The regeneration project for Formigine’s historic centre is currently a work in progress. From 2010 to 2018 Alessandro Caronia (team lead), with Andrea Malacchini and Roberto Pescarollo, has directed the design phases which, after a period of interruption, restarted in 2016. The concept design and the developed and technical design for the first stage of works were completed in 2017. Construction of  phase one, comprising Piazza Repubblica and the southern part of via Trento e Trieste, began in February 2018, and was completed in September 2018.

Piazza Repubblica lies at the heart of the regenerated pedestrianised space, which will be unified by the design of the new, high quality, stone pavements, whose overall composition is defined by strips of clear coloured Istria stone slabs outlining the perimeter of the main parts of the composition: the square facing the castle, the churchyard, and the pedestrianised roads that provide the South and North access to the square itself. Istria stone strips also edge the fields of the two other materials used to create the paved areas: trachyte stone slabs and cobbled paving. The trachyte stone slabs, in a variety of sizes and colours, have been arranged according to a compositional layout system of three series with six pattern modules each. This allows for continuous variations of layout and texture combinations of the new paved areas. The cobbled paving is smoothed using a contemporary technique that makes it accessible to disabled and elderly citizens, and will mark the South and North access routes to the square.

The design of the lighting for the regenerated urban space was carefully developed to guarantee high quality light standards and safety, yet minimum visual impact and maximum energy saving by means of LED technology. The overall lighting has been achieved by means of direct light luminaires positioned on the cornices of civilian buildings overlooking the public space. The castle and cathedral facades overlooking the square are highlighted by the use of appropriate luminaires positioned in the castle moat terrain and spot lights inserted into the new pavements. Special horizontal spot lights, placed in the castle lawn alongside the western perimeter of the regenerated urban space, will highlight the pedestrian access routes to the square.

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The project was simulated in 3D by means of a BIM hyper-model, which was progressively updated following the design development, and helped the City Council visualise the scheme from the initial concept to the developed and technical design.