Marmila Entrance: Architecture Meets Local History

Marmila Entrance: A Crossroads Between History and Nature

In the heart of Marmila village, architect Martino Picchida reimagined the main entrance in a way that blends aesthetic functionality with a sensory experience. The design goes beyond being a mere entrance, transforming into a poetic urban threshold that reflects a dialogue between past and present.

Inspiration from History and Ancient Architecture

The design evokes the timeless forms of monumental tombs, drawing on the traditions of ancient architecture to enhance the sense of belonging to the place. Through this historical inspiration, the project offers visitors a rich experience where memory and local identity intertwine in every corner of the entrance.

Materials Used: Corten Steel and Local Stone

The design relies on three fundamental elements: corten steel, local stone, and natural light. These materials are not used merely for aesthetic purposes; they play a key role in strengthening the connection to the surrounding natural landscape. Light, in particular, adds shifting dimensions to the facade, making the visitor’s daily experience constantly renewed and varied.

Circulation Experience: From the Sidewalk to the Parking Area

The project extends from the sidewalk to the parking area, transforming this ordinary path into a comprehensive architectural experience. The route represents not just a physical transition, but a sensory and visual journey that offers ever-changing views of Marmila’s aesthetics, allowing visitors to interact harmoniously with both the architecture and the surrounding nature.

Blurred figures walking past the rhythmic Corten steel panels, emphasizing the movement and life within the space. — Inspired by the “Giants’ Tombs,” the design creates a rhythmic dialogue between historical memory and the daily movement of residents. (Image © Cédric Dasesson)

A detailed close-up of the oxidized texture and vertical joints of the Corten steel panels. — Corten steel serves as a “living material,” its oxidation process representing architectural maturity and harmony with nature’s colors. (Image © Cédric Dasesson)

Reinterpreting the Urban Fabric

The architectural intervention designed by Martino Picchida, supported jointly by the Sardinia Region and the Municipality of Siddi, focuses on addressing the historical issues of the area, such as road surface damage, lack of sidewalks, and the hazardous trench at the intersection of Via Circonvallazioni. Rather than limiting itself to simple repairs, the project transforms these challenges into opportunities for architectural and functional experiences.

Enhancing Safety and Functionality

The project includes asphalt and sidewalk repairs, along with the reconstruction of a dry-stone wall using basalt and local clay. These interventions go beyond aesthetic considerations; they restore safety and dignity to the street, fully aligning with the enhancement of local heritage and environmental integration.

The Trench: From Obstacle to Narrative Element

One of the most striking features of the project is the reinterpretation of the historic trench. The critical gap that once posed a danger now becomes a space for rest and contemplation, turning into a focal point in the storytelling of the place, imbued with symbolism and meaning that reflect the relationship between humans and the urban environment.

A top-down architectural technical plan showing the layout of the trench, the Corten wall, and the pedestrian pathways. — The technical plan reveals the geometric precision used to reinterpret the historical trench as a sculptural and safe urban space.

Corten Steel: The Living Material in Architecture

A precisely shaped corten steel panel embraces the trench and evokes the sections of the giant tombs, monumental relics scattered across Sardinia, with Siddi preserving a precious example, “Sa Domu ‘e Surcu.”

Deconstruction and Reinterpretation

The design does not rely on literal copying; instead, it employs a process of deconstruction and reinterpretation. The sunken curve of a Nuragic-era tomb simultaneously becomes a barrier protecting the trench and a sculptural work that enriches the visual experience of the space.

Interaction with Nature and Time

Corten steel gives the site a poetic dimension, echoing Richard Serra’s notion of it as a living material that changes over time and interacts with the earth’s colors and the surrounding landscape. The oxidation process here is not deterioration, but architectural maturation, seamlessly connecting the work to its environment, with color variations reminiscent of nature: the red of spring flowers, the yellow of wheat, the green of shadows, and the brown of bare earth.

Two elderly women sitting and talking on a white concrete base beneath a weathered Corten steel wall at the project entrance. — Beyond its functional role, the design creates a poetic urban space that encourages social interaction and collective memory. (Image © Cédric Dasesson)

A side view of the continuous Corten steel panels lining the road and protecting the historical trench area. — The intervention transforms a previously dangerous trench into a narrative element that guides the visitor through the site. (Image © Cédric Dasesson)

The Expressive Power of Materials

The project highlights the ability of materials to evoke memories and create a sense of belonging, in a clear reference to the teachings of architect Peter Zumthor. Stone, corten, and light are not used merely as finishes, but as tools to embody architecture within the consciousness of the place, resonating with the collective memories of residents and visitors alike.

Light as a Central Element

Light plays a dual and vital role. By day, it modulates the corten surface and enhances its color variations, while at night, integrated lighting transforms into a means of welcome and safety, giving the space a changing sensory dimension throughout the day.

The Vertical Sculpture: A Focal Point of Identity

The vertical corten sculpture, engraved with illuminated letters spelling “SIDDI,” serves as an urban beacon and identity marker. This element bridges the memory of the Nuragic civilization with contemporary architecture, offering a visually striking and welcoming gesture to all who enter the area.

A restored dry stone wall made of local basalt and clay bordering a paved sidewalk with natural vegetation in the background. — The use of local basalt and traditional building techniques ensures environmental integration and honors the local heritage. (Image © Cédric Dasesson)

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The Marmila Entrance project can provide valuable insights into the relationship between architecture and its historical and natural context, particularly in how local materials and light are used to redefine the experience of movement within public space. The emphasis on environmental integration and the reinterpretation of historical elements allows for a reconsideration of the role of infrastructure in fostering a sense of belonging.

However, the project also raises several methodological questions for architects and urban planners. Despite the attention given to aesthetic details and sensory experience, this approach may not be easily replicable in other areas, as reinterpreting heritage and interacting with trenches and pathways requires significant resources and careful planning, which may be difficult to implement in densely populated or budget-constrained urban contexts. Additionally, the heavy reliance on elements such as corten steel and natural oxidation may present long-term maintenance challenges, and continuous interaction with the natural environment does not always guarantee the expected results in different climatic conditions.

Therefore, the project can be regarded more as a source of reflection and inspiration than as a direct model for implementation. It offers ideas and concepts that can inform future designs while taking into account the practical limitations and environmental and economic challenges that any similar endeavor might face.