While I was studying for the exam of Urban Planning, a topic particularly struck me: the phenomenon of Shinkage and Shrinking cities, or cities that become ghosts, there are many around the world, Italy, including.
Some parts of my Urban Planning slides:
"Shrinking city" is a densely populated urban area whit a minimum population of 10,000 residents that has faced population losses in large parts for more than two years and is undergoing economic transformations with some symptoms of a structural crisis" [Wiechmann]
"City shrinkage is the result of globalization and its effects in terms of the relocation of industry and metropolization. The new distribution of economic structures has led to agglomerations of activities in some regions, whereas others are experiencing decline" [Cunningham-Sabot, Sylvie Fol]
"A shrinking city is characterized by economic decline and, as a consequence, the trasformation of urban areas. In addiction, loss of employment opportunities tends to spark partial out-migration". [Karina M. Pallagst]
This phenomenon is not new, it is also to be found in the past, but first caused by wars, epidemics, disasters, now there is an important difference in the current case this decline in social bases manifests itself in a period of relative peace and prosperity. The causes are several traceable: deindustrialization, suburbanization, political and social transformations ..
An example is the obvious case of Detroit, a city that saw the economic boom of the early '60s, becoming one of North America's most important poles with regard to the automotive industry, then "die" and become an empty city, nonexistent, uninhabited password?
On Youtube I found some interesting videos, one stems from this city, the second a small Italian village in Tuscany. two different examples that speak of the same situation.
During the course of planning, our professor recommended a very interesting site: www.100abandonedhouses.com where you can find a lot of abandoned houses.
At this point I wonder .. Why? Why leave these countries or big cities at the mercy of a fate so cruel? Why do we continue to build houses, we continue to cemented (soil sealing) this poor land that is screaming for mercy? Problems exist and many are obvious, but why there is no information? So rather than build a new complex would not be better to restructure an existing one?
(Source: www.100abandonedhouses.com )
Mentre studiavo per dare l'esame urbanistica, un'argomento mi ha particolarmente colpito: il fenomeno dello Shinkage e delle Shrinking cities, ovvero città che diventano dei fantasmi, per lungo tempo gli studiosi si sono concetrati solo sulla crescita delle grandi megalopoli, senza accorgersi che di queste città che in poco tempo scomparivano, ce ne sono tantissime sparse per il mondo, Italia, compresa.
Ecco alcune parti delle mie slide:
"Shrinking city" is a densely populated urban area whit a minimum population of 10,000 residents that has faced population losses in large parts for more than two years and is undergoing economic transformations with some symptoms of a structural crisis" [Wiechmann]
"City shrinkage is the result of globalization and its effects in terms of the relocation of industry and metropolization. The new distribution of economic structures has led to agglomerations of activities in some regions, whereas others are experiencing decline" [Cunningham-Sabot, Sylvie Fol]
"A shrinking city is characterized by economic decline and, as a consequence, the trasformation of urban areas. In addiction, loss of employment opportunities tends to spark partial out-migration". [Karina M. Pallagst]
Questo fenomeno non è una novità, è rintracciabile anche nel passato,prima però causato da guerre, epidemie, catastrofi, ora vi è un'importante differenza, nel caso attuale questo declino delle basi sociali si manifesta in una fase di relativa pace e benessere. Le cause rintracciabile sono diverse: deindustrializzazione, suburbanizzazione, trasformazioni politiche e sociali..
Un'esempio lampante è il caso di Detroit, città che vide il boom economico intorno agli anni '60, diventando uno dei poli statunitensi più importanti per quanto riguarda l'industria automobilistica, per poi "morire" e diventare una città vuota, inesistente, disabitata, dimenticata?
Su Youtube ho trovato dei video interessanti, uno riguarda appunto questa città, il secondo un paesino italiano in Toscana. due esempi diversi che parlano della stessa situazione.
Durante il corso di urbanistica, il nostro professore ci ha consigliato un sito molto interessante: www.100abandonedhouses.com in cui si possono trovare un sacco di case abbandonate.
Arrivati a questo punto io mi chiedo.. Perchè? Perchè lasciare questi paesi o grandi città in balia di un destino così crudele? Perchè continuiamo a costruire case, continuiamo a cementificare (soil sealing) questa povera terra che sta urlando pietà? I problemi esistono e molti sono evidenti, ma perchè non c'è informazione? Insomma piuttosto che costruire un nuovo complesso non sarebbe meglio ristrutturarne uno già esistente?
Video about Detroit City
Video Città fantasma in Italia (in questo caso la causa principale è la frana)
