Italian architects demand long-overdue law for architecture as cultural heritage

A group of prominent Italian architects and intellectuals has sent an open letter to Minister of Cultural Heritage Dario Franceschini, urging the enactment of a framework law for architecture as an expression of national cultural identity. The initiative, promoted by Luca Montuori, Gabriella Raggi, and Maria Claudia Clemente (Labics), among others, highlights that Italy is over forty years behind much of Europe in having such legislation. In July, the group met with the minister and Director General Federica Galloni, who was tasked with drafting the measure by last November. However, official progress has stalled; Galloni reportedly consulted the National Council of Architects, which is still working on it. Meanwhile, the open letter has gained signatures from prestigious firms including 5+1aa, ABDR, and stARTT. Artribune notes that while Franceschini has been active in cinema, museums, and cultural tax reforms, he has not yet addressed architecture. The letter calls for a comprehensive regulatory framework to replace the current disjointed and contradictory rules.