Genoa is an example of how to rethink cultural heritage and urban sustainability

Urban planning has a long history, dating back to ancient Greece and even Mesopotamia. Several centuries later, Europe finally caught up when Genoa developed the Strade Nuove and Palazzi dei Rolli – the “new streets” and “Rolli palaces” – in the late 1500s.

At the time, the city was an important center of power, culture and finance, and the projects represented one of the first urban frameworks established by a public authority. The “palaces” were a system of public housing within private residences, and over time they and the strade nuove became fully integrated into the urban fabric. First remarkable example of an urban ensemble, they were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006.

Of course, the story never ends and in 2018-2019 the management of the site was renewed thanks to the support of the Italian Ministry of Culture. THE multidisciplinary approach was carried out jointly by the Santagata Foundation for the Economy of CultureTHE Center for Advanced Studies in Tourism (CAST) from the University of Bologna and the University of Genoa.

As part of this process, the 2006 management plan (drafted alongside the UNESCO application) was assessed as well as current urban dynamics, mapping of cultural and creative industries and the needs expressed by stakeholders and rights holders. New integrated management plan identifies three different areas of action:

For each, tools and operational measures – more than 30 in total – were identified to create a set of activities that would highlight the importance of the Palazzi dei Rolli heritage system for the city’s diverse communities. These instruments were drawn up according to a set of four criteria: capacity to ensure sustainable financial management of the site, capacity to promote innovation in cultural productions, potential to generate growth opportunities and support business development, and capacity to create a socio-economic environment.Economic impact beyond the boundaries of the site.

The plan was developed in line with two other planning policies and urban instruments, the “Lighthouse” urban resilience plan (2019) and the Genoa 2050 strategic plan (2021). Inspired by the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the focus is on innovation, regeneration of the urban context and the creation of multifunctional networks within a global framework.

After the management plan was approved by the Municipality of Genoa, the challenge was how to approach its implementation in a period affected by COVID-19 restrictions, then at their peak. At the end of 2020, the Department of Economic Development and Innovation Projects of Genoa, with the scientific support of the Fondazione Santagata, created a tool to carry out the implementation of the plan—Rolli Laboratory.

A tool designed as a call for ideas and projects intended for all users of the city of Genoa, Rolli Lab seeks to strengthen the impact of the World Heritage site on the cultural, social and economic activity of Genoa. Through its call for innovative ideas, Rolli Lab promoted the establishment and development of new activities, in line with the strategies of the UNESCO management plan and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In response, local communities have committed to helping the city offer new services for the care, management and enhancement of cultural heritage. The overall participation was successful and exceeded expectations: 54 candidates participated, presenting innovative ideas. The finalists were selected to present their projects during a public debate open to citizens. The evaluation committee, composed of the Ministry of Culture, the Italian National Commission for UNESCO, the Genoa City Councilor for Cultural Policies and the University of Genoa, selected the best proposals.

The four winning proposals were:

• “Rolli 2.0”, a tool for education, dissemination and public engagement. Used to study the Rolli system, it presents a large-scale city model that users can label with QR codes.

• “Stroriama” an immersive podcast that tells stories and reveals curious facts about the city.

• “In²heritage”, an applied research project for the knowledge and monitoring of the state of conservation of the Rolli palaces. It is based on an innovative system for collecting data and managing heritage transformations.

• “Caccia and Vinci” is a “treasure hunt” game intended for tourists which allows them to discover unusual areas of the city, local crafts, as well as gastronomy and wine.

Rolli Lab’s experience illustrates how cultural heritage management can meet a growing need for sustainability demanded by institutions, practitioners and residents. It was also an opportunity to transform the Strade Nuove and the Palazzi dei Rolli World Heritage Site into a source of resilience and development by creating a dynamic relationship between heritage and innovation, between the historic center and the city.

Indeed, the Rolli Lab encouraged the adoption of an inclusive and sustainable approach to territorial integration, urban development, accessibility and use of places. By promoting the creation of ideas through a bottom-up approach, it has proven to be an innovative tool for the continuous updating of the list of World Heritage sites. management plan and to monitor its ability to meet stakeholder needs.