The stake
A site visit with Engineer Dario Pecchini from the Technical Office of the Municipality of Suzzara to precisely define the placement of Sweet Home. The terrain is flat, spacious, and dry, but during flood events, when the river needs to reclaim its space and freedom, it can be completely covered with water. With Dario Pecchini and Engineer Giuseppe Saviolo, who oversaw the engineering phases of the artwork, the first solutions for the construction of suitable restraint devices are hypothesized: an underground reinforced concrete pedestal at the site, like an anchor for mooring a ship.

Sweet Home does not have support structures, stands, or pedestals; it will simply be laid on the ground in the meadow of the floodplain area. The Po River will thus become an active part in arranging the artwork, changing its position, angle, and orientation after each flood. In this way, the artwork will become an integral part of the landscape, establishing a dialogue with it.

What is the floodplain?
It is often a very large area that can receive the waters of the river itself during flood events, performing the crucial hydraulic function of an emergency reservoir to dilute the flood and reduce associated hydrogeological risk.
The natural ease with which the floodplain can be submerged by its watercourse, and thus receive much of the suspended silty material, is the origin of its high fertility.
The vegetation in the floodplain can significantly slow down the flood's speed and is a factor in containing the disruptive action of the current. This action diminishes if there are crops or industrial poplar plantations.

The floodplain can be open or closed, specifically:

• The floodplain is closed if it is located between the main embankment and a consortium embankment that protects it. In this case, floods are less frequent, and it is also possible to find buildings inside it.
• The floodplain is open if it is not protected by any embankment, and in case of a flood of the watercourse, it is immediately flooded.

From Wikipedia