Rome, Italy
Designed by Giancarlo Zema Design Group using Lotus, Pod, and Stone collections by Luminexence—a brand of MITAS Group for ANAS (National Autonomy of Roads Company)—the ANAS “Green Island” Charging Hub for “Smart Road” will transform the Italian highway system into a green transportation network.
The “Smart Roads” and the “Green Islands” of ANAS (National Autonomy of Roads Company), are among the revolutionary interventions to be implemented by the modernization program of the Italian motorway network.
They are based on the evolution of the ultra-broadband (5G) network with the support of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence for the control of self-driving cars.
Projected to be built by 2030, the entire program involves an investment of about one billion Euros and covers over 3,000 kilometers along the whole national territory.
Green Islands has recently been awarded a 2022 Green Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The ANAS “Green Islands” are a crucial element of this project and are positioned every 30 kilometers along the Italian highways.
Each contains well-designed rest areas, PV charging stations for electric vehicles, and solar-powered lighting.
The technological four-leaf clovers generate light in an eco-sustainable way and shelter from the rain with their large photovoltaic leaves, accompanied by circular eco-concrete seats that, like large stones on the lawn, are able to recharge smartphones with the energy of the sun.
The large leaves of the car parks, also photovoltaic, protect and illuminate the charging points for the electric cars of the ANAS fleet, while the sculptural lanterns and photovoltaic street lights are equipped with integrated video surveillance, completely off-grid.
The “Smart Road” aims to be an enabling technology for the development of Smart Mobility and preparatory to future scenarios of assisted and autonomous driving of vehicles, for an increase in driving standards.
The Anas “Smart Road” program will help equip the country with a digitally advanced and sustainable road network, ensuring greater safety and comfort for the user, efficiency of traffic flows, and safety of the infrastructure.
The “Smart Road” conceptualized by Carlo Ratti Associati is an “intelligent road” on which vehicles can communicate and connect with each other.
The goal is to facilitate transport with the implementation of weather and traffic detection systems through which users can request information on road conditions, traffic, and other particular situations in real-time.
Furthermore, “Smart Road” is able to provide info mobility services such as deviations of traffic flows in the event of accidents, suggestions for alternative routes, as well as being able to intervene promptly in the event of an emergency.
Project: ANAS Green Island Charging Hub for Smart Road
Architects: Giancarlo Zema Design Group
Consultants: Luminexence + Siderpali
Client: ANAS (National Autonomy of Roads Company)
Photographers: Giancarlo Zema Design Group
