Nautaverso

Nautaverso stems from the ambition to reconnect Trieste with a stretch of its waterfront, transforming Molo Fratelli Bandiera into a new place of exchange between the city and the water. Developed for the design competition for the construction of the “Nautaverso” Digital Experience Centre, the proposal was not selected, but explores this urban edge as an opportunity to restore the relationship with the maritime landscape and redefine a space that is currently marginal yet deeply rooted in the city’s identity. Molo Fratelli Bandiera marks the physical and symbolic endpoint of the Rive, a continuous waterfront defined by historic buildings, port architecture and monuments that shape Trieste’s public identity. Here, architecture becomes an urban threshold, a point of encounter between memory and transformation. The building takes shape from a compact volume carved towards the sea, creating an amphitheatre overlooking the gulf. Inspired by sea caves and coastal bastions, the architecture responds to the bora, light and water, connecting interior and exterior through a continuous sequence of public spaces. The glazed ceramic cladding, characterised by a diamond-shaped geometry and a pearlescent finish, reflects the light and movement of the sea. The accessible roof, paved in locally sourced limestone, extends the language of the historic quays and opens onto a new panoramic viewpoint over the city. Terraces, stepped seating and walkways transform the building into a landscape that can be experienced throughout the year. The open space is designed with local stone and weathering steel, materials capable of responding to the site’s extreme conditions while creating a durable environment in which wind, salt and light become part of the experience. Inside, the Digital Experience Centre brings together physical experience and digital infrastructure through immersive environments, interactive installations and customisable pathways dedicated to the culture of the sea. From the earliest design stages, the project incorporates circular economy principles and the requirements of Italy’s Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM), adopting strategies focused on energy efficiency, durability and reducing environmental impact. The proposal also extends its vision across the wider peninsula, with a new linear park, the regeneration of the Lanterna and historic bathing facilities, and the creation of new spaces dedicated to sport, culture and social interaction. Together, these interventions form a landscape infrastructure that restores continuity to Trieste’s waterfront and strengthens the relationship between the city and the sea.