Ecologie della decostruzione. Progetto della ‘contrazione controllata’ dei centri minori spopolati

The relationship between small rural centers and the territory has recently gained renewed inter- est. In particular, villages in inland areas affected by increasing depopulation and abandonment are at the center of studies and investigations. They are experimenting within the complex and articulated framework of the dilemmas that originate from these phenomena, policies of “controlled contraction”. These policies con- sider the unexpected and diverse conditions of non-development as potential opportunities. In the logic of development not centered on growth but inspired by the governance of contraction, this study addresses and attempts to provide an- swers to some preliminary questions. How can architectural and urban intervention contribute to supporting the strategic actions of controlled contraction governance? What to do with the abandoned buildings in depopulated small centers? How to imagine a plausible scenario of balance between disused buildings and the terri- tory of contracting habitats? Themes of depopulation require a contribution from the disciplines of architectural and urban design, which are called upon to imagine new balances between built and agricultural land- scapes, intermediate spaces and open fields, ancient practical reasons, and new uses. In line with economic and social policies that interpret contraction as an opportunity to rethink places starting “from what already exists”, this study outlines strategic thoughts for a renewed ar- rangement of depopulated small centers and experiments site-specific “modes” of architectur- al and urban design by applying them to a case study identified in the southwestern territory of Sardinia.