INHABITING EDGES
INTRODUCTION
Calabria is located in the South of Italy, the poorest area in the country, with very high levels of unemployment and an ageing population. Young people are leaving the area, causing most villages to be semi-abandoned. In parallel to this, high numbers of young refugees are arriving.
One of the reasons for its poverty and ageing population is its historical disconnection from the rest of the peninsula; it used to be called the “Third Island”.
One of the reasons for its poverty and ageing population is its historical disconnection from the rest of the peninsula; it used to be called the “Third Island”.
In 1964 the construction of the Salerno – Reggio Calabria motorway began, and this helped to alleviate the isolation of the region. However, the construction process was flawed partly due to the physical difficulties of the terrain and the bad management of the project. The main issue was the lack of communication between institutions and people who felt ignored and left out of the process; not only were their needs not taken into account, but they also lacked information on the meaning of extensive construction works. Therefore all these reasons “provoked a general reaction of refusal”.
In addition, although the motorway was officially opened in 1973, in reality, its work continued until last year (2017). This situation of continuous interruptions on the route due to the building sites caused inconvenience for over 50 years which created a feeling of discontent in the population.
In addition, although the motorway was officially opened in 1973, in reality, its work continued until last year (2017). This situation of continuous interruptions on the route due to the building sites caused inconvenience for over 50 years which created a feeling of discontent in the population.
Moreover, the terrain of Calabria is very particular because it spans many different types, from mountains to hills to the sea. However, Calabria has a controversial relationship with the sea. Until the first half of the 1990s, the most productive inhabited areas were inland, and the mountain villages didn’t have any connection with the sea. Until the First World War, the coastline was considered a place of marginality and desolation, and there was not much involved with the social and economic system of the region. However, this situation reversed in the 1960s when there was a huge amount of construction along the coast. The result of this explosion of uncontrolled construction radically altered the profile of the coastline and inserted a metaphorical wall between the inland and the sea, emphasising the already existing division between the two areas.
THE PROJECT
This background of the relationship between infrastructure, territory and population in Calabria unconsciously influenced my proposal and my role as an architect because I was born in this region; therefore, my main concern is with the social and political aspects and working with the community.
My proposal can be described as an infrastructure to capture the unused cultural resources in Belmonte so that they are inhabited by the new community and return cultural heritage to the local community. A metaphorical long corridor, aqueduct, and bridge between the sea and the hill, the mountain and the valley, will be a natural, inhabited space where a new concept of urban living could evolve, connecting agricultural production activities to various other cultural and social functions of the city. The intention is to create a basic, permanent, bold and flexible structure which can be adapted and built upon by the local and new community more delicately and temporarily. The project is designed to evolve along a timeline of 20 years or more, and its genesis is connected with the real-life work I am doing in Calabria through my NGO, Le Seppie.
My proposal can be described as an infrastructure to capture the unused cultural resources in Belmonte so that they are inhabited by the new community and return cultural heritage to the local community. A metaphorical long corridor, aqueduct, and bridge between the sea and the hill, the mountain and the valley, will be a natural, inhabited space where a new concept of urban living could evolve, connecting agricultural production activities to various other cultural and social functions of the city. The intention is to create a basic, permanent, bold and flexible structure which can be adapted and built upon by the local and new community more delicately and temporarily. The project is designed to evolve along a timeline of 20 years or more, and its genesis is connected with the real-life work I am doing in Calabria through my NGO, Le Seppie.
Author
Rita Elvira Adamo
Professional Diploma in Architecture -
RIBA part 2 - Thesis project
Unit 6 - Architecture of Rapid Change and Scarce Resources London Metropolitan University
Tutors
Maurice Mitchell
Francesca Pont
Dr Bo Tang
Sandra Denicke Polcher
Jane Mcallister