Palazzo dei Diamanti controversy: Bonisoli blocks expansion project

Italian Minister Alberto Bonisoli has blocked the expansion project at Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara, sparking a heated debate between two opposing factions. On one side, the Fondazione Cavallini Sgarbi launched a petition supported by figures like Pierluigi Cervellati and Andrea Carandini. On the other, Mayor Tiziano Tagliani is backed by architects, urban planners, and art historians including Antonio Pinelli and Pippo Ciorra. Art historian Gabriella De Marco, writing in Artribune, refrains from taking sides but calls for a broader reflection on the relationship between historic and contemporary cities. She cites examples such as Richard Meier's Ara Pacis intervention in Rome and the debated Stadio della Roma. De Marco emphasizes that heritage and identity are complex, non-neutral categories that stir passionate opinions. She advocates for a constructive dialogue involving institutional and scientific figures, and will dedicate a seminar on the topic at the University of Palermo, where she teaches contemporary art history. The winning project was designed by 3TI Progetti, Labics, Elisabetta Fabbri, and Vitruvio srl.