The Cross-Field.
The Sports District
Location: Codroipo, Italy
Area: approx. 150,000 sqm
Year: 2026
Honorable Mention - The Sports District Competition
THE CROSS-FIELD - A New Spine for Codroipo’s Sports and Civic Future
THE CROSS-FIELD reimagines Codroipo’s Sport District as a unified and contemporary Active Landscape Campus, structured by one bold, defining gesture: the Cross-Field Spine. This continuous linear public realm reorganizes the entire district, connecting sports facilities, ecological systems, public plazas, and surrounding urban fabric into a cohesive and accessible civic landscape. More than a path, the Cross-Field Spine becomes the main civic armature –a space of movement, gathering, and daily life. As it traverses the site, it expands to form plazas, contracts into intimate passages, rises to create overlooks, and intersects with the existing fields. This flexibility enables the district to shift from a collection of isolated sports grounds into a connected sequence of active and social spaces.
Ultimately, THE CROSS-FIELD proposes a forward-looking vision for Codroipo: a connected, sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant Sport District where the Cross-Field Spine becomes the new axis of community life—a place where sports, nature, and people meet, every day of the year.
Along the Cross-Field Spine, a network of Diffused Sports Plazas emerges: youth courts, fitness terraces, family play pockets, event lawns, and cultural stages. These nodes ensure daily activation throughout the year and support both informal and organized activities. The Spine’s clear and legible structure also improves navigation across the district, reinforcing safe pedestrian and cycling connections with Via Europa Unita, Via Friuli, Via Circonvallazione Sud, nearby schools, neighborhoods, and Durigat Park. Nature plays a central role in the transformation. The Cross-Field Spine intersects with blue–green systems, Roggia San Odorico, tree corridors, and ecological patches, creating shaded promenades, biodiversity pockets, and resilient landscapes capable of mitigating heat and supporting stormwater management. Materials and planting strategies prioritize low maintenance, native species, permeable surfaces, and climate adaptability.
Positioned at a strategic node aligned with the axis leading from the Cross-Field Spine, the new Multipurpose Gym is conceived as a civic beacon for sports and community life. While not directly intersecting the Spine, its placement reinforces spatial continuity through this primary movement sequence. The flexible interior accommodates basketball, volleyball, futsal, martial arts, and performances, while translucent facades and generous openings strengthen its relationship with the surrounding landscape. The gym functions not only as an indoor facility but as a landmark gathering space for the community. Universal accessibility is embedded throughout the design: barrier-free routes, tactile guidance, gentle gradients, and inclusive play elements ensure that the entire district is welcoming to all ages and abilities. A seasonal program calendar supports year-round activation—from summer concerts and autumn markets to winter light installations and school events.
