Sustainability, Territorial Resources and Social Capital

In Italy, in the last two decades, new methods of intervention in planning and land policies have been used, which focused more and more on territorial government, governance, development, cohesion and environmental sustainability. One of the main factors that has contributed to the dissatisfaction of the residents is the lack of quality in the towns, which has been more and more characterized by urban decay and by lack of services and gathering places. Giving back environmental, economic and social quality to degraded areas or recovering abandoned public spaces responds definitely to the concept of sustainable city limiting urban sprawl and reducing environmental impacts inherent in the built environment. Moreover, soil consumption in also related to the economics involved, in other words what we commonly call cost to the environment, which cannot be underestimated if the perspective with which we work is that of improving sustainability. In this overview, new forms of cooperation between citizens and public authorities for the care and regeneration of the commons goods is essential. Citizen participation is certainly an important element to develop and to support sustainable policies. The contribution of a multidisciplinary approach, highlights interventions of urban regeneration and models of participated urban planning realized in some Sicilian towns in recent years. Through a participated management, a socio-economic integration of technology and culture has been undertaken thanks to the aesthetic functional and technological restoration of the places.