Speaker
Description
The research conducted on the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, located in Moroccan territory, represents an emblematic case of analysis of the intersection between different systems of spatial planning and management. The area of the Strait of Gibraltar and the city of Ceuta show a morphological and environmental continuity that has led to the establishment of the first Mediterranean Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve (RBIM), including portions of Andalusia and northern Morocco. This territory, which acts as an ecological bridge between the two shores, is characterized by the sharing of 75% of the vascular flora but nevertheless presents a marked fragmentation resulting from administrative borders on this area. In particular, the Hispano-Moroccan border, coinciding with Ceuta's walled perimeter, represents a division between the European Union and non-European Union territories, defining the city as a strategic hub for migratory movements. Starting with migration, interpreted as a ‘known and expected’ phenomenon, a pluralist territorial model is developed that integrates environmental and social identities while respecting differences and seeking common roots. In the elaboration of a design strategy, the question was wondered whether and how it would be possible to respond through spaces, or systems of spaces, that do not stop at a given condition but open new conditions of living and cohabitation in urban space.
The proposed design approach focuses not only on physical spaces, but especially on relationships, promoting shared values and interspecific relations in the urban context. In addition, through a semiotic analysis of the city, based on mapping and interviews in the field, a reinterpretation of traditional spatial hierarchies is highlighted: marginal spaces, edges and interstitial places emerge as central in the perception of moving subjects, thus becoming the focus of the design reflection. The proposed point of view reconsiders the boundary area as a porous membrane, able to foster the intersection of distinct elements and to promote the protection of ecosystems.
Such an approach aims at restoring ecological connectivity and encouraging the coexistence of different subjects in a constantly redefining space, overcoming the rigidity of administrative boundaries and valorizing the dynamics of exchange and transit.
References
Di Campli, Antonio and Gabbianelli, Alessandro (2022) Delinking. The Space of Coexistence. Illustrated edition. Siracusa: LetteraVentidue.
Pezzoni, Nausicaa (2020) The Uprooted City. The Idea of the City Through the Gaze and Sign of the Other. Milan: O barra O edizioni.
| Keywords | Border landscape – membrane – ecological bridge |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
