FOLIGNO – Italy
Model: Indoor TECH H
Technology: S3 Self-cleaning
Date: 2026
Location: Casenove, Belfiore e Pale, Valle del Menotre, Foligno
Client: Municipality of Foligno
Intervention: “Ri-disegniamo il paesaggio – La Valle del Menotre” (Let’s re-design the landscape– Menotre Valley, TN)
Description:
Light infrastructure that makes an itinerary enjoyable
The quality of a nature trail depends not only on the landscape it passes through ‒ or from the continuity of its routes, but also on the availability of services that enable people to find their way, stay longer and explore the area more independently. Rest areas, visitor information points, information centres and public toilets are all part of the light infrastructure that enhances the visitor experience without altering the identity of the landscape. These are discreet interventions limited in scale and visual impact, yet essential in making an itinerary genuinely enjoyable for families, older visitors and people with specific accessibility needs. This is the guiding principle of the project “Ri-disegniamo il paesaggio – La Valle del Menotre” (Let’s re-design the landscape – Menotre Valley, promoted by the Municipality of Foligno to enhance the hill and mountain areas in the north-east area of the city.
The Menotre Valley: landscape, villages and community
The river Menotre flows through a landscape made up of small villages, green spaces, waterfalls and walking trails. Casenove, Belfiore and Pale are three key locations within this network, where the area’s natural heritage coexists with the productive and rural history of the surrounding communities.
The requalification of the area has a broader purpose than simply promoting tourism. Improving transport links, public spaces and services means enhancing the quality of life in the villages, helping to counter the progressive isolation of the inland communities and creating new opportunities through forms of visitor use that respect the landscape.
Slow tourism can contribute to this process when it does more than simply attract visitors: it can also encourage the continuous use and appreciation of these places while supporting the communities that live there.
From public programme to project
The intervention forms part of a national urban regeneration programme funded through the NPRR to tackle marginalisation and social deprivation. The Municipality of Foligno defined the project objectives and initiated the administrative procedures required to implement the planned interventions. The design and site supervision were entrusted to Studio Antonini S.r.l.
This phase is essential because it illustrates how the regeneration of a territory takes shape: a public vision translated into a project, developed through technical expertise and brought to life through public spaces, pathways, network connections and services.
In this way, the intervention combines landscape regeneration and the creation of new rest areas and visitor facilities, ensuring that the route does not remain an isolated intervention, but becomes fully integrated into its surrounding context.
Three public toilets integrated in the architectural project
Casenove, Belfiore and Pale were equipped with three SANO2 TECH H self-cleaning public toilets, featuring S3 technology. These indoor units were integrated into the facilities envisaged by the renovation project and configured according to the available space, existing utility connections and intended use of each location.
The integration of SANO2 technology was therefore developed in harmony with the overall architectural design, ensuring the full functionality of the service without compromising the architectural identity of the building in which they are installed. S3 Tech public toilets are designed to be installed within existing structures or in purpose – built structures. Our project delivery process includes an analysis of the installation context, definition of the layout, coordination of the building and MEP systems, followed by installation, commissioning and system activation.
Accessibility designed for longer stays
The three TECH H public toilets are configured to be fully accessible to people with disabilities and include features that enhance usability for a wide range of users.
An accessible washbasin, grab rails and intuitive controls promote user independence, while the stainless steel baby changing unit meets the needs of families with young children. These are not optional accessories, but integral features that enable visitors to enjoy a more comfortable and reassuring experience along the route.
In a project dedicated to slow mobility, accessibility goes beyond mere regulatory compliance: it determines who can genuinely use the facilities and for how long.
S3 technology for a consistently reliable service
After each use, S3 technology automatically washes, disinfects and dries the toilet bowl while also washing and sanitising the floor. Presence sensors and safety devices ensure that the cleaning cycle starts only when the cubicle is unoccupied, while touch-free controls minimise contact with surfaces.
These functions primarily address an operational requirement: maintaining consistently high hygiene standards across three separate locations, simplifying daily operations and ensuring continuity of service.
The separate technical compartment also allows maintenance personnel to access the building services without entering the user area, making inspection and maintenance operations quicker and more efficient.
Essential services for landscape regeneration
The Menotre Velley project shows that regenerating of a visitor route goes beyond restoring the path itself. The value of the intervention lies in its ability to connect the landscape, local villages, public spaces and everyday needs.
The public toilets installed in Casenove, Belfiore and Pale form part of this wider vision. They are not the focal point of the project, but they help make it accessible to a broader range of visitors and contribute to a more a more complete and enjoyable experience.
Regenerating a territory also means providing the services that enable people to stop along the way and experience it fully. It is often through the quality of this essential service that a strategy of enhancement becomes concrete.
