Reclaiming the Sea: Cagliari’s Waterfront Renaissance

The relationship between coastal cities and their sea has historically been marked by profound infrastructural divides. In Cagliari, Via Roma roadway has represented a physical and visual barrier between the historic urban fabric and the port for decades. This paper analyzes the regeneration process of the Cagliari waterfront, placing it in dialogue with major international best practices (including San Francisco, Genoa, Marseille, and Oslo) to evaluate its methodological validity. Through a comparative approach, the study examines the spatial redevelopment strategies adopted in the new Masterplan. The analysis focuses on the transformation of the Via Roma roadway axis, the pedestrianization of port areas, and the integration of the new surface light metro system (LRS). Particular attention is given to transport solutions: the introduction of unconventional circular loops (“dog-bone” roundabouts) and the regularization of road sections demonstrate how road declassification does not cause urban paralysis but optimizes unbalanced flows, provided there is strong synergy with the external metro network (SS554 and Asse Mediano). The study concludes that the Cagliari project is not merely an architectural redesign, but rather a profound social and urban redevelopment. The new waterfront aims to be a model of climate resilience and sustainable mobility for Mediterranean urban planning, restoring maritime space to the community.