A historic centre gets an environmentally-friendly makeover

The historic centre of Gallicano nel Lazio, a town of approximately 5,400 inhabitants in the province of Rome, recently underwent a significant redevelopment project that included stabilising the tuffaceous ridge on which the town is built and repaving around 3,000 square metres of its streets. The restoration work was carried out with sensitivity and meticulous attention to historical accuracy, ensuring it harmonised with the local context. This was achieved through a detailed study of the area’s physical, historical and cultural characteristics. Both the local council and the professionals involved in the project were committed to minimising environmental impact by opting for ecological and sustainable solutions. Three different collections from the Saxa Gres brand were chosen for the repaving: Lapis Nero (10x10x6.5 cm), Basalto Nero (40x60x5 cm) and Pietra Lavica Sand (20x40x5 cm). These products consist of Grestone, an eco-stone patented by the company which combines porcelain stoneware with approximately 30% inert materials sourced from urban waste. This circular supply chain approach, along with the crucial principle of using a material that does not contribute to mountain erosion and helps to preserve natural raw materials, has earned the system three important certifications: EcoVadis (a platform for monitoring supplier sustainability), ReMade (certifying the use of recovered materials in products) and UNI 26000 (for socially responsible entrepreneurship). Blocks in the Lapis Nero colour with a thickness of 6.5 cm were dry-laid along the sides of the streets, while the central section was paved using the larger 40×65 cm format. The area accommodates both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The project maintained a high level of historical accuracy by replacing the pre-existing stone with materials that reflect its original texture and colour, specifically Pietra Lavica Sand and Basalto Naturale (5 cm thick) for the central section. The project leaders, architect Roberto Simonelli and engineer Vincenzo Pitta, drew inspiration from a previous successful intervention in the province of Frosinone which had received the approval of Gallicano nel Lazio’s town council. One of the standout features of the Grestone line is its exceptional resistance and durability, crucial for an area subject to high footfall and a certain amount of vehicular traffic. The material’s unusually large thickness for its category also contributed to the success of the project.