Revaluating Italian cities to boost economic growth
Economia

Revaluating Italian cities to boost economic growth

Mr. Manfredi Catella, CEO of Hines Italy, explains how

"Beautiful territories and cities are among Italy's most valuable resources and should be prioritized in the government's agenda," Mr. Manfredi Catella explaines from the columns of Il Sole24Ore. With the Porta Nuova project of urban requalification in Milan, Mr. Catella put into practice his innovative ideas. Thanks to years of commitment and dedication by more than two thousand workers and at least twenty-five thousand employees, Hines Italy has created new spaces including buildings, parks and underground tunnels covering a total area of 340 thousand square meters. The main objective of the project is to consolidate the urban structure through the development of existing suburbs.

Mr Catella believes that revaluating cities could be used as leverage for promoting and fostering sustainable development. Italian cities have gone through a process of great transformation. In the past, Italian architecture and urban planning was a model for the rest of the world. Nowadays, cities represent the heart of international connections, because of the greater concentration of population. The recently developed high-speed trains allow the modern Italian citizen to work and live in two separate places. In terms of transportation and services, though, Italy should face problems, such as delays and dysfunctions, with more care.

By improving these services, tourism could benefit a lot. Potential opportunities, especially for young talented people, are worn out by contradictions and structural weaknesses. "How is it possible that Balearic Islands with km 1400 of coastal line experience every year 40 million overnight bookings, whereas Sicily, which has the same coastal line extension, sells one tenth of that?" continues Mr. Catella in his article.

"Public institutions together with international investors have capital available to be invested in requalification projects. It only takes a detailed agenda and committed people to give back prestige to Italian cities. Now it's the right time to join forces and make Italy a better place".

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Claudia Astarita

Amo l'Asia in (quasi) tutte le sue sfaccettature, ecco perché cerco di trascorrerci più tempo possibile. Dopo aver lavorato per anni come ricercatrice a New Delhi e Hong Kong, per qualche anno osserverò l'Oriente dalla quella che è considerata essere la città più vivibile del mondo: Melbourne. Insegno Culture and Business Practice in Asia ad RMIT University,  Asia and the World a The University of Melbourne e mi occupo di India per il Centro Militare di Studi Strategici di Roma. Su Twitter mi trovate a @castaritaHK, via email a astarita@graduate.hku.hk

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