On 25 June, the opening of the Demonstration Space at the “Matteo Ricci” Comprehensive Institute, in Municipio IX. A pilot project based on Nature-based Solutions, coordinated by ANCI Lazio and co-financed by the European programme Interreg Euro-MED.
An open-air urban laboratory for experimenting with and disseminating practical solutions against extreme heat, for sustainable water management, and for the adaptation of cities to climate change. This is the URWAN Demonstration Space, which will be inaugurated on 25 June in Rome, at the “Matteo Ricci” Comprehensive Institute on Via Cina 4, within the IX Municipality.
The URWAN projectUrban Regenerative Water Avant-garde Nature-based Solutions) is coordinated by ANCI Lazio, which is its institutional and territorial liaison partner, and is co-financed by the Interreg Euro-MED programme, within the framework of European initiatives dedicated to climate resilience and the green transition of Mediterranean cities. The Municipality IX of Rome Capital participates as an associated partner, while the demonstration space is realised with the full collaboration of the “Matteo Ricci” Comprehensive Institute, which hosts the intervention and contributes to educational and demonstrative activities.
Within the URWAN space, urban regeneration, green and blue infrastructure, bioritention systems, recovery and reuse of rainwater and greywater, soil de-sealing, and multifunctional green areas coexist in a unified design. These are Nature-based Solutions: interventions that work with natural processes to lower temperatures, retain and reuse water, and restore ecological value to the urban fabric.
Conceived as an open-air laboratory, the project aims to support public administrations, technicians and citizens in the understanding and application of innovative solutions for climate resilience in cities, while also offering a replicable model of urban regeneration.
will be attending the inauguration Svetlana Celli, President of the Capitoline Assembly; Titti Di Salvo, President of Municipio IX of Rome Capital; and Riccardo Varone, Vice-President of ANCI Lazio. During the event, the importance of developing replicable urban regeneration models will be highlighted, capable of effectively responding to the challenges posed by climate change, with particular attention to rising temperatures and water resource management in urban areas.
The educational value of the initiative is also strong: placing the space within a comprehensive institute means entrusting students and teachers with a’Outdoor classroom in which to closely observe the workings of green spaces and the water cycle, transforming everyday experiences into opportunities for environmental education. It is from this starting point – involving new generations and the community that lives in the neighbourhood – that URWAN aims to foster a widespread culture of sustainability.
