Terroir

01 X INFO

02 X DESCRIPTION

This story examines a forgotten area, characterized by valleys and hils. In this region, on the dawn of 15 January 1968, the earth trembled leaving a sign which is still evident today.

The strategy is clear, discovering and studying the nature of this region: a rustic area, sometimes arid and arranged in the Mediterrean sea centre. It comes like this Sicily, in a lot of its different faces.

We begin the research for this land identity through art, literature, cinematography showing how this area has made its way in the collective imaginary with a series of typical and recognizable elements.

We continue with the morphological and analytical analyses of the area in order to consider this land and its elements characteristics which make it unique. We then deepen all those social and political event caused by the earthquake which have contributed to shape the way of experiencing these places.

This work, once carefully explored the region and in particular its traditions, wants to reinterpret in a new modern key these traditions and make them the driving force and the reason to come back to live in these places. The use of the stone, the attention to the ruins as a respect for the earthquake, or even the transcendent traditions linked to festivity and cults, are all elements part of a proposal which can be integrated completely in these places.

Thus, the work done doesn’t just want to be limited to a simple planning exercise in the urban tissue of Salemi historical city centre, but aims to propose a different and experimental approach based on the identity of these places and which through a lecture in a contemporary key of the tradition may create a new opportunity not just for Salemi, but for all the similar realities looking for a vindication.

03 X ABOUT

Gianluca Basile and Antonino Caridi recent graduates of the master course of architecture of the Polytechnic of Turin (Gianluca in “Architecture buildings and cities”, Antonino in “Architecture for sustainable design”).

Our thesis develops a theme at the center of many discussions in this last period, the abandoned villages. Through this research they want to propose new scenarios for the future of these places through the study and interpretation of their historical characteristics.