Disarmare l’abbandono. Nuovi orizzonti per la rigenerazione urbana e la pace dalla valorizzazione proattiva del patrimonio militare / Disarming Abandonment. New Horizons for Urban Regeneration and Peace from the Proactive Valorisation of Military Heritage

Abandoned military sites can play a crucial role in revitalising the territory and identity of a city. Using different qualitative and quantitative methods, this study reinterprets the fortifications of Ancona between the 16th and the 19th centuries as exceptional documents of a living cultural hypertext, addressing significant contemporary issues to project the city into the future. By analysing the opportunities and limitations of current practices, innovative strategies based on creativity and sharing emerge. The aim is to preserve these common assets in their physical dimension while reactivating them as poles of urban dynamism and identity. A comprehensive design approach, inspired by a novel urban vision, reconciling the historical aspects of the artefacts with contemporary needs and involving local communities, is fundamental in transforming forgotten heritage into a driving force for modern cultural, economic, and social development. Adopting an attitude that anticipates and addresses future challenges is not merely a suggestion but an urgent call to joint action for long-term, inclusive, and sustainable urban renewal. In an era once again marked by large-scale rearmament, where peace is also marginal and at risk, reclaiming these sites as spaces for dialogue, cooperation, coexistence, and reconciliation also becomes a timely and meaningful alternative.