Palermo’s Cruise Terminal, designed by architect Salvatore Caronia Roberti and built on the skeleton of an ancient maritime station from 1950, has been inaugurated. It is the result of a €40 million refurbishment that has kept its external appearance largely unchanged while radically intervening on the reconfiguration of the interior spaces in terms of consistency, functions, architecture, and connections.
In 2017 the new administration, under Pasqualino Monti, inherited a neglected maritime station: a dilapidated structure on a quay that had been seized in 2015 by the Palermo Public Prosecutor for stability issues, as well as there being a dispute with the company that was carrying out the work. Overcoming a thousand difficulties, not least those caused by the pandemic, the redevelopment plan went ahead and by the end of 2018 the construction site had been reopened, the quay had been made safe, and the new terminal completely rebuilt.
A more efficient and people-friendly terminal
The project is part of a larger waterfront redesign, part of a desirable and increasingly modern and mature relationship between the city and its port, capable of making the cruise terminal not only more efficient but also more livable and enjoyable for citizens.
Microclimatic control and energy saving
The use of steel and glass gives it a modern appearance, while the space dedicated to greenery is now an essential feature. Environmental microclimatic control and highly sustainable energy savings were given special consideration. There is a bar on the top floor (and another on the ground floor), and a large restaurant on the roof. Aside from the quay the entire surrounding area has been completely redesigned, with specific locations assigned to the various services for disembarking passengers.
