The Family Area at Serravalle Designer Outlet is a 6,000 sqm area entirely dedicated to children, that is located inside the McArthurGlen Shopping Centre. The space consists of two areas: a playground with play towers and baby parking, and a water park with the related services. The overall concept, characterised by bright rainbow colours and hexagonal shapes, unites the two areas in a common language that gives the place a strong identity. The masterplan and design were developed by Hydea in collaboration with Carve, for what concerns the Playground, and Cemi, for the water park.
The Playground consists of a system of hexagonal towers with play equipment, a central square covered by a tensile structure, a shaded picnic area, a toilet building and a baby parking area with customised furniture. The Waterpark, on the other hand, includes a swimming pool with an interactive castle and water games, a large area equipped with furniture and kiosks, and a building for reception and changing rooms. Two photovoltaic systems installed on the roofs of the changing rooms (9.40 kWp) and the public toilets (7.30 kWp) will produce green energy for the centre.
The entire area is protected from the outside by perennial plants that do not require seasonal replacement. A 30 m green wall, covered with perennials of different colours, accompanies the entrance to the area and acts as a counterpoint to the outer fence, which will soon be covered with fragrant jasmine.
The flower cushion that surrounds the area provides ever-interesting brushstrokes of colour in keeping with the seasons. A ribbon of azaleas and rhododendrons provides an explosion of blossoms in spring, an enveloping vegetation cools the summer, and in autumn the leaves – yellow of the pyrus, orange of the maples and red of the liquidambars – create fascinating gradations that give way to the white trunks of the birches accompanied by the red flowers of the winter camellias. Irrigation is supplemented by a system to reuse pool water treated in dechlorination tanks.
For the garden, Hydea collaborated with Forest, which contributed to the sustainable design of the area.
