Narrating the Landscape

Abstract

This thesis undertakes an extensive examination of the Ligurian and Maritime Alps region, deeply intertwined with its distinctive landscape features and closely tied to its identity. Its objective is to illuminate critical aspects of this territory through meticulous observation.
Drawing from a solid theoretical foundation grounded in local literature, the study aims to outline ongoing processes while identifying key territorial characteristics. Advancing from conventional research methods, the thesis incorporates poetry and local literature to offer a more comprehensive understanding of the region.Four primary territorial subjects undergo in-depth investigation: terraced landscapes, river catchments, flora, and horticultural structures. Commencing with an acknowledgment of cultural impoverishment and the corrosion of local identity, the thesis seeks to explore the emerging sense of displacement, tracing its origins and attempting to narrate marginalized stories at risk of being forgotten. Furthermore, by analyzing the current state of the region, the investigation aims to portray the environmental degradation occurring within the examined milieu.

The proposed project builds upon the concept of caring practices, showcasing the diverse array of existing and extinguished caring practices within the region. Drawing from a defined novel methodology, the design encompasses both a tangible and intangible component.
The tangible aspect illustrates how simple, locally sensitive actions can lead to precise interventions in the area, sparking new territorial processes aimed at revitalizing a “way of life” deeply intertwined with the land, environment, and human experience, a way of life currently under threat. The expected interventions lean towards conservative and philological restoration, with the objective of mitigating the ecological drift while concurrently healing the lost identity of the landscape under examination. Conversely, the intangible aspect highlights existing practices of "mattering" and "caring" within the region, offering examples of current good practices and suggesting new ones. Ultimately, this project on matters of care seeks to underscore the need to expand conventional design methods to include the intangible aspect, laying the groundwork for a shared methodology applicable to further development and research.