support for the project and will play an active role in its development and implementation, from the selection of materials to the creation of content.
The multi-level engagement of the initiative cultivates its place-based approach on two fronts: the local level, by interacting with and connecting horizontally the aforementioned associations and informal citizen groups; and the regional level, through the Romagna Next EU+ strategic plan, which proposes best practices in governance, development, and collaboration across the Romagna area. The transdisciplinary approach of the initiative brings together different fields and skills, involving architects, technicians, historians, vulnerable groups, citizens, and representatives of economic operators both in the design and development phases and in the creation of multimedia content, proposing a multidisciplinary approach for discussions on key issues such as globalisation, climate change, and local identity
The multi-level engagement of the initiative cultivates its place-based approach on two fronts: the local level, by interacting with and connecting horizontally the aforementioned associations and informal citizen groups; and the regional level, through the Romagna Next EU+ strategic plan, which proposes best practices in governance, development, and collaboration across the Romagna area. The transdisciplinary approach of the initiative brings together different fields and skills, involving architects, technicians, historians, vulnerable groups, citizens, and representatives of economic operators both in the design and development phases and in the creation of multimedia content, proposing a multidisciplinary approach for discussions on key issues such as globalisation, climate change, and local identity
