An EU-funded regeneration project is seeking to improve the lives of 4,500 people living in a 1970s housing development on the outskirts of Rome. The project, which includes the refurbishment of squares and an open-air theatre, as well as the renovation of public buildings to improve energy efficiency, is a test case for climate adaptation in vulnerable city areas.
Climate Change and Social Inclusion
The city’s latest Climate Monitoring Report found that in 2025 there were more than 40 days above 35 degrees Celsius and 101 tropical nights, when temperatures did not fall below 20 C. Overall, it was Rome’s third warmest year since 1991, after 2024 and 2022.
A €58 million investment includes the redesign of green spaces, with the reclaimed West Park aiming to reconnect the suburb with the surrounding countryside by planting up to 9,500 trees and shrubs. The East Park is intended as an area for leisure and sporting activities.
According to municipality architect Alessia Peghini, a bioclimatic shelter was created using recyclable materials which keep out the heat. The indoor temperature was more than 10 C cooler than outside during a visit in mid-July.
Anticipation and Fear
Most of the redevelopment in Corviale was finished before the June 30 deadline for Italy to finish work funded by its €195 billion pandemic recovery package. Some open-air facilities and green infrastructure are scheduled for completion by the end of August.
Alessandro Fornaci, a master craftsman and long-time resident, is eagerly awaiting the inauguration. His printmaking studio will move into new premises in a square next to the renovated amphitheatre.
Not everyone is optimistic about the project, fearing that yet another visionary plan for the neighbourhood might fall into abandonment and decay. However, resident Massimo Vallati believes that commitment and concrete actions can overcome scepticism and fear.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
