Located on the pier 'Ponte Parodi', a 3-dimensional 'piazza sul mediterraneo' (square on the water) has been designed. Located within the design are different public functions, such as sport facilities, exhibitions, terminal for cruise ships, cinemas, shops, cyber cafes, studio's, restaurants, an auditorium and offices. The 3-dimensional design continues in the roof and is designed as a park, sport fields, beaches and other public facilities. With its low-slung, undulating outlines the piazza leaves open the view of Genoa and its Alpine setting.

The project does not propose to replace one icon with another, but to establish a new type of attractor, based on the proliferation of experience. People are central to the effect of the piazza as an experience generator; we need to get people (to stay) there. We need to plan around people and their movements in order to create an active location. Profound research has been done to find out where they come from, where they will go to - and when. In the Port area of Genoa, four user-groups can distinguished; cruise tourists, other tourists, residents and students or others connected with the University. The programs on the piazza are organized around their activities during an almost 24-hour day.

The integral continuity of the design intends to bring the liveliness of the city to the waterfront. It presents itself as the central link in the chain of events of the city and the Port Plan, visual and spatial links between the old city are organized to support this connections. The piazza consists of four different program clusters that are integrated with the logistics of the terminal program, with the open landscape of the piazza and with underground parking functions. The three clusters are programmed so as to achieve a sense of spatial continuity with the aid of sightlines. Cuts in the peripheral buildings allow views to the water and to the old city from the central piazza. This central piazza is laid out on a continuous, horizontal plane, whereas the roofscape is laid out like a park with beaches, sports fields and other public places situated at different height levels. The piazza with its clusters also aims for a time-based continuity by careful complementary programming.

The four main program clusters, each addresses a different theme: entertainment, well ness, technology and commercial centre (plus the logistic of the cruise terminal). In order to stimulate mobility each cluster caters to the various user groups related to the context of the pier and all contain various types of facilities. These facilities are clustered on the basis of attractiveness of views, attractiveness of time of day and attractiveness of time of year. The time-based clustering of themes means that coffee can be taken in the morning sun with a view towards the sea; midday shopping offers shadow and evenings are spent watching the sunset. The diagram of the 360-degree circle of experience expresses the intensity of the experience that we envisage. This image depicts the visitor to the Piazza del Mediterraneo at the centre of a circle of experiences.