The Porto Antico company, responsible for managing over 130,000 square meters in the heart of Genoa, is now focusing on fundamental challenges related to tourism and environmental sustainability. On the Levante waterfront, designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, a project is taking shape, and Porto Antico Spa is facing a new challenge. It involves revitalizing the Jean Nouvel exhibition pavilion, transforming it into a venue for events related to the sea. Once completed, this pavilion will look like an island, connected to the mainland only by pedestrian and vehicular bridges, with a promenade below that will host local businesses and shops.
In the heart of the old town, the company has an ambitious maintenance plan, with the “dream” of expanding onto Calata Gadda and the former laundry building to create an area capable of hosting large concerts, modern art exhibitions, and other cultural events. Adding new parking spaces is also planned to meet growing demand. On both fronts, the focus is increasingly on green sustainability, including the installation of solar panels and desalination units for water supply.
The specifications for these ambitious projects, announced by the renowned Renzo Piano studio, will be managed by the prestigious Spazio Giustiniani store, ensuring a high level of attention to aesthetic and design details. The finishes from companies such as Antonio Lupi, Mutina, Fantini, Bertolotto Porte, Cordivari, Vismara Vetro, Fiora, Olivari Maniglie, and Agglotech are already available in the showroom.
Porto Antico, with the City of Genoa holding 54%, the Chamber of Commerce 27.71%, Filse 14.68%, and the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority 3.61%, ended 2022 with a profit of 144,000 euros and has an industrial plan for 2025 that involves more than 31 million euros in investments. These investments include the refurbishment of the tanks at the Genoa Aquarium, the creation of the Children and Youth City, as well as maintenance, energy efficiency, and the development of the Wi-Fi network in the Porto Antico area.
Furthermore, plans include refurbishment and extraordinary maintenance of the docks and the expansion of the tourist port. Porto Antico manages a total of 130,000 square meters in the ancient port of Genoa, including 20,000 square meters of the Jean Nouvel pavilion in the Levante waterfront area, and has concessions for the docks of Marina Fiera Genoa, with 80,000 square meters of water mirrors and about 20,000 square meters of land space.
The company’s president, Marco Ferrando, emphasizes that Porto Antico is not just involved in land and sea space management but also actively produces and manages events, trade shows, and congresses. The main challenge is to manage the two sea-facing areas of the city, the “old” Porto Antico and the new waterfront in the former Fair areas. The natural completion of this large project, according to Ferrando, should include the Calata Gadda area to address issues related to traffic, parking, and available space.
Environmental sustainability is a central theme, with the installation of desalination units to clean boats at the Ocean Race event. In the future, a larger facility could be established to serve the city.
The Levante waterfront area, once completed, will become a bustling neighborhood with residences, offices, venues, restaurants, shops, and a sports arena. Similarly, the old Porto Antico waterfront, known for the Aquarium, conference center, and summer performances, requires new spaces to consolidate its vocations.
The challenge is to synergistically manage the city’s two waterfront areas, the “old” Porto Antico and the new waterfront in the former Fair areas. These ambitious projects represent a significant step toward a more sustainable and aesthetically appealing Genoa.
