The Albergheria neighborhood in the historical center of Palermo between prospects for enhancing and conservation of identity

Abstract

This work is focused on a methodological question regarding the historical centers of the largest Italian cities. The main aim of the study is to evaluate whether the so-called art cities can escape the emphasis on cultural and tourist functions with changes in social composition and showy processes of replacement of residents and traditional activities or can keep on playing the role of viable urban structures with a mixture of ordinary activities and functions, preserving and maintaining their identity. Our main interest is to deal with a particular case study area in Palermo chosen for its historical, cultural and social specificities. Actually, the historical center of Palermo, is currently invested by an inhomogeneous enhancement process, in which the touristification effect is rapidly spreading even if some years later with respect to other biggest Italian cities. Considering that the portions of urban fabric affected by this phenomenon intersect with those still degraded and neglected, we can hypothesize that a paradigm shift is still possible to rebalance the current trends. Our main focus is on the Albergheria, one of the neighbourhoods of the historical center of Palermo, which has been less affected by enhancement processes. Actually, Albergheria is the most degraded area of the city and is characterized by the increasingly consistent presence of migrants of different ethnicities who are the occupants of buildings at risk of collapse. However, the presence of such new foreign inhabitants has implied not only new forms of revitalization but also the survival of one the most ancient markets of the city, Ballarò. Starting from a reflection on the multiform criticalities of the Albergheria neighbourhood, the objective of the study is to identify which integrated actions, inspired by principles of cultural, environmental, economic and social sustainability, should be undertaken for a regeneration of the neighbourhood maintaining its identity.