White paper on creativity - ebla center

Chapter 12Chapter 12Architecture12.1 The creative sphere“Architecture… means the moulding andaltering to human needs of the very face ofthe earth itself, except in the outermostdesert” liiiIn the collective imagination, architectsare creatives par excellence, together withartists and designers. The product of thearchitect’s intellectual work is all aroundus. Architects mould the space we livein, give form to houses, cities andlandscapes. They meet people’s needsand desires for places in which to live,withdraw in solitude, meet others, work,be entertained, trade, study, or pray. Byresponding to social requirements andthe conditions of context, architectsleave an historical document, reflectingtheir age, system of knowledge, habitsand customs.And when the echo of mathematicalknowledge is figured in the landscape orin architecture, as in the Pantheon orHagia Sofia, or the narrative of peacefulcoexistence of different peoples isexpressed, as in the Bridge of Mostar,architecture represents cultures, theidentity of places and people whoinhabit them, and is a testimony to besafeguarded as a collective heritage.Arguably more than in any othercountry, in Italy architecture pervadesthe national culture. The country has asmany as 43 sites in the UNESCO WorldHeritage list and has acknowledged thevalue of its own landscape by protecting46% of the whole national territory.Moreover, Italy has pursued anextensive policy for the restoration andredevelopment of its own architecturalheritage.Italian creativity in architecture is adistinctive feature on the internationalscene. This solid reputation has beenbuilt up through the centuries thanks tothe work of exceptional architects and awidespread high-quality architecturalheritage, which has been universallyacknowledged by the experts anddeserves to be highlighted anddeveloped further.In addition to this indisputablereputation focusing world attention onour initiatives, the country has theinvaluable potential of numerous youngarchitects (49% of architects registeredwith the obligatory social insurance andpension fund are under 40), who havestarted up practices, investing energy,talent and money. This gives us a goodidea why the sector deserves specialattention in terms of defining strategiesand actions for the growth andinternational positioning of Italy in theeconomy of creativity and the culturalindustries. After years of stagnancy, thenumber of ideas and designWHITE PAPER ON CREATIVITY 275