KOOZ Ginevra, it’s such a pleasure to reconnect — I recall our conversation Rebuilding the Edge, along with Carmelo Ignaccolo and Nicolas Delgado Alcega, when you founded Liminal during your studies at MIT. I was always very impressed by your notion of the architect as a systems thinker and designer, operating through a multiscalar approach. Maybe you could start by telling us how the project has evolved since it began?

GINEVRA D'AGOSTINO You are correct in your assessment: this is indeed how I view my role as a formally trained architect. I believe we are at a historical turning point, where we need to extend beyond traditional tools (that we are yet to master) to find the right solutions. This is especially true for projects that are addressing real-world issues beyond the academy.

Liminal was founded on this ethos, driven by the desire to identify new methods that could have a tangible impact — or at the very least, begin to ask the right questions about some of the most pressing issues we face. If we decide to, each of us can choose to have an impact on some of these problems. We just have to identify which ones we are best suited to tackle. In our case, it is the myriad of challenges that come with depopulating rural areas, not only in Italy but also globally.

Over the last three years we have made significant efforts to be on the ground, to listen with patience and curiosity, to do the hard work of getting our hands dirty, iterating and experimenting with tools and novel approaches. We’ve embraced the uncertainty that comes with this process, confident that it will yield methodological innovations and clarify the concrete actions that we can take to tackle the issues faced by the communities we collaborate with. One small action at a time, we are learning the specific ways in which we can really make ourselves useful.

Places like Monti Prenestini have offered us an incredible opportunity to do just this — to push our limits and experiment while maintaining a commitment to measurable goals and impacts. We have learned that we cannot wait for someone else to solve our problems, and we want the next generation to feel that they can take action, no matter where they come from. To be critical but also propositional. To learn how to bring together multiple actors and disciplines. To understand the system within which we operate so that we can empower ourselves to manage them effectively. To do the hard work.

All this is to say that Liminal has grown over the past three years, around the many lessons we have learned. This year we are establishing our first permanent community space — Liminal Embassy — in Monti Prenestini. We have lined up around ten Challenges for 2024 through which we will tackle local problems, uncovered over the last three years in the communities with whom we have collaborated. We have also opened Liminal up to members, so we can share the institutional knowledge and enthusiasm developed over the years; we will gather them this summer, at the first Liminal Assembly.

KOOZ From the start, GIS Mapping and photogrammetric tools have been a big part of the project, as a means of registering, interpreting, and generating data on and around the abandoned rail line. How have you built upon this data-set and how does it enable the community to interpret the territory that Liminal seeks to address?

GDAOur commitment to data-driven insights has only grown stronger, evolving into a comprehensive framework for understanding and intervening in rural territories. Through GIS mapping, SWOT analysis, and photogrammetry, we have deepened our analysis, capturing not just the physical landscape but also the social and economic fabrics that define these areas. This multi-layered approach to data collection facilitates a granular understanding of local challenges and opportunities, guiding our interventions with precision and relevance.

In Monti Prenestini, our efforts to ‘map the unmapped’ through Digital Paths and Liminal Lab have been particularly significant, bridging substantial digital divides. By engaging directly with the community, these projects have catalysed a collaborative ecosystem that we are actively seeking to nurture. Our goal is to understand how these on-the-ground initiatives can be informative and stimulating, both for the local younger generation and for participants from abroad. Indeed, I am very glad to have this opportunity to see how Agnese and Finn have experienced our initiatives from last year, thanks to the enormous efforts in which everyone on the Liminal team has actively contributed.

KOOZ So, over to Finn and Agnese: you have both participated in the Digital Paths workshop led by Carmelo Ignaccolo, which was held last year at Monti Prenestini. Could you expand on the participatory process and on how you approached the process of mapping the dense historic centres of the region?

FINN ALESSANDRO LINDSTEDT As Ginevra mentioned, there are quite a few areas in which Liminal’s activities have been a stimulating and formative force. When we tackled the Digital Paths workshop in Monti Prenestini, we had a clear game-plan for mapping out Guadagnolo, Rocca di Cave, Capranica, and Castel San Pietro Romano, the towns of Monti Prenestini. It was a bit like organising a complex project into smaller, more manageable tasks; we divided the entire area into sections and then broke those down further into street segments, connected by nodes. This helped us to get a handle on the area.

After setting up the framework, we assigned different segments to various teams, each person taking on a specific role. The first step involved gathering raw data: we used 360-degree cameras to capture detailed images of the streets, which were then meticulously cleaned and processed. The goal was to ensure that the data was accurate and useful before making it available on platforms like Google Maps.

AGNESE MATTOGNO I had the privilege of participating in the Digital Paths workshop through my volunteer work at the municipality of Castel San Pietro Romano. The mayor personally requested my involvement in the project, and I embraced the opportunity to acquire new expertise. On my first meeting with the Liminal team, I found that the Digital Path workshop was integral to a broader vision for Monti Prenestini, one that recognised the full potential of our territory.

A key strength of the Digital Paths initiative is undoubtedly its methodology, designed so that even individuals with minimal digital knowledge can learn — both theoretically and practically — how to map a historic centre within a few weeks. For me, the transition from learning how to utilise the software and tools to their active application was invaluable.

Mapping in Monti Prenestini posed challenges due to its dense and complex layout, coupled with poor internet connectivity. These factors complicated work with GPS, an essential tool for mapping. Nevertheless, with the Liminal team's support, we adapted our methods and successfully mapped all four towns.

KOOZ The workshop was aimed at making the dense historic centre more navigable through the use of digital wayfinding platforms. To what extent do these digital tools enable us to comprehend the complexity of these spaces?

FAL Digital tools are incredibly useful for getting to grips with the complexity of historic spaces. Through the above project, we managed to provide a way for people to explore these areas virtually, which is great for planning visits in real life or just getting to know the place. The tools offer a level of detail that makes navigating much easier and safer, especially in places with a lot of history and narrow streets.

It’s not just about getting from A to B, though. By making these areas more accessible, we’re helping everyone — including those who might find it difficult to explore in person. Digital documentation is also a way of keeping history alive for future generations.

There are challenges, of course. The main ones include keeping the data up to date and making sure people are actually able to use these tools. This is something we’re working on by getting the community involved; the idea is to create a sort of ongoing collaboration where locals help keep things current, ensuring that the digital maps remain a valuable resource for everyone.

AMAs Finn correctly put it, the use of digital tools in historic centres — like those in Monti Prenestini — is in fact incredibly beneficial. Having grown up in this region, I was accustomed to its complex terrain, which familiarity allowed me to navigate with ease, a capacity which not everyone possesses. Digital tools can demystify these areas for many more people, making them less intimidating and more accessible to future visitors who wish to plan and tailor their experiences.

Furthermore, the mapping of historic centres has everyday benefits — like simplifying deliveries. While this might seem like a basic need, deliveries to rural areas have traditionally been confined to the main square or post office — locations that were, until recently, among the few accurately depicted on maps, and therefore easier to find. For areas like Monti Prenestini — substantially inhabited by the elderly — a detailed digital map simplifies deliveries and services, significantly aiding those who choose or need to remain at home.

KOOZ Gabriele, Liminal also operates through a number of other formats beyond that of the workshop; it proposes tools that span from assemblies to embassies as well as challenges enabling and engaging a multiplicity of actors, both locally and internationally. How does this approach allow you to ensure tangible impacts on the rural areas it addresses?

GABRIELE PIZZI In the territories where we work, we don’t just see these charming rural towns; we're really shaping a future where innovation and heritage come together. To make a real impact, to drive change that sticks, we need a mix of the right skills, talents, and a deep understanding of how to apply new methods and technologies in rural settings. That's the core of what the Liminal community does.

Through the embassies, assemblies, and challenges, we connect our global network directly to the areas where we are working: our ambition is that through this exchange, we can open up new possibilities. All the opportunities that Liminal has created in these years have, I believe, the objective of assembling a wide range of experiences and backgrounds to find smart, effective solutions to the consequences of depopulation in these territories.

KOOZ Looking ahead at the calendar of Liminal for 2024, what activities and exchanges can we look forward to?

GPOne of the highlights of this year is the Liminal Assembly, which will take place at our newly inaugurated Embassy in Monti Prenestini, at the end of June. The entire community will be able to gather in person to engage in meaningful discussions, encounter the values we advocate, and participate in a one-day landscape workshop activity. This serves as a way to set a tone for the kind of community relationships we might strive to create — that is to say, action-oriented.

Post-Assembly, we'll embark on a year filled with Challenges. These will mainly occur in Monti Prenestini, where, as previously mentioned, we will be inaugurating our ‘Embassy’. The objective of this initiative is to ensure we can sustain a more rooted presence in the territories with which we are working. The challenges are structured to enable us to start from an initial area strategy, and then break it down into single, targeted actions that collectively create a comprehensive whole.

The activities we have lined up span various disciplines: from mapping real estate usage to identifying a reprogramming strategy in collaboration with local stakeholders, and conceptualising a multi-year landscape laboratory, culminating in Landscape First in October. Another goal is to bridge the digital gap for these towns, which are often unavailable on wayfinding platforms. As Agnese mentioned earlier, this makes it difficult to access the area, not only for the general public but also for courier services or any services that use geo-referenced datasets. We have several challenges lined up that will serve as a great opportunity for everyone involved to research and develop new skills.

KOOZ Patrizia, as a project coordinator of Bando Borghi Monti Prenestini — which aims to relaunch the territory of the three municipalities of Capranica Prenestina, Castel San Pietro Romano and Rocca di Cave — how do you see this initiative in terms of the socio-economic revitalisation region? What strategies are being implemented to ensure sustainable development while maintaining the cultural identity of these centres?

PATRIZIA DI FAZIO First of all, it is truly encouraging to see active members of the community, like Finn and Agnese, participating enthusiastically in activities related to the Bando Borghi project and Liminal-led initiatives. It is also inspiring to see Liminal's network, which extends far beyond the borders of Italy, come together to boost and support these initiatives.

In my role as coordinator for the Bando Borghi Monti Prenestini project, I am leading an initiative that aims to breathe new life into the municipalities of Capranica Prenestina, Castel San Pietro Romano and Rocca di Cave. With a significant budget of about four million euros, our plan is ambitious, aiming to kick-start new businesses, expand the range of services, make public investments and make the most of the area's cultural and natural heritage. The idea is to turn Monti Prenestini into a livable territory and an appealing tourist destination, changing the old perception of a beautiful but isolated area — especially after the aftermath of the pandemic.

KOOZ Serenella, Liminal is supported by the MIT-Italy Program, which provides MIT undergraduate and graduate students with paid research, teaching and work opportunities at leading companies, research labs, schools and universities in Italy. What is the importance of such exchanges beyond the space of the institution? How can these experiences help the students build new imaginaries?

SERENELLA SFERZA As the co-director of the MIT-Italy Program alongside Carlo Ratti, my mission is to create opportunities for MIT students and researchers to experience firsthand Italy’s excellence. Other MIT programmes do the same in other countries: this in the belief that in-country learning and cross-cultural collaboration are essential for our students, to acquire the mental agility and cultural flexibility they need to become global leaders and tackle the real-world problems that MIT claims it can help solve. In recent years, we have sent more than 150 MIT students — graduates and undergraduates from all disciplines — to teach, do research, and work in Italy. Since the MIT Program is committed to making these experiences cost-free for the participating students, and much of the funding comes from our own fundraising, we’re very selective in our placements.

Since its launch, Liminal has seemed an ideal partner: it proposed mixing intellectual rigour with an intent to tackle real problems, navigate complex settings, and produce tangible answers. It was also a risky one, operating in the somewhat slippery niche between academics and policymakers, and led by relatively inexperienced, though clearly smart, graduates. A couple of years later, I’m glad to have invested in Liminal by enabling several MIT students to participate in their workshops, helping to test and advance their vision. What Liminal gave in return — a platform for our students to utilise, contextualise, and refine their knowledge in tangible settings — has been a well-worthy contribution to their professional and personal growth.

The time that MIT students have spent in rural Italian towns — working in groups and learning how to make the best of their different skills while also engaging firsthand with Italy’s local cultures and contexts — epitomises the experiential learning for which MIT is well known, and to which the MIT-Italy program seeks to add an international component. Liminal, giving continuity and structure to their contributions, in turn, is what transforms them into effective tools for change, thereby completing the virtuous circle we seem to have created.

Bio

Ginevra D’Agostino is president of Liminal and a principal of Alliata/Alcega. As president of Liminal, her main responsibilities lie in the everyday management and strategic vision of the organisation.

Gabriele Pizzi is a member of Liminal, and a student at the Politecnico di Milano, where he is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Design.

Finn Alessandro Lindstedt is a participant across several strands of activities structured by Liminal in the Monti Presentini region, including GIS and 360-degree mapping and collaborating significantly to the Digital Paths project.

Agnese Mattogno is a participant across several strands of activities structured by Liminal in the Monti Presentini region, and a volunteer for the municipality of Castel San Pietro Romano

Patrizia di Fazio is a director of the Castelli Romani and Monti Prenestini Local Action Group. She works on strategies for complex partnerships for the development and implementation of integrated territorial projects, especially in the sectors of agricultural, rural and cultural tourism.

Serenella Sferza is co-director of the MIT-Italy Program, which promotes two-way exchanges and collaborations between the MIT community and its Italian counterparts. Sferza teaches on working in the global economy. In addition to comparative political economy issues, her interests include the formation and representation of political cleavages, cross-cultural communication, and education.

Federica Zambeletti is the founder and managing director of KoozArch. She is an architect, researcher and digital curator whose interests lie at the intersection between art, architecture and regenerative practices. In 2015 Federica founded KoozArch with the ambition of creating a space where to research, explore and discuss architecture beyond the limits of its built form. Parallel to her work at KoozArch, Federica is Architect at the architecture studio UNA and researcher at the non-profit agency for change UNLESS where she is project manager of the research "Antarctic Resolution". Federica is an Architectural Association School of Architecture in London alumni.