La Finestra
Basic information
Project Title
La Finestra
Full project title
La Finestra - The smallest Community Hub in Italy
Category
Regaining a sense of belonging
Project Description
La Finestra (Italian word for window) is the smallest community hub in Italy: an outpost of culture, community building, placemaking, identity and innovation. The Hub is housed in an ancient tower in the heart of Casertavecchia, a medieval village located a few kilometers from Caserta, surrounded by the Tifatini hills. Today this public space, refurbished and returned to an open community use, aims to be the center of activities, services and socio-cultural initiatives.
Geographical Scope
Local
Project Region
Casertavecchia, medieval town a few kilometers from Caserta (20km from Naples), Italy
Urban or rural issues
It addresses urban-rural linkages
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
EU Programme or fund
No
Description of the project
Summary
A medieval town in the south of Italy and ancient 80sqm tower located in the immediate proximity of the unique Romanesque style Cathedral of Saint Michael Archangel. Our Community Hub La Finestra was originally the access to the bell tower built around 1200 A.C. and for 7 centuries helped carry out the function of community gatherings. Crossing 9 centuries of domination by the Longobards, Swabians, Aragonese and Bourbons, the tower has reached the present day, where, starting from the first half of the 1900th century was used as the community school and finally as Post Office until the end of the 80s of the last century.
After more than 30 years of abandonment, in 2017-2018 the "Ex-Poste" (as locals used to know it) was included among the assets tendered for a public assignment for cultural activities as part of "Cammini e Percorsi", an initiative jointly promoted by the Italian Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Transport and Mobiltiy, ANAS S.p.A. and Agenzia del Demanio (the Italian agency that manages state properties), in collaboration with the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
Today, thanks to a private investment for the refurbishment and a re-functionalization promoted by Itinerari Paralleli ETS and Mutamenti Soc. Coop., two local non profit organisations who won the assignment of the building for 9 years, the tower has a new life and is finally given back to the community as an open and multifunctional hub.
Our goal is to give point of reference to the community of residents, visitors and organizations that want to contribute to the revitalization of an often forgotten territory, but with an enormous environmental, cultural and human potential.
La Finestra is open to everyone!
Residents, tourists and visitors, artists, craftsmen, artisans, cultural and social workers, activists and researchers.
Presently the hub is opend, almost completley refurbished and has a running calendar of events and activites. www.la-finestra.it
After more than 30 years of abandonment, in 2017-2018 the "Ex-Poste" (as locals used to know it) was included among the assets tendered for a public assignment for cultural activities as part of "Cammini e Percorsi", an initiative jointly promoted by the Italian Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Transport and Mobiltiy, ANAS S.p.A. and Agenzia del Demanio (the Italian agency that manages state properties), in collaboration with the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
Today, thanks to a private investment for the refurbishment and a re-functionalization promoted by Itinerari Paralleli ETS and Mutamenti Soc. Coop., two local non profit organisations who won the assignment of the building for 9 years, the tower has a new life and is finally given back to the community as an open and multifunctional hub.
Our goal is to give point of reference to the community of residents, visitors and organizations that want to contribute to the revitalization of an often forgotten territory, but with an enormous environmental, cultural and human potential.
La Finestra is open to everyone!
Residents, tourists and visitors, artists, craftsmen, artisans, cultural and social workers, activists and researchers.
Presently the hub is opend, almost completley refurbished and has a running calendar of events and activites. www.la-finestra.it
Key objectives for sustainability
Working on an historic heritage asset, which has been abandoned for over three decades, in a very unique scenario as the medieval town of Casertavecchia has been a challenge for Itinerari Paralleli from different perspectives. First of all from an infrastructural point of view, combining deep renovation, with ministerial compliance and administrative requests has been a challenge in terms of architectural and technical management. Second of all, the economic investment made by a small non profit organization that has invested directly, without external funding in the renovation and refurbishment for the clear mission of demonstrating that in difficult territories it is not possible to wait for public funding and investments, but you have to act directly and lead the urgence for change. Then the context, our primary goal is the sustainable development of a deprived social, cultural and economic community in the south of Italy, starting from a "symbolic", but relevant project which has the ambition to create new opportunities and connections among local actors, institutions and communities. Last but not least our strong belief that our cultural model can be self sufficient and sustainable exactly by following NEBs principles: 1. working on the role of esthetics as a means to foster wellbeing and cultural welfare 2. participative and transparent approach to foster a common sense of belonging and support for the project 3. sustainable not only by means of a Just Transition perspective, but as an integrated model of economic, social, green approach for innovative forms of cultural and social entrepreneurship. No other project we believe can show better how the NEB approach can move from a wide European perspective and land in a 150 people village in the south of Italy with the same motivation, ambition and intensity as La Finestra is showing through its first years of activity.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
La Finestra Community Hub is located in Casertavecchia, a medieval village in the province of Caserta in the Campania region, known for its rich cultural heritage; Casertavecchia is only 10 kilometers away from the Royal Palace of Caserta and the San Leucio Viewpoint, both included as UNESCO heritages. Specifically, the headquarters of La Finestra is situated in the main square of Casertavecchia and is at the crossroads with different paths charted by the governmental “Cammini e Percorsi” project, aimed at promoting Italy’s historical trails. These features make La Finestra a strategic location to combine socio-cultural and artistic events in a landscape steeped in history. The project aims to connect people, whether tourists or locals, with the environment around them and to enhance their territorial awareness offering a range of services. These include a library open to consultation, focusing on environmentally sustainable and slow tourism; a small shop with local enogastronomic delights; and recurring debates and events accessible to everyone to showcase the small yet vibrant realities around the region.
Key objectives for inclusion
La Finestra emerges within the "Cammini e Percorsi" project, focused on the recovery of assets situated along Italy's historically and touristically significant paths. Its primary goal is to re-establish accessibility, initially targeting the local community and neighboring territories, and subsequently extending this accessibility to the broader tourist population connected to the area.
Rooted in the principles of inclusivity and co-design, La Finestra stands as a community hub crafted by and for the community. At its core lies the concept of providing an open space conducive to nurturing ideas, arranging activities, and hosting events. Through a model of participatory governance, citizens reclaim their role as the protagonists of their city, bringing forth their needs and proposals into the discourse.
Critical to the project is the activation of channels for active listening, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and recognizing the space as a reference point for both the community and tourists. It serves as the primary welcoming space due to its strategic positioning. La Finestra serves as a stronghold against the cultural impoverishment affecting the referenced areas, ensuring accessibility to a diverse audience.
The project's objective also encompasses reducing and combating exclusion driven by economic disparities, guaranteeing experiences and activities that are open and accessible to all, thus promoting equal opportunities. La Finestra commits to being a bastion for sharing open knowledge, art, culture, promoting sustainable tourism models, and embracing shared management approaches to enhance local heritage by fostering dialogue between new and traditional artistic forms.
The ability to create a shared cultural schedule and utilize "suspended keys," which make the space available to anyone with proposals aligned with the project's mission, is what makes La Finestra a unique asset within the Caserta landscape.
Rooted in the principles of inclusivity and co-design, La Finestra stands as a community hub crafted by and for the community. At its core lies the concept of providing an open space conducive to nurturing ideas, arranging activities, and hosting events. Through a model of participatory governance, citizens reclaim their role as the protagonists of their city, bringing forth their needs and proposals into the discourse.
Critical to the project is the activation of channels for active listening, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and recognizing the space as a reference point for both the community and tourists. It serves as the primary welcoming space due to its strategic positioning. La Finestra serves as a stronghold against the cultural impoverishment affecting the referenced areas, ensuring accessibility to a diverse audience.
The project's objective also encompasses reducing and combating exclusion driven by economic disparities, guaranteeing experiences and activities that are open and accessible to all, thus promoting equal opportunities. La Finestra commits to being a bastion for sharing open knowledge, art, culture, promoting sustainable tourism models, and embracing shared management approaches to enhance local heritage by fostering dialogue between new and traditional artistic forms.
The ability to create a shared cultural schedule and utilize "suspended keys," which make the space available to anyone with proposals aligned with the project's mission, is what makes La Finestra a unique asset within the Caserta landscape.
Results in relation to category
La Finestra can be considered as a successful example of how culture and creativity can shape new opportunities in deprived and marginalized communities and territories. In fact, even if Casertavecchia, main location of the project, is a small pearl of medieval heritage and authentic mediterranean tradition, it suffers from a lack of strategic and holistic vision on how to valorize and promote not only cultural tourism and activities, but also a new sense of belonging for the resident community and surrounding villages. In terms of results, we believe that La Finestra, through the effort of its proponents, Itinerari Paralleli and main partners, has achieved:
Architectural refurbishment of the ex-poste tower -> over 35 thousand euro invested in bringing back to life and making accessible a town symbol and public space
Culture -> Over 20 cultural events organized inside the community hub and in the surrounding squares and streets of Casertavecchia since the refurbishment has ended
Families ->More than 150 families have participated to our cultural activities with an average participation of 50 to 60 kids to each activity
Partners -> 10 local organization involved receiving economic income through co-programmed events with La Finestra
Accessibility -> The space is now open 5 days a week for 6h for touristic information and basic services with an average of 20-50 temporary residents that visit the medieval town of Casertavecchia
We have received two financial awards: from the Italian Ministry of Culture programme Creative Living Lab and from Chiesa Valdese, to support some of the artistic initiatives and to co-finance the purchase of technical facilities for the hub. In total, private funds invested by Itinerari Paralleli have been more than 80 thousand euro in four years, while private and public donors have granted 38 thousand euro since 2019.
La Finestra has still a lot of work to do, but we really can say that it represents a new start for Casertavecchia.
Architectural refurbishment of the ex-poste tower -> over 35 thousand euro invested in bringing back to life and making accessible a town symbol and public space
Culture -> Over 20 cultural events organized inside the community hub and in the surrounding squares and streets of Casertavecchia since the refurbishment has ended
Families ->More than 150 families have participated to our cultural activities with an average participation of 50 to 60 kids to each activity
Partners -> 10 local organization involved receiving economic income through co-programmed events with La Finestra
Accessibility -> The space is now open 5 days a week for 6h for touristic information and basic services with an average of 20-50 temporary residents that visit the medieval town of Casertavecchia
We have received two financial awards: from the Italian Ministry of Culture programme Creative Living Lab and from Chiesa Valdese, to support some of the artistic initiatives and to co-finance the purchase of technical facilities for the hub. In total, private funds invested by Itinerari Paralleli have been more than 80 thousand euro in four years, while private and public donors have granted 38 thousand euro since 2019.
La Finestra has still a lot of work to do, but we really can say that it represents a new start for Casertavecchia.
How Citizens benefit
La Finestra is located in an old tower in Piazza del Vescovado in Casertavecchia. The tower was built around the mid 12th century and various art historians suppose it was originally used as easy access to the bell tower of the nearby Church of Saint Michael the Archangel. During the XVIII century, with the construction of the Royal Palace of Caserta, many people moved there, but the tower doesn’t cease to serve its purpose until the beginning of the XX century, when the tower was used as a school and later as a post office, as many elderly still recall. Throughout its history, the tower has been in service of the citizens of Casertavecchia and La Finestra aims to continue this tradition by involving them actively in the development of the project through partnerships with local businesses, such as “La Marchesina” café and “Conte Spencer Bed & Breakfast”, as well as through events and activities for families and children. However, La Finestra influence goes beyond the bounds of Casertavecchia, it aims to stimulate a flow of people to bring them together both in and with a territory often forgotten. La Finestra is open to anyone who wants to take advantage of a safe and serene space to study or work, even associations in need of a headquarters; the keys are readily available to everyone who wishes to use them. One of our focus experimented in 2022 is based on community curotorial projects where with the help of professional mediators and artists, we promote small artistic and cultural interventions and events in the comunity hub and surrounding locations. Our contact point email is partecipa@la-finestra.it (participate@). This is our call to action for every activity, communication to our community and main idea of cultural programming
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Innovative character
La Finestra aims to reclaim a space for too much time taken away from citizens, with the goal of not merely being another backdrop in a city primarily fueled by tourism. Instead, it aspires to illuminate the vibrant reality of the small village of Casertavecchia and its surrounding territory. As part of the Cammini e Percorsi programme, primarily dedicated to increasing knowledge and awareness about a territory, La Finestra meets these expectations but is not interested in serving as a backdrop to a setting treated as a postcard frozen in time. The term "Finestra" translates to "window" in Italian and aims to be an observation point, a link between the city in which it is located and the broader national and international culture by playing with the diverse dimensions of culture, capable of connecting tradition, history, and innovation through the active engagement of people, incorporating educational games and it provides a space for the citizens of the town to open up about their community. From our brand identity down to the storytelling and main artistic curatorial approaches we believe La Finestra is bringing an innovative sincretism between local tradition, heritage and contemporary art forms and cultural experimentation.
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
To make La Finestra possible, we had to use a cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach. Moving from local competences and professionals, we created a unique team of people aged between 20 and 40 years of age, all born and most of them still living the territory and context. First of all two cultural and social innovators and project managers who shaped the idea and started working on the project, Sergio Galasso (Itinerari Paralleli ETS) and Rosario Lerro (Mutamenti soc. coop), together with them two architects and designers who helped integrate the green architectural and hand made furniture in the Tower, Antonio Buonocore and Nicola Bove. They also selected and coordinated a small construction company that had relevant experience with cultural heritage sites and two young restorers to protect specific paintings present in the small tower. An archeologist and community manager who started working on the context of Casertavecchia to integrate La Finestra with local needs and characteristics, Sara Scarpati. On the media, communication and brand identity we worked with Alessia Guardascione and Claudia Del Prete, who set up our communication kit, website and social pages. Roberto Greco, eu project expert and trainer supported the activities and everyday start-up of the community hub working with three young civil service volunteers Pietro Di Caprio, Silvia Galasso and Angelo Giaquinto. Moreover, during our first year of activity, many friends and professionals worked with us bringing content, ideas and opportunities. That’s why it is important for us to name them and thank them for their support. Marco Ghidelli - Photographer; Angelo Cretella - Film Maker; Augusto Ferraiuolo - Anthropologist; Luca “Bifido” Bifulco - Street artist; Domenico Sant - Actor and street performer; Cinzia Crisci - Youth worker. La Finestra is without any doubt a multidisciplinary result of experience, competence and passion that embraces the value of contamination and activism.
Methodology used
La Finestra Community Hub revolves around three core principles: territory, culture and participation. The first principle aims to connect citizens and tourists with the landscape around them. Being in the medieval town of Casertavecchia - a fascinating town on the Tifatini Mountains, which, despite its unique landscapes, enjoys less popularity compared to the nearby cities of Caserta and Naples - La Finestra encourages people to visit this cultural heritage site and acts immaterially by providing historical knowledge services about the village and its surroundings, and materially by offering bicycle repair services to anyone using this means of transportation. The hub stays informed about local entities offering excursions and trekking routes and continuously updating its small shop with locally-sourced products. La Finestra is a multidisciplinary space that aims to be a showcase for the small realities of the territory, hosting artists who often struggle to find space in mainstream cultural circles and organizing workshops and combining a pedagogical approach to recreational activities for all ages. La Finestra is a space accessible to everyone and fulfills its purpose through bringing people together and providing them a sense of belonging both to their community and the environment around.
How stakeholders are engaged
In the "La Finestra" project, involving stakeholders at various levels has been essential for a comprehensive and inclusive design and implementation.
At the national level, the Demanio Agency, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Ministry of Culture and Chiesa Valdese played pivotal roles as financiers during the design, management, and redevelopment phase of the asset. Their participation ensured small but significant financial support not only in the initial project design and restructuring but also in subsequent projects aimed at artistic and cultural promotion.
Locally, involving public entities like the Caserta Municipality and cultural heritage authorities, alongside with private entities such as business networks, cultural organizations, and third-sector groups, facilitated a deeper integration of La Finestra within the local landscape. The aim was to embed the asset within existing cultural circuits like festivals, "Settembre al Borgo," "Un Borgo di Libri," and to foster new cultural initiatives through community engagement and proposal contributions. This collaboration allowed for a broader dissemination of La Finestra within local cultural contexts, forging partnerships and networks while enhancing involvement in activities and project development.
At the European level, the project, still in the design phase, envisions implementing strategies to position the asset within a broader cultural context, primarily through artistic residencies. This aims to enable La Finestra to establish networks beyond its immediate context, encouraging international cultural participation. Collaboration with Didaxé, a partnering organization, led to an initial experiment with the "Klimate Kapsule" event, an installation addressing climate change and sustainable development themes, conceived by the Centre for the Promotion of Science in Belgrade.
Itinerari Paralleli is also an official NEB partner and member of the Climate Heritage Network.
At the national level, the Demanio Agency, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Ministry of Culture and Chiesa Valdese played pivotal roles as financiers during the design, management, and redevelopment phase of the asset. Their participation ensured small but significant financial support not only in the initial project design and restructuring but also in subsequent projects aimed at artistic and cultural promotion.
Locally, involving public entities like the Caserta Municipality and cultural heritage authorities, alongside with private entities such as business networks, cultural organizations, and third-sector groups, facilitated a deeper integration of La Finestra within the local landscape. The aim was to embed the asset within existing cultural circuits like festivals, "Settembre al Borgo," "Un Borgo di Libri," and to foster new cultural initiatives through community engagement and proposal contributions. This collaboration allowed for a broader dissemination of La Finestra within local cultural contexts, forging partnerships and networks while enhancing involvement in activities and project development.
At the European level, the project, still in the design phase, envisions implementing strategies to position the asset within a broader cultural context, primarily through artistic residencies. This aims to enable La Finestra to establish networks beyond its immediate context, encouraging international cultural participation. Collaboration with Didaxé, a partnering organization, led to an initial experiment with the "Klimate Kapsule" event, an installation addressing climate change and sustainable development themes, conceived by the Centre for the Promotion of Science in Belgrade.
Itinerari Paralleli is also an official NEB partner and member of the Climate Heritage Network.
Global challenges
The project is committed to addressing global challenges, adapting local solutions in line with the UN's Agenda 2030 and the three pillars of sustainable development: economic, environmental, and social dimensions. The project faces two particularly challenging objectives. The first involves reducing inequalities by promoting culturally accessible events and activities to a broad audience. The second aims at the sustainable development of cities and, more importantly, communities, in harmony with the surrounding natural environment. This is achieved by establishing "La Finestra" as a community hub, facilitating studying, working, engaging in cultural and recreational activities, promoting economic and social equity, thereby reducing disparities among various segments of society. The attempt to transform cities into sustainable communities involves implementing practices that respect the environment and improve residents' quality of life. It envisions alternative solutions, such as setting up a bike repair shop for those who have chosen bicycles as a means of transportation or for visiting the village. The project aligns with the evolution of tourism towards more sustainable practices. Drawing inspiration from the UN's Brundtland Report, it promotes tourism that balances economic, social, and environmental impacts, preserving resources for future generations. This approach embraces green tourism, encouraging the support of local producers, respecting the surrounding environment, and slow tourism, focused on immersive experiences and a deeper understanding of the hosting place. Strengthening community bonds, hosting events centered around environmental themes, promoting cycling tourism contribute to revaluing the territory and spreading a sense of belonging to the community. At the European level, La Finestra has been inspired and tries to follow the NEB Compass approach, working on the multidimentionality of competences, stakeholders and integrated sustainability
Learning transferred to other parties
"La Finestra" originates within the unique context of Caserta Vecchia, a medieval village affected by significant depopulation and cultural impoverishment. The beneficiaries of the project primarily include the small local community, the inhabitants of the nearby city of Caserta, which itself lacks cultural opportunities, and tourists who occasionally visit the village, including cyclists and walking groups. Several elements can be replicated or transferred to other locations with similar characteristics. The requalification of historical buildings as cultural centers can serve as a versatile and adaptable model. This approach not only offers a new lease of life to abandoned spaces but also repositions culture at the center, acting as a unifying element for communities. Facilitating the renovation of these assets primarily involves reinstating the importance of participation and active engagement.
The implementation of a shared cultural schedule is equally transferable. This concept of a collaborative cultural program can be adopted elsewhere to encourage involvement in creating events, exhibitions, and activities that celebrate local traditions and history. A decentralized governance encourages greater participation and a sense of belonging. This approach can be particularly effective in communities that wish to directly engage with their cultural heritage, interweaving old artistic and expressive forms with new ones.
Another replicable element in contexts with high cultural and natural interest is the promotion of slow and sustainable tourism. This type of tourism aims to support and preserve the surrounding environment, respecting and valuing local resources through a responsible and mindful approach to tourism. The development of a market with local food and artisanal products that encourage the growth of third-sector entities like agricultural cooperatives is an example of creating a more sustainable consumption network that is attentive to local producers.
The implementation of a shared cultural schedule is equally transferable. This concept of a collaborative cultural program can be adopted elsewhere to encourage involvement in creating events, exhibitions, and activities that celebrate local traditions and history. A decentralized governance encourages greater participation and a sense of belonging. This approach can be particularly effective in communities that wish to directly engage with their cultural heritage, interweaving old artistic and expressive forms with new ones.
Another replicable element in contexts with high cultural and natural interest is the promotion of slow and sustainable tourism. This type of tourism aims to support and preserve the surrounding environment, respecting and valuing local resources through a responsible and mindful approach to tourism. The development of a market with local food and artisanal products that encourage the growth of third-sector entities like agricultural cooperatives is an example of creating a more sustainable consumption network that is attentive to local producers.
Keywords
Community
Heritage
Placemaking
Art
Local economy
