silvia
cioli
Ad-Hoc Expert
Generic Skills
B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:
As an architect I have achieved experience on sustainable urban development in my professional work, researches and international competitions. Starting from my first efforts in the University thesis project dealing with an urban design strongly integrated in landscape, I have dealt with the numerous tensions and contradictions of urban areas in design competitions especially in abandoned sites, reclaimed areas, historical centers rather than suburban areas.
Many research projects during the layout of the new master plan of the city of Rome, I took part at, have introduced me to a major understanding of the issues of a sustainable and integrated urban planning and the complexity in today’s cities.
Later on, my growing interest in public space has brought me to experience active citizenship issues not only in its academic dimension but also in its practice especially in the last few years, dealing with urban gardens. I am co founder of Zappata Romana and have realized a survey, accessible on line, on the grassroots initiatives where Roman citizens have taken responsibility for their social and physical environment that go in the direction of sustainable urban development.
I have deepened knowledge on how urban agriculture improves and protects the ecological structure of city, cultural reinforcement, social reconstruction, and economic growth in addition to providing sustainability and food security.
B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:
Coming from a bilingual English-Italian background, having learnt French as an adult, and having lived in two different countries has given me an intercultural background. Thanks to the ongoing project of Zappata Romana I have dealt with students and professors of diverse countries as visiting critic and lecturer in national and foreign universities (Harvard, Yale, Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art, La Sapienza), also hosting in my architectural practice foreign Interns from several American Universities (Cornell, Berkley, Minnesota, Colorado Boulder, Illinois). I have taught history of the city and tools of urban design at the “Urban Sustainable Design” international Master at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED). I have had teaching experiences with students with different backgrounds from my profession at the Gustolab International Food Systems and Sustainability, LUISS Buisness School, Labgov (Laboratory for Governance).
In the Hortus Urbis community led garden I have held guided tours, lectures, practical activities in different languages.
In my professional experience I have often built international teams for international design competitions and this has given me the opportunity to exchange and learn about diverse urban sites in Europe and deal with colleagues of different cultures.
B.3. Proficiency in English:
I am a fluent English speaker having spent my childhood in the United States and having had an English education. Besides speaking and writing in English and Italian as mother tongues, I have an Independent linguistic skill in French. The numerous experiences of translating documents between English and Italian have given me a specific insight into the difficulties of communication and understanding.
Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
Thematic expertise:
Theme / Policy:
Environmental Issues
Summary Thematic expertise:
I have dedicated my work to landscape and environmental planning issues having investigated the city of Rome, urban public space and shared urban gardens. The Zappata Romana Map that collects and disseminates good practices of urban gardens in Rome, has helped increase awareness on the phenomena and effectiveness of the local policies, networks are created and further active citizenships initiatives are continuously growing.
I have been the curator and promoter, with LaboratorioBoario, of the International Ideas Competition for the open spaces of the Foro Boario in Rome aimed at the challenge to reflect upon the mattatoio (former abattoir) complex in Rome in terms of a public space of the city open to different cultures and people of the world.
I took part at the team work for the Guidelines for evaluating compatible interventions for the Tiber river basin for the River Basin Authority aimed at providing a functional instrument for the management, development and rational and efficient management of water resources of the river Tiber.
As a consultant in the Territorial Office of Italia Nostra Onlus, the oldest Italian association for the safeguard of the national heritage, I have implemented a database tool, OTTI (Observatory on Territorial Transformation in Italy), an archive of the association’s case reports on the Italian landscape. I also coordinated the association’s Rural Landscape project organizing seminars and producing the final reports.
Expertise support to local authorities and other stakeholders in designing & delivering integrated and participatory policies
E.1. Knowledge on participatory methods and tools for co-production and implementation of local polices :
As coordinator of the Participatory Budgeting in the Rome Municipality V (ex VII) I have experienced how to build the process, design the materials, relate, involve and communicate to diverse public. (https://www.facebook.com/bilanciopartecipato.municipiovii)( https://www.comune.roma.it/pcr/it/newsview.page?contentId=NEW114761)
It has been an occasion for: realization of a “totem” prototype that could easily move within the territory and inform inhabitants; realization of a logo for the initiative; realization of a dedicated blog; organization of public assemblies in different areas of the Municipality (schools, elderly centers, public offices, etc.); realization of questionnaire models; production of a final Master plan with summary of the major strategies and proposals; and most of all keeping an open dialogue between participants and the local authority and face problems like the slow progress of public works that frustrate participants or make comprehensible decision making motivations.
E.2. Knowledge on integrated approach for the design, delivering, monitoring and evaluation of urban strategies/policies:
The Zappata Romana online mapping has shared newfound information about spontaneously developed and self-managed unofficial green spaces and is still today the main monitoring tool since 2010. This in itself was an empowering gesture, since prior to their map, no one was aware of how many such spontaneous sites there were in Rome, nor where they were located. The number has since grown and the citizens and gardeners’ awareness grew bringing the phenomena to the attention of the public administration. This lead inevitably to the decision for a participatory process for the realization of rules and management tools considered necessary especially for the emerged fragmentation of competences within the public administration. A first version of a Management Model of Urban Gardens in Rome was then discussed and put into writing and finally approved in 2015. But as a further consequence an Urban Gardens’ Committee was established to ensure a permanent dialogue with the public administration of Rome and demonstrating a strong network among urban gardens.
E.3. Awareness of the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level:
Several Eu funded projects (i.e. EU’GO, Urbact RU-RBAN, Smarticipate) have been based on Zappata Romana’s work available on line, together with a variety of publications including books and articles. Rome’s Regulation for urban gardens, that can be considered as a product forwarded from Zappata Romana’s work, has been utilized in the European SIDIG-MED project and its application has been considered a best practice.
E.4. Ability to understand specific local situations and adapt tools and content to different local realities:
The awarded participatory design process for the Palme Park in the Centocelle district in Rome has dealt with very diverse participants: the neighborhood inhabitants, associations, families, squatters and an elderly center. The park now completed, has still today a Committee made by a group of active citizens that are continuing the blog initially activated for the participatory process (https://www.facebook.com/Parco-di-via-delle-Palme-126273494091455/) originally used to disseminate reports, news and information about the environmental project and the decision making process. During the design process meetings, after a series of preliminary and informative meetings, a game was proposed: special cards utilizing a tool kit made for the occasion so the participants could comfortably decide priorities and connected budget.
A further participatory design process I coordinated has been conducted with a school for the Street Park project near the Madre Teresa di Calcutta park in Rome. In this case the objective was to create a link with the teachers so students could adopt the new playground in the future years and not only take part to the initial decision making. A local youth association for early school leaving prevention was also involved together with the parents association.
Summary Expertise:
As coordinator of the Participatory Budgeting in the Rome Municipality V, I have experienced how to build the process, design the materials, relate, involve and communicate to diverse public. With the Zappata Romana online map newfound information about spontaneously developed and self-managed unofficial green spaces has been shared and is still today the main monitoring tool since 2010.The number has since grown and the awareness bringing the phenomena to the attention of the public authority. A participatory process for the realization of rules has then been considered necessary and a first version of a Management Model of Urban Gardens in Rome was approved in 2015. As a further consequence an Urban Gardens’ Committee was established to ensure a permanent dialogue with the public authority and demonstrating a strong network among urban gardens.
Several Eu funded projects have been based on Zappata Romana’s work available on line together with a variety of publications including books and articles. Rome’s Regulation for urban gardens has been utilized in the SIDIG-MED project and its application has been considered a BP.
In my professional experience, not only to build but also be part of international teams for international design competitions has been a great challenge, each time very different, for the understanding of the specific design needs for each site and the communication and understanding among all members of the team.
Informations
Residence location:
Italy
Languages:
Italian - Mother tongue
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Email:
ciolisi@gmail.com