Renzo Piano and the Porto Antico of Genoa. A research path on public space

In 1984, the Municipality of Genoa initiated the preliminary planning of the methods and spaces intended to host the 1992 Expo. This commission was entrusted to Renzo Piano, who, a few months later, presented his initial proposal. The Expo represented an opportunity to embark on a series of initiatives aimed at revitalising the historic centre and refining its urban design approach by implementing new public spaces. In this context, the square assumed a pivotal role. Positioned at the Porto Antico, Expo's primary objective became the reconnection of the city to the sea, re- establishing a link that had been lost for decades. This article, the result of an ongoing research supported by the Renzo Piano Foundation, explores the potential of the first proposal for Genoa's Porto Antico redevelopment, aligning it with various studies that characterized the architect's prior experiences. Starting with the Plateau Beaubourg square, passing through the historic centre revitalisation with the Laboratori di quartiere, and concluding with the Molo district recovery plan, Porto Antico emerges as a significant new public space returned to its city, capable of initiating a gradual urban rehabilitation process. Rediscovering this plan and its antecedents today entails contextualizing Renzo Piano's applications within a broader research trajectory aimed at examining public space as a tool for urban and port recovery.