Sustainability, from the social, environmental, and economic perspectives – beauty, inclusion, and participation. These were the themes that characterized the meeting which took place in Gramolazzo, in the Municipality of Minucciano (LU) on November 19th. The meeting was held by students from the “Design and Sustainability” course of the Department of architecture of the University of Florence, alongside representatives from the Municipality of Minucciano and Garfagnana Innovazione, a local enterprise. This event was organized thanks to the collaboration between Regione Toscana, the Municipality, and the Department of architecture.
“We have identified the Gramolazzo area,” explained Leonardo Marras, the Regional Minister for Economic Development and Tourism, “as the location for a pilot project within the BAUHAUS4MED (B4M) initiative, funded by the European MED program, where Regione Toscana is a partner along with six other European Union countries.” The project’s challenge is to experiment with local development pathways that align with the New European Bauhaus Initiative, balancing economic growth with sustainability, inclusivity, and aesthetics. “For this reason,” he added, “I proposed to Mayor Nicola Poli to collaborate, drawing inspiration from successful local development projects already implemented, such as the infrastructure interventions at Lake Gramolazzo, as well as initiatives supporting businesses like Garfagnana Innovazione.”
“I am very happy that Regione Toscana and the Department of architecture of the University of Florence have chosen our territory for this beautiful project,” declared Mayor Nicola Poli. “On one hand, it is an important recognition of the work done to qualify our Municipality in the areas of local development and sustainability. On the other hand, it represents another opportunity for growth, the development of meaningful relationships, and the creation of opportunities for local businesses.”
On november 19th, the first concrete step of the collaboration agreement between Regione Toscana and the Department of architecture of the University of Florence took place, with 45 students from the “Design and Sustainability” course being welcomed at the premises of Garfagnana Innovazione. There, after hearing an account of the history of the Garfagnana area by architect Pietro Luigi Biagioni, the students were able to learn about the area from the perspective of urban planning and international projects, such as the Digital Stone Project, which attracts artists from around the world to Minucciano each year.
The next event of the Bauhaus4Med project will be on December 14th, with the entire Gramolazzo community invited to collaborate in identifying priorities that can be addressed through the project itself.
Stay tuned for more Bauhaus4Med news.
