Spazi d'artificio: Dialogues on the Temporary City

The book 'Spazi d'artificio, dialoghi sulla città temporanea' (Quodlibet, 2016, 200 pp., €20) challenges architecture's traditional pursuit of permanence by exploring the role of the ephemeral in urban space. Edited by Luca Reale, Federica Fava, and Juan López Cano, the volume presents an interdisciplinary vision where temporary architecture is analyzed as an event, akin to a fireworks display—its preparation and dissolution are as integral as the spectacle itself. Contributors like Carpenzano argue that the contemporary city must narrate its identities and actors, while De Matteis, reflecting on the installation 'On Space Time Foam', emphasizes that spaces should react to inhabitants' movements, both physical and interior. Annalisa Metta rethinks the concept of prediction in architectural design, suggesting that enduring projects can adopt the aleatory nature of temporary ones as performative structures that modulate urban ingredients. The book posits that the act of design itself becomes a polyphonic narrative in public space, and even dismantling generates new memories. Ultimately, the ephemeral invites architects to continually question their discipline and the purpose of design, aiming to create conditions for real urban processes rather than filling spaces.