Placemaking Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

CALVINO’S INVISIBLE CITIES IS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ESSAYS DESCRIBING MODERN CITIES AND THE WAY THEY ARE PERCEIVED: A DELIGHTFUL ALLEGORY OF THE THOUSANDS OF INTERACTIONS, TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE, BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PLACES. BY... more

BY ADOPTING CALVINO’S LENS IN READING CITIES, I STARTED TO DEFINE THE CORE OF MY PROJECT WITH THE CLEAR INTENT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE CITY AFFECTS CITIZENS AND VICE VERSA.

CITIES CAN BE CONSIDERED AS LAYERED ENTITIES IN A PERPETUAL EVOLUTION, LIVING SCENARIOS WHERE HISTORY AND STORIES CONSTANTLY OVERLAP CREATING NEW SETTINGS, NEW SCHEMES AND NEW SITUATIONS WITH THOUSANDS OF ACTORS PLAYING COUNTLESS ROLES. HOWEVER, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO GRASP THE ROLE THAT CITIZENS PLAY TODAY, WHETHER THEY ARE SPECTATORS, CHARACTERS OR PROTAGONISTS.

CITIZENS ARE TOO OFTEN OVERCOME BY THE TOP-DOWN CONFIGURATION OF CITIES.

IN ORDER TO REVERSE THIS, I HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING MY ROLE AS DESIGNER, WHICH IS TO HELP FOSTER NEW ACTS OF BOTTOM-UP PARTICIPATION IN ORDER TO PERCEIVE, CONCEIVE AND INITIATE CHANGES IN THE WAY WE LIVE IN CITIES.

THUS A QUESTION ARISES: HOW CAN WE DESIGN CONDITIONS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO BECOME AUTHORS OF THE URBAN METAMORPHOSIS?

THE PROJECT ATTEMPTS TO BE ONE POSSIBLE PROCESS THAT ACTIVELY ENGAGES AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY, SHIFTING THE ROLE FROM PASSIVE USERS TO PROTAGONISTS OF A CHANGE.

1+1=3 IS LOCATED IN A SMALL TOWN IN ITALY CALLED CASSINA DE’ PECCHI, ONE OVER MANY THAT ENCOMPASS MILAN’S GREEN BELT. THE ENTIRE AREA COVERS OVER 40.000HE AND IT IS THE LARGEST AGRICULTURAL PARK IN EUROPE; HOWEVER THE 61 TOWNS HAVE ESSENTIALLY LOST THEIR RURAL VOCATION. ON THE CONTRARY, THEY ARE PERIURBAN TOWNS, PLACES DEFINED FOR THE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION IN PROXIMITY OF A CITY, RATHER THAN FOR THEIR IDENTITY.

IN FACT, A SENSE OF STASIS AND PARALYSIS OCCURS IN CASSINA DE’ PECCHI SINCE THE 80’S: THE RURAL ENVIRONMENT IS NOWADAYS DISREGARDED AND THE URBAN TRANSFORMATION IS A LONG WAY OFF, HENCEFORTH INHABITANTS ARE RATHER DETACHED FROM THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENT. MOREOVER AN UNSTABLE POLITICAL SITUATION LED CASSINA TO A COMPLETE LACK OF AGENCY.

1+1=3 ATTEMPTS TO PROVOKE A CHANGE. IT SEEKS TO BE PIONEER OF A NEW PRACTICE THAT ALTER THE WAY THE ENVIRONMENT IS UNDERSTOOD AND PLANNED BY SUGGESTING BOTTOM-UP ACTS OF RE-APPROPRIATION.

A FARM-MAKING PROCESS HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO ENABLE CITIZENS TO ENGAGE WITH THE FORGOTTEN RURAL ENVIRONMENT AND SPECULATE ON ITS POSSIBLE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. AN ABANDONED PUBLIC FARM ACTS AS CATALYST TO ATTRACT CITIZENS AND TRIGGERNEW RURAL [R]EVOLUTIONS IN ORDER TO INCITE HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

THE INITIAL CONCEPT WAS UTTERLY FOCUSED ON THE CHOSEN FARM, CASCINA BINDELLERA. THE PROCESS WAS MORE BASED ON THE SUBJECT RATHER THAN ON THE COMMUNITY, NEVERTHELESS 1+1=3 SOON SHIFTED ITS FOCUS FROM A MERE COLLECTION OF IDEAS TO THE CO-CREATION OF A MORE PRAGMATIC VISION FOR CASSINA, WHERE THE FARM STANDS AS THE STARTING POINT.

THE MAIN AIM WAS TO DESIGN A PROCESS SO THAT NEW COLLECTIVE CITY-NARRATIVES CAN UNFOLD, IN ORDER TO OPEN UP GLIMMERS OF GENUINE PARTICIPATION. THE IMPACT OF CITIZENS’ DIRECT PARTICIPATION HAS THE AMBITION TO GENERATE THE EQUATION 1+1=3, WHERE BOTTOM-UP PRACTICES ACT AS CRUCIAL INGREDIENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW PROACTIVE AND COHESIVE COMMUNITY, IN ORDER TO RE-DESIGN A CITY IN WHICH EVERYONE HAS A PLACE.