Approaches

The 20th century was the century of the consolidation of nation-states, and there is no doubt that the 21st century is already the century of cities. Their influence is closely tied to globalization, which has propelled capitalism into a new dimension. But the 21st century is also the century of neighborhoods, and of proximity - understood not only as the “short” distance between home and the city, but also as a powerful strategy for territorial regeneration. Paris’s “15-minute city,” Barcelona’s “Superilles,” Portland’s “complete neighborhoods,” or the proposal recently presented for the Manifesta16 Biennial in the Ruhr area are just some examples of this civic ambition to foster new models of cohesion, enhancing proximity, health, livability, and democratic participation in the everyday life of neighborhoods.