Germogli Urbani: University of Palermo partners with Mosaico Festival for public space regeneration in Piazza Armerina

In Piazza Armerina, Sicily, the third edition of Mosaico Festival (August 6–10, 2025) has catalyzed a new urban regeneration project called Germogli Urbani. The festival, curated by architect Roberto Cremascoli (COR arquitectos) and Deborah Castellitto since 2023, signed a three-year protocol with the Collettivo Mosaico, the municipal administration led by Mayor Nino Cammarata, and the University of Palermo's DARCH Department. Starting from the 2026 edition, the project aims to build site-specific structures for locations like Villa Ciancio and Villa Garibaldi, which will be used during the festival and remain as permanent city assets. During the 2025 festival, the university presented a temporary exhibition showcasing student projects from a workshop on the Fossa della Garofala, a historic but underused site in Palermo owned by the university. The workshop, coordinated by Professor Silvia Cattiodoro and involving architects Camilla Donantoni and Sara Ghirardini, focused on the keywords 'Attraversare – Vedere – Curare' (Cross – See – Care). For the next academic year, the analysis will shift to Piazza Armerina's green areas and disused religious buildings, with a student competition to design public space interventions. The goal is to realize a built structure (playground, stage, theater, or mirador) through a construction workshop, donating it to the festival and the city. Donantoni emphasized sustainability as caring for and valorizing existing assets.