VIRTUAL: Learning. Life. Work.

Abstract

Latina is a planned city established by Mussolini in 1932. It was built amidst marshlands as proof of the Fascist regime’s power. Originally designed for 15,000 inhabitants, the city’s current population exceeds 120,000. For all these reasons, Latina finds itself caught in developmental stagnation, lacking comprehensive sustainable solutions for the 21st-century. The inherent challenges stemming from its very origin have emerged as focal points for re-evaluating its trajectory: the perpetual re-emergence of marshlands, both in greenfield areas and dormant brownfield sites, and political biases toward the city have caused a deadlock among administrators, academia, professionals, and the local community. This context provided an ideal backdrop for a summer school initiative, wherein the architecture students at the University of Hertfordshire offered fresh and unbiased perspectives. Collaborating with Casa Dell’Architecttura, a trust dedicated to researching, studying, and preserving the city’s heritage, these students endeavoured to envision potential scenarios for two pivotal areas defined by Latina’s distinct characteristics: its strong urban layout and the marshlands. Over an intensive week, students and tutors, supported by anthropologists and in collaboration with professionals and the local community, worked diligently to formulate prospective solutions. This experience provided a unique and thorough learning opportunity, empowering students’ teams to assume ownership of the project and present their ideas in real-world contexts with the input of a wider range of stakeholders. Although presented as projects, these outcomes tend to provoke thoughtful inquiries rather than offer definitive answers, as a high-quality and impactful research and educational outcome should.