Silvia Vespasiani on How Mass Tourism Reshaped Italy's Coastal Towns

Architect and photographer Silvia Vespasiani examines the urbanization of Italian coastal towns from the 1950s onward, focusing on the Adriatic coast. Her research, published in "Città stagionali" (Franco Angeli, 2014) and "Vistamare," traces how the post-war economic boom and mass tourism transformed natural beaches into densely built resort areas. She highlights the role of second homes, speculative real estate, and weak landscape protection laws (Legge 1497/1939, Legge Galasso 1985) in shaping the coastline. Vespasiani notes that the 1950s introduced capitalist culture, zoning, and seasonal migration, while the 1980s saw intensified "litoralizzazione" driven by beach-and-sun tourism. Today, technological change and new work patterns challenge the mass tourism model, with many former vacation areas now permanently inhabited. She cites examples from the Marche region, such as Villaggio Taunus in Numana and Casabianca and Lido Tre Archi in Fermo, as cases of residential reuse. The interview, conducted by Alex Urso, underscores the need for updated urban programs to serve both residents and tourists.