A recently completed architectural project in the small Italian comune of Gabicce Mare has transformed the town’s seafront into a welcoming public promenade. By removing vehicular traffic along the route, the design prioritizes social life, community well-being, and safe, pleasant movement for residents and visitors alike.
Gabicce Mare, commonly called Gabicce, is a coastal town in the Marche region with a year-round population of roughly 5,000. During the summer it becomes a lively beach destination, with numerous hotels, restaurants and recreational opportunities on the Adriatic Sea that draw visitors for swimming, boating and coastal leisure.
© Aldo Amoretti
Located in the provinces of Pesaro and Urbino, Gabicce Mare lies close to larger regional centers including Ancona and Pesaro, making it easily accessible for day-trippers and longer stays. The new promenade links the marina with the main beach, creating a continuous, attractive corridor for daytime activity and evening strolls.
The scheme introduces tailored paving textures and materials—resin, stone and wood—over the promenade’s approximately 1,900-foot length. This mix gives walkers, runners and cyclists a varied, human-scaled surface to enjoy while a planted green strip of trees and shrubs runs parallel to the shore. The planting is designed to evolve through the seasons, offering changing color, shade and scent that enrich the coastal experience year-round.
© Aldo Amoretti
New outdoor furnishings—including benches, shade structures and seating clusters—are tailored to pedestrian use and encourage pause, relaxation and social exchange. Dedicated areas for a summer market add activity and provide local vendors with visible, accessible space. Overall, the layout fosters encounters among neighbors, families and visitors, enhancing everyday life and the town’s appeal.
The promenade culminates at a vantage point overlooking the canal and harbor, where the entrance is marked by two pendula Sophora (Japanese pagoda trees) flanking a small square. That square preserves a historic staircase while incorporating a new elevator shaft that links the promenade to the upper town, improving accessibility. A nearby beach bar adds convenience for pedestrians and anchors the end of the route as a social destination.
This project demonstrates how careful urban design and landscape integration can reclaim public space from cars and shape a more livable, attractive coastline. The new Seaside Promenade serves both daily life for residents and the seasonal rhythms of visitors, offering a tranquil, green alternative to busy coastal streets while reinforcing Gabicce Mare’s identity as a seaside destination.