The images of empty cities in the pandemic era surprised us, every economic activity, every type of
transport has stopped making urban centers like ghost areas.
The frame that shocked the world is certainly the one captured by Copernicus, a space satellite of
the European Space Agency (ESA). He showed us a planet earth that returns to breathe, for the first
time in decades the smog clouds have no longer enveloped the earth's surface.
Despite the negative aspects related to health and sociality, there were many positive aspects that
allowed us to think about how important the environment is about a naturalistic-environmental
point of view as well as for psychological well-being.
Many minor historic centers and naturalistic areas have welcomed smart-working workers, favoring
a repopulation of ancient uninhabited villages or countryside areas disconnected by large urban
centers.
These are decentralized places that are marked by a boundary between urban and natural landscape,
a boundary that in recent decades has proved increasingly weak and susceptible.
The human evolution has shown us that migrations occurred to find food and comfortable places,
hence the formation of the first villages to create places for the exchange of goods and knowledge,
understood as cultural exchange.
From the primordial human evolution up to contemporary history, needs have changed and cities
have changed because of these.
The pandemic has reminded us, however, how important are the places that contain memories.
That border, so vulnerable, is the sustainable development goal for the future, human beings must
invest to protect.
It’stimeto ward the memory, the cultural identity and the natural capital of these places.
Re-inhabiting, re-evaluating and rehabilitating these places could be the way to achieve a
sustainable future.
In the waste era increasing by pollution and frenetic city life, many people are trying to reconcile
themselves with nature rhythm, with an ancient well-being of self-production daily food.
The communities that live these places need to be included into a political-social process, they must
be the subjects of planning.
The past can be the way to approach the future
