"The house belongs to those who inhabit it" is the title of my last painted mural in the Donatello district of Cuneo. More than a title, this is a fundamental concept for reaffirming the importance of the house, seen both as private space enclosed within the walls, as well as the urban context for hosting a community.
A group of exploring bees is about to move out, to swarm, to migrate, as inherent in the evolutionary processes of animals. A small number of bees and drones finds a new home, they are putting all their efforts into building the honeycombs of a new hive.
By analogy, the neighborhood groups together the fundamental pieces of a modern city, including a lively neighborhood house, several playgrounds and urban gardens. Everyday relationships among citizens, collaborations and sharing of spaces come to life in a multi-ethnic context. The Donatello district proves the coexistence between local dwellers, Italian southerners who migrated to the North in the '60s, migrants and refugees fleeing the war. This is most realistic document of multi-culturalism in contemporary Italian history, despite the anti-immigration narratives associating immigration with insecurity.
The result is a harmonious, lively and sparkling environment, a rejuvenated place that is projected into the future thanks to the large number of young people who wander like curious bees and are intent on searching for pollen. In this beehive all its elements are moving. Here urban planning becomes a tangible science performing in a densely populated but equally well-organized space.
Thanks to the organizers of the Dora project whose generous commitment has made this project possible.
Comments