At first glance, Calabria presents a diminishing territory, with unemployment rates rising drastically every year and environmental challenges posing significant threats to the territory’s main economic income, agriculture. Instead of conforming to global forces of demanding constant growth, this project positions itself in defense of de-growth practices. Following Meadows’ book “The Limits To Growth” this project aims to understand and enhance underlying practices in the territory, while not forcing neoliberal ideas of density and violent land grabs.
The group project looked into the network of olive and olive oil in the region, in order to better understand the existing efforts and systems. We concluded that olive has a strong presence in the area and serves as a good catalyst for other interventions and a model for a new network of resistance. We examined the olive oil network through various lenses and my research into the education systems led me to propose a knowledge exchange and practice center for culinary and agricultural practices. The final design project aims to bridge the gap between local knowledge of the soil, land, water with new methods of ecological farming. By bringing together local practitioners, students and scientists, the space becomes a testing site for new ways of living with the land. The structure and associated public spaces are platforms to activate the inherent local knowledge and rituals (practices). They act as a middle ground, bringing traditional methods together with sustainable and environmentally conscious new approaches.
SHARING STORIES - Residence and culinary experimentation
SHARING LAND - Agricultural experimentation
SHARING LAND - Agricultural experimentation
The education intervention aims to tap into the embedded knowledge networks by acting as a bridge between different actors: elderly, second/third generation immigrants, new immigrants, farm workers, students and young people. The structure and associated public spaces are platforms to activate the inherent local knowledge and rituals (practices). They act as a middle ground, bringing traditional methods together with sustainable and environmentally conscious new approaches.
