Pilot cases
Rome - Castro Laurenziano Area
Lighthouse: Urban
Localization in Rome

Community social characterization

The most represented groups in the Castro Laurenziano area are middle class citizens and university students and workers. Tourists and temporary city users (Tiburtina, Rome’s second railway station), migrants linked to the work of NGOs.

Governance in the pilot case

The Sapienza Department of Architecture and Project co-leading a local Urban Lab with institutional and local stakeholders to represent the local NBS anchors and implement the project.

Motivation of the pilot

Population density, pollution, neighborhood services, green 
spaces are all aspects that affect our way of life, health and 
well-being. In Rome,many city’s open spaces are in a state 
of neglect, especially outside the historic city center.

Local governance profile

DiAPand Rectorate of Sapienza, Rome Municipality II, City 
Planning Dept. of Rome and Cultural Heritage Institutions, 
schools, local social groups and NGOs.

Target group

Students of all levels, women, elderly people. Unemployed youth and migrants, visitors of archaeological areas.

Existing NBS applications and initiatives

Urban Forestation and NBS for a sustainable future (ISPRA); 
Biodiversity Center (CNR), ongoing PNRR research on 
Biodiversity, Forestation and creation of Green corridors.

Small scale NBS testing

Tactical urbanism action able to redesign the public space in 
a more sustainable way. Increase in sports facilities and accessibility for children, spaces to rest and study in the open air.

Leverage resources for NBS

Local bottom up initiatives emerged during the pandemic 
period to request for green and recreational areas.

Challenges raised during the preparatory meetings

During the meeting emerged the need to include experts in 
participatory processes in the Sapienza research team.

Environmental Challenges

Mitigation of heat island effects and improvement of air quality; increase the biodiversity and the quality of ecosystem services offered in the urban community; enhancement of the quality of public space; improvement of sustainable mobility, enhancement of archaeological site.

Who owns the land?

Sapienza University-Rome Municipality.

Social Challenges

To facilitate the interaction and exchange between the 
different communities of inhabitants: seniors (over 65%) 
and children (under 15) (35%). 12% of foreign population.

Related projects to create synergies

Actions from the part of the local schools; enhancement of 
archaeological area; investment of the municipality in NBS.

Economic Challenges

Worldwide, universities are engines of urban regeneration. 
Knowledge Economy can encourage integrated-sustainable-oriented practice.

Possible local partners, associations, initiatives and champions to be engaged

Sapienza students, Istituto Comprensivo Falcone e Borsellino 
(high school), Istituto Comprensivo Fratelli Bandiera (elementary school), Associazione Genitori Fratelli Bandiera (parent association), Associazione gentiori Falcone e Borsellino 
(parent association).