Near the historic Medicean Villa of Ambrogiana, a severe hydrogeological failure occurred due to the intense flooding of the Arno River in November 2019. During these events, the existing riverbank structure collapsed, significantly compromising the overall stability of the left bank. The damage also affected nearby structures, including a small brick masonry pedestrian bridge located along the path at the edge of the embankment.
The intervention focused on restoring the outfall into the Arno of a small urban stream, largely culverted in its upper section but part of the regional hydrographic network. The designed hydraulic structure consists of a stepped reinforced concrete channel, intended to regulate water flow and effectively counteract erosion of the Arno’s left bank. At the base of the structure, a riprap layer was installed to dissipate hydraulic energy and support landscape integration.
Landscape integration was a key design priority, especially given the proximity to the Medicean Villa and the historical and monumental character of the site. To support the archaeological documentation, a dendrochronological analysis was conducted on several historic wooden piles uncovered in the collapse area. The project was approved during the Services Conference and received a favorable opinion from the Superintendence for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape.

2020-2024

Client
Reclamation Consortium 3 Medio Valdarno – Florence