How does one combine recovery, redevelopment and regeneration of the historic heritage of urban centres with environmental sustainability and energy saving measures? This was the core challenge and theme of the European “Links” 2010 project. The project was led by the City of Bayonne (France), and was supported by the European URBACT II programme which developed networks between European cities in the field of urban growth policies.The City of Formigine (Italy) participated, as Partner in the first and second sessions of the project,that took place in Bayonne and Kilkenny (Ireland), respectively. The other City Partners in the project were Delft (Holland), Almeria (Spain), Veria (Greece), Evora (Portugal), Freiberg (Germany), Anderlecht (Belgium), Grenoble (France), Brasov (Romania), and Budrio (Italy).The objective of the networks created by the URBACT II programme was to help devise and apply concrete responses to global problems, starting by sharing best practice and the experiences of the various European cities. “We are partners in this European project”, declared, Franco Richeldi, Mayor of Formigine, “as we want to compare our good practices and experiences with those of the most advanced European local administrations in the fields that are crucial to us: regeneration of our urban centre and environmental sustainability”.Alessandro Caronia, whose team of architects won the International Ideas Competition for the Regeneration of the Historic Centre of Formigine, represented the City at the second session of the “Links” 2010 project in Kilkenny. He explained the winning scheme (the core idea of which was to achieve regeneration of the historic centre through the creation of an "urban" sculpture park) to the other delegations at the meeting sessions, and helped the Formigine town council draw up all documents and acts produced for the project in English.The Formigne project is still a work in progress.

Building a Dream ITALIA! Issue 13 December 2005