[This text is taken from a discussion during the Sound Futures workshop].
The abandonment or inactivity of previously used locations is a rather widespread 'practice' in the city of Bozen/Bolzano.
Sometimes it occurs due to more or less 'natural' causes, such as the relocation or cessation of activities that had taken place there, sometimes it occurs due to force majeure, e.g. structural problems or natural disasters, and sometimes it can occur intentionally, e.g. to encourage an increase in rents and the price of buildings and land or to prevent certain places from being occupied and lived in by people.
In the minds of those who are looking for a space where they can express themselves, or simply where they can live, a multitude of ideas often surface on how it would be desirable to reactivate abandoned spaces. Unfortunately, however, reactivating such places is often extremely difficult for reasons ranging from questions of ownership, finances, to political issues.
Regardless of the reasons that lead a space to be abandoned or kept inactive, however, unused city spaces are a major problem. An unused space can in fact hold enormous creative potential.
- What could be done to make the reactivation of spaces a more common practice?
- What concrete actions should be implemented to facilitate this type of process?