ISI Florence is pleased to announce the opening of a public garden designed by ISI Florence Architecture professor Franco Pisani for the Tuscan town of Quarrata.

The “Giardino dell’Abbraccio” (“Garden of the Missed Hug”) is dedicated to remembering those who lost their lives to COVID-19 and all who suffered during the pandemic. Located in Vignole on Via Palandra, next to a sports complex and elementary school, the garden was designed by architect Franco Pisani (ISI Florence Architecture Department) who repurposed a previously unused field to bring his vision to life.  

Unlike a traditional monument, the “Giardino dell’Abbraccio” will be a living space open to the community, welcoming people of all ages. While serving as a place to relax and enjoy the open air, it will also preserve the memory of difficult times.

The garden design reflects the themes of distancing and gathering that defined the pandemic era. The garden will be divided into two distinct areas: one organized in geometric patterns symbolizing the rigidity of distancing rules, and the other more flexible and open to interpretation. 

The geometric section will feature a grid of cypress trees on a slightly elevated platform, representing social distancing, and allowing for spaced-out gatherings. The remaining area will offer a grassy space, free of obstacles, bordered by low walls that can be used as seating. It will serve as an area for movement, play, and relaxation, accommodating spontaneous activities. To the north of the garden, a more intimate area will be suitable for contemplation, reading, and silence.

Architect Franco Pisani envisions a future where grandparents picking up their grandchildren from nearby schools pause at the “Giardino dell’Abbraccio” for a snack, saying, “See those cypresses? In 2020, we had to keep our distance from one another and couldn’t touch like the trees are doing now.”