New Federico II University campus in Scampia criticized as prison-like

On October 17, 2022, the University of Naples Federico II inaugurated a new campus in Scampia, a northern suburb of Naples long plagued by organized crime and urban decay. The building, designed by architect Vittorio Gregotti (who died in 2020), houses bachelor's and master's degree programs for health professions under the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Construction began in 2006 on the site of the demolished Vela H, a notorious housing project featured in the TV series "Gomorrah." The campus is intended as a symbol of urban renewal and educational access. However, architect and writer Mario Coppola, who teaches design at the same university, harshly criticizes the design. He describes the cylindrical tower as a "severe, dark, heavy fortification" that resembles a prison, with a panoptic layout and small square windows like cell openings. Coppola argues that the architecture, instead of being welcoming and fostering dialogue, imposes a fortress-like presence that alienates the surrounding community. He links the design to Gregotti's lifelong ideological commitment to rigid, authoritarian modernist principles, which he claims produce alienating spaces. The article contrasts the new building with the intimate, concave spaces of historic Italian city centers that encourage social interaction. Coppola concludes that the campus condemns Scampia to a life sentence of exclusion, betraying the ideals of education and democracy.