Transforming Landscape: The Impact of the High-Speed Train Construction Sites and their Regenerative Potential

This study, currently in development, is part of the Sew-Line research project, coordinated by the University of Padua in collaboration with the Universities of Bergamo and Sapienza University of Rome. It examines the impact of construc- tion sites associated with the AV/AC Verona–Montebello Vicentino railway line on rural and peri-urban landscapes, emphasizing their potential as active agents of ter- ritorial transformation rather than mere temporary disruptions. Construction sites, like large infrastructures, have the power to reshape the territories they traverse. However, large infrastructure projects are often perceived as linear elements cutting through the landscape without meaningful interaction, leading to ecosystem service loss and territorial fragmentation. Mitigation measures typically focus on visual integration (According to the project documents, the mitigation works consist solely of preparing a 2-m-high vegetated embankment along the perimeter of the construc- tion site) rather than addressing broader ecological and spatial challenges. This paper contributes to the academic debate by reframing construction sites as poten- tial catalysts for landscape regeneration. Through an analysis of their spatial and environmental impact in a highly urbanized context, this study explores how these spaces—despite their inherent land consumption issues—can serve as opportunities to rethink infrastructure landscape design from both ecological and aesthetic perspectives.