Mariavaleria Mininni's 'MateriaLucania2017' Explores Matera's Urban Transformation

Mariavaleria Mininni, an ecologist, urbanist, and professor at the University of Basilicata, authored 'MateriaLucania2017 Laboratorio, città, paesaggio', a key text examining Matera's shift from old to new urban policies. The book traces the city's architectural evolution from the post-World War II period, when Matera became a 'laboratory city' attracting major Italian architects like Ludovico Quaroni, Carlo Aymonino, and Luigi Piccinnato to design urban additions after the forced abandonment of the Sassi. These projects relied on multidisciplinary approaches and support from international intellectuals in the Southernist tradition of Fiore, Compagna, and Rossi Doria. The volume integrates contributions from other scholars and methodological approaches for the redevelopment of modern Matera. Following Matera's designation as European Capital of Culture 2019, the book offers insights for future visions and intervention strategies, particularly for residual spaces where urban and natural environments blend, maintaining social identity and territorial belonging. Photographer Michele Cera's minimalist images complement the publication, capturing these reconfigurable areas and the ancient ravines. The book, published by Quodlibet in January 2017 (308 pages, €32.00, ISBN 978 88 229 0031 9), positions Matera as a continuing site of experimentation and green territorial practices.