Re-naturalizing Minor Centers with Strong Historical Connotations: Strategies and Technologies

Abstract

The new 2020 Leipzig Charter, which is shaping European policies for integrated and sustainable urban development, recognizes rural areas' functional role for cities. "Marginal" areas play a decisive role in reinventing a climate change-aware and ecologically sustainable development model, resilient to imbalances caused by the prevalence of the built environment over nature. This has led to soil, river, and coast fragility. The paper addresses the issue of regenerating places through soft blue/green actions (urban greening and technologies for a circular water pathway), which adapt the urban environment to ongoing climate change while aiming to improve the livability of urban spaces. The design hypotheses deal with the physical and intangible characters and specificities of these contexts that impose an attitude of minimal invasiveness, preservation, and respect for architectural and urban values. The text cites case studies and proposals for targeted actions that consider combined solutions for re-naturalizing minor Sicilian urban centers with relevant historical-architectural peculiarities. Minor centers have an inherent vocation for constant human-nature exchange. This is proven by the history of their settlement, which often suffices to evoke the ancient knowledge and techniques lost over time.