Urban pathways

Regenerating urban spaces has become a top priority for public administrations in recent years. Projects include transforming cities by expanding pedestrian zones, constructing cycle lanes that integrate seamlessly into the urban fabric, promoting soft mobility solutions to reduce car usage, and creating aesthetically pleasing environments to enhance the usability of public spaces and overall quality of life. One example of such an initiative has been carried out in Brescia, a northern Italian city that has long been attentive to improving urban spaces and services. A project carried out recently in one of the city’s neighbourhoods focused on creating a large pedestrian area and introducing one-way cycle paths on both sides of the main street as part of an expanded network of green spaces.

To meet the low-maintenance requirements typical of such urban regeneration projects, project leader ABC Studio chose a paving solution that would balance aesthetic appeal with the wear resistance required for high-traffic urban areas. The firm opted for the environmentally-friendly porcelain stoneware collections from the Saxa Gres group’s Grestone Urban Pavings brand. This innovative eco-stone is produced from a porcelain stoneware mix that incorporates up to 30% inert materials sourced from urban waste that would otherwise be sent to landfill. Available in a variety of material effects, thicknesses and sizes specifically designed for urban use, Grestone delivers high levels of performance in terms of load resistance and ability to withstand the stresses typical of urban environments. At the same time, its wide selection of special pieces and connecting elements allows for maximum design flexibility.

This particular project involved the installation of approximately 8,000 square metres of pavers from three different collections: Basalto Naturale, Pietra del Tirolo and Pietra Lavica Sand. Each collection offers different colours, surface textures and sizes, allowing the various areas to be differentiated aesthetically according to their intended use and conditions of operation. The pavers, available in 10x10x5 cm, 10x20x5 cm and 20x20x5 cm sizes, also feature the innovative Smart Spacer System. This cutting-edge technology integrates spacers into the body of the pavers, creating very narrow joints without the need for adhesives, grout or concrete, thereby ensuring rapid and precise installation.