Terni Strategy Incubating a Local Creative Ecosystem - Urbact

Creative Cluster URBACT II - Final conference
Obidos, June 9, 2011
Terni strategy incubating a local creative
ecosystem
by Paola Amato (EU funded and international projects) Giorgio Armillei (Unit for the City Strategic Plan)
Ternis’ Round the Clock event – 2011 - Photo by Matteo Brancali
Council of Terni - Directorate General in collaboration with the Project Unit for Creative Districts

Terni at the cross-road of the overall dynamics of central Italy
ROME
TERNI
• Umbria Region (Perugia, capital city); Total population:
about 850.000 inhab; 70% of
Umbria’s areas are classified as intermediate rural areas
and only 30% and mountain
areas;
• Famous cities within the Region: Assisi, Gubbio,
Orvieto, Spoleto, Perugia.
• 2 main provinces and 2 major cities: Terni and
Perugia.
Extremely diffuse urbanisation with extensive green
and forestry areas, beautiful sceneries; urban centres
developed around old medieval
cores still well preserved;
• 90% of the Umbria’s 92 local communities have a
population of 3000 to 20.000 inhab.
Sorce (top left):
- Disegno StrategicoTerritoriale by the Region Umbria (2010);
- OP ERDF 2007-2013 . Region Umbria
Umbria, Terni
Port of
CIVITAVECCHIA
City of Terni
-140.000 inhabitants
- Surface: 211,90 Km 2
- Urban density: 532/km 2
Source (top right): Terni’s Territorial Strategic Plan (2010-2019)
– Overview of the main transport, communication
infrastructures and European corridors. In the scheme Terni
is placed in the inter-cross and is part of the dynamics
of “Central Italy” , an area with not legal boudary grouping
Lazio, Marches, Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. Its
dynamics is largely affected by the capital city, Rome.
Terni – Overall dynamics and territorial characteristics Comune di Terni
TERNI
ROME
Port of
ANCONA

Images from Terni’s SPA in the late 1800s.
Industries of national strategic importnace
located along the Nera River
LEGACY OF THE PAST: Strength of tomorrow
Terni’s main centre massively bombed in WW2
remained largely blighted and scarred up to early 1990s
LEGACY OF THE PAST
STREGTH OF TODAY AND TOMORROW
Galleto’s Hydroplant built in the 1800s.
The area housed the old electrochemical
plants
Marmore’s waterfall
The tallest artificial falls
in Europe and today Italy’s
6th tourist attraction
Terni’s main central space
Terni : legacy of the past,stregth for tomorrow Comune di Terni

LEGACY OF THE PAST, Strength of tomorrow
INDUSTRIAL DECLINE:
•Terni maintains one of the
oldest and rich asset of
industrial archeology both
in the city centre and along
the River Nera and Marmore
Waterfall. This last trajectory
was hugely exploited by the
Romans and by the Papal
State .In mid 1800s it housed
industrial activities of national
strategic importance (Steel,
Hydroplants, electric plants,
chemical factories);
•Up until late 1990s the city
still borne scars from the
WW2 bombing affecting
central areas with “ghost
districts” and “urban
voids”;
Terni : legacy of the past, strength for tomorrow Comune di Terni

Reconverting and diversifying urban functions.. rethinking the
future of the city
1990s URBAN REGENERATION AND TERNI INDUSTRIAL ARCHEOLOGY
• Acquisition of industrial dismissed areas and old industrial archeological sites.
• Experiments of complex urban sustainable plans and regeneration programmes.
• Favoring PPP such as project financing, paving the way for Jessica
Leasure and professional spots along the river Nera
Papigno’s film sets
Transformation and
investments
along River Nera
and Marmore waterfalls
An exhibition hall of the new museums
Urban renovation
and new culture attractors
The CMM audiovisual&digital centre
A new city centre
The CAOS Multiculture Centre
The new Multimedia library
Terni : Reconverting and diversifying urban functions Comune di Terni

Main Culture urban divers
• Major experiments driven by huge public (ERDF, National bids,
regional and Council’s sources), and PPP investments in urban
regeneration and restoration were carried out.
Among the main projects
• Multimedia and digital centre (CMM and Mr Rambaldi’s school of
film animation);
• Multi-culture centre (CAOS);
• Multimedia Library (BCT) Centre of Social Integration Activities;
• High Education and Resarch Centres in advanced studies
(innovative materials, nano-technology; stem cell research);
• Papigno film set (Benigni’s awarded “La Vita è Bella”);
• Innovative Urban regeneration Plans of the areas along River Nera;
Terni : main culture drivers Comune di Terni

The 3 major pillars of Terni’s policies and
investments in the field of culture
• Late 1980s (project idea) mid 1990s – early 2000 (realization)
Creative enterprises
(multimedia, audiovisual-
CMM, Papigno)
CAOS + new museums
focused on performing arts
(contemporary performance)
Education and labs
Multimedia library
public library based on the concept of idea store
Life Long Learning
Edutainment-
Promotion of reading (all
ages esp. preschool)
Terni : main pillars of culture development Comune di Terni

OP RDF – Priority: Sustainable
urban construction
7.5 Mil Euros + 3.5 Council funds
Culture
2.2 Mil Euros
Restoration and urban redesign
(including Wi-Fi)
Multimedia
Library
Città Giardino
CAOS

Mr Rambaldi’s animation lab
Multimedia and audiovisual centre-CMM
Terni : CMM Comune di Terni

Papigno Filming set
Terni : Papigno’s filiming set Comune di Terni

Multimedia Library - Edutainment
Terni –Multimedia Library Comune di Terni

Multimedia Library
Terni –Multimedia Library Comune di Terni

The CAOS is the city’s lively multiculture centre where
once was an old chemical industry dated back to the Papal state in late
1700s. It was completely restored by the Council now housing a
museum, permanent exhibistion halls, a theatre, cafe and other
amenities. CAOS holds annually and on a regual basis a host of cultural
events ranging fron debates, conferences, didactic labs and eminet
exhibition the likes of dedicated to “Piermatteo of Amelia” (Author of the
lost paining of the Cappella Sistina). A major event attracting theatre
lovers and artists from all over Europe and beyond is the Esterni
Festival: focused primary on avant guard theater such event has
run for many years.
CAOS is run by a private company , whose activity was also cited as a
best practice by a recent position paper (2009) produced in the
framework of the structural dialogue within the “Access to Culture”
platform established by the European Commission – DG Culture
The CAOS today
Terni – Overall dynamics and territorial characteristics Comune di Terni

Another…. CAOS
Terni –CAOS Comune di Terni

The experiments of culture districts
Culture Districts – Paving the way to the
Città Giardino experiment
• Culture District is a general approach and a a linchpin
action area of the Council’s strategic Plan (2012-2020), a
document aimed to better engage local politicians and
decision makers as well as the Councils' overall organisation
and all stakeholders to share a new vision of the city;
• Culture District approach aims at capitalising on culture
as a main driver of development and at creating durable
growth;
• Borne out of the lesson learned and potential of the
City’s past experimenting in PPP (See EIB JESSICA
Report for Italy) especially in the field of urban
regeneration;
• Placing at the centre tow major culture “drivers”: CAOS
Multiculture Centre and the Council’s multimedia library
(BTC) both vibrant poles of the city culture dynamism and
attractors for the city’s youth;
• It stretches from the Città Giardino District to part of the city
centre;
• It is a bottom up approach that involves the CAOS’s
Terni – The Strategic plan and the città Giardino experiment Comune di Tern

Città Giardino-Creative Quarter
Lines of action
• Urban negotiating schemes;
• New management schemes for
public spaces and buildings;
• Regional incentives on creative
enterprises (OP ERDF);
• Free WI-FI access and web 2.0
services (aimed at creative
enterprises);
• Communication
• Increase synergies among cultural
assets (CAOS, Multimedia
Library);
• Favoring partnership and
collaboration with local
associations (Group of Young
Architect), enterprises (CAOS),
University
Terni –Main lines of action Comune di Tern

Easier access
to bank credit
Out
Increase young
residents
Public subsiding
or funding
ORDER OF THE CAOS…..
More job offer
/prospect
in the district
Create new
enterprises
Objective tree - Città Giardino
Public
awareness
Funding
(private/public)
Cultural and
physical
regeneration
of the district
Regeneration plan
in place
Political
Consensus
(public private
negotiation)
Regeneration
strategy
Awareness
on the problem
Regenerated
Buildings
and public
spaces
Increased
competences
Deployed specialist
training
Adequate
maintenance
High
cost of traditional
maintenance
Alternatives solutions
and public
participation
Higher in the
agenda
of local politicians
Generated value
chain and growth
by CAOS
as a long
term driver
Festivals and events
attracting external
demand
and investments
New culture
attractive
strategy
Increased small
retailing
specialist shops/
commercial services
Shared opinion by
decision makers
Interest on the part
of local and
extra-regional
communities
Increased services
for artists to promote
diversified
events
Increased in quality
products/services
not offered by
large retailers
Out
Strong and effective
promotion strategy
and stakeholder
analysis
Terni – The order of the CAOS Comune di Terni

The Città Giardino - Think Town Terni
and FestArch Lab by Abitare
1st and 2nd Festivals of Architecture
(Oct. 2010-June 2011)
Displacing architecture
works, activating participatory
labs with local residents and
interesting debates/conference
with eminent experts also from other
European countries. The event was
promoted by Terni’s section of the
National Association of Young
TEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE > 2A+P/A
(ITA) How meet in town...
Terni – Group of Young Architects in Terni (GATR) Comune di Terni

What we found useful in Creative
Clusters
• Creative Clusters has proved an interesting lab for
medium and small cities trying to strive models of city
development based on culture industry
• The base line analysis and the systematic
coordination of results produced by project
leader of Creative Clusters in particular have
proved a valuable and powerful logical frame that might also
set into the right perspective both potential or limits of (Terni)
Council’s action since success of development depends on
variable factors often in control of diversified decision making
levels.