On September 8, 2026, the new master plan for the San Berillo district in Catania was presented. Designed by Archea Associati, it is part of the process to complete the San Berillo District Redevelopment Plan, which began in 1957 and remained unfinished in the Corso Martiri della Libertà area.

The proposal aims to reconnect the district with the surrounding urban fabric through an integrated system of public spaces, pedestrian paths, green spaces, and new urban functions. The project revolves around three themes: the green courtyard, the pedestrian axis, and local materials. The green courtyard forms the heart of the block, serving as a shared garden and a space for interaction between buildings and open areas. The pedestrian axis connects the various UMI units through a continuous sequence of public and landscaped spaces, reinterpreting Corso Martiri della Libertà and Corso Sicilia according to the Rambla model, with references to the tradition of Sicilian illuminations.

Finally, the choice of materials helps anchor the project in the Catania context: lava stone, light-colored stone, and other local stone varieties define a recognizable architectural language that engages with the city’s identity.

The master plan thus proposes a new vision for San Berillo, based on the relationship between architecture, landscape, and public space, with the goal of completing a significant part of Catania’s urban fabric and restoring it to the collective sphere.