After Cosio d’Arroscia I spent two days in Genova. Precious chance to see the project of “Alle Ortiche”, a starting urban regeneration project.

Started with a Festival of imagination and aggreagation is a project that aims to regenerate a vast area named “serre di San Nicola” in the steep hart of the city. Used to be greenhouses, long time abandoned, part of the story of the city, loads of possibilities and a great core team.

The philosophy of “le Ortiche” builds on the “terzo paesaggio”. They write:

Terzo Paesaggio is a civic innovation project that aims to raise awareness of urban composting and build a new urban biodiversity within the Serre di San Nicola.
An 18-month journey – August 2020> January 2022 – of artistic and cultural proposals, the transformation of a greenhouse into a winter laboratory, the self-construction of a community composter for the neighborhood, the creation of an illustrated manual on composting home, workshops and laboratories on environmental sustainability.
A game of exchanges with biodiversity and the community, designed to positively influence the environment and the quality of life of local visitors. The project is supported by the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation as part of the CivICa 2019 call for civic culture and innovation projects.

from the “Alle Ortiche” Website

Art lead regeneration, starting from imaginary and sense of place. Eleonora, one of the founders, tells me: “I have always lived in this neighborhood, I grew here, this small road was a dangerous shortcut for the center when I was a child. Now I see new activities opening”. In her eyes this space full of weeds was already a place of dreams to share. Now the weeds are less, and the plans are multiplying.

For the summer festival, moved to 10-12 September, is active a call for arts and artists!

Keep up the good work!

fredd