Fare Spazio (Making Space), the participatory project promoted by the Comune di Correggio to support the transformation of Palazzo Contarelli and Palazzo dei Principi – symbolic venues at the heart of the city’s cultural and social life – has now come to a close. The initiative comprised two distinct yet complementary strands, designed to foster shared reflection on the future of Correggio’s cultural spaces and on how the community experiences, engages with and recognises them as its own.
A two-step process, for a single shared vision
The process was divided into in two phases: the first focused on Palazzo Contarelli, the second on Palazzo dei Principi. Overall, five participatory meetings were held, followed by a final presentation of the process, open to the entire community. For each phase, a dedicated negotiation table was established with local associations and organisations active in the areas most closely connected to the respective interventions.
The work was coordinated by a BAM! team of three facilitators, who oversaw the entire process, from planning the meetings to moderating the participatory sessions and systematising the proposals that emerged.
Palazzo Contarelli: from a musical project to the vision of a creative and accessible venue
Prior to the launch of Fare Spazio, Palazzo Contarelli – a landmark in Correggio since its construction in 1762 – was already the focus of an urban regeneration project with a musical emphasis, funded through the Regione Emilia-Romagna’s 2021 Urban Regeneration Call for Proposals.
The participatory process made it possible to broaden the perspective, capture the community’s needs and aspirations and refine the initial project in light of new ideas that were both more detailed and grounded in the current context.
During the meetings, local residents envisioned the new Palazzo Contarelli as an open creative hub, capable of hosting a range of complementary activities and services: from recording studios to training and listening areas, as well as a dedicated space for web radio and podcasts.
These proposals were embraced by the administration, which has since commenced work and submitted an expanded project to a ministerial call for tenders, enabling the intervention to be further developed in line with the residents’ suggestions.
Palazzo dei Principi: envisioning a new centrality
The second phase of the project centred on Palazzo dei Principi, currently housing the Museo Civico and Biblioteca Comunale, soon to be relocated to new premises. This shift prompted a wider reflection: how can the building’s central role in daily life be maintained while seizing the opportunity to reimagine its spaces?
Discussions with residents emphasised the importance of keeping Palazzo dei Principi a vibrant, recognisable and well‑loved venue, able to cater to the cultural and social needs of all age groups, from teenagers to the elderly.
The meetings gave rise to a vision of Palazzo dei Principi as an open, multi-purpose venue: a museum able to host temporary exhibitions, a more accessible archive with a consultation room and workshops, a refurbished space for the Tourist Office, and areas dedicated to courses, conferences and social events.
These ideas are the outcome of a process rich in perspectives, combining exploratory activities, design thinking and co‑design in a continuous exchange of feedback throughout the meetings.
From an initial phase of diverse and sometimes conflicting visions, the group gradually converged on shared scenarios, allowing a possible future presentation of the Palazzo to take shape. This is a future that enhances its cultural functions while opening them up to new forms of community engagement.
What has emerged?
Fare Spazio reminded us that numbers only mean something when they also tell a story of relationships: five meetings, with a total of 225 participants – 119 for Palazzo Contarelli and 106 for Palazzo dei Principi – reflect a large and diverse community that chose to invest time in collectively reflecting on two sites central to the city’s cultural life.
This process has made it clear to us and all those involved that:
- a disused building steeped in history and memories, such as Palazzo Contarelli, can once again be embraced by the community if it becomes a space for production, not merely consumption;
- a space already woven into daily life, such as Palazzo dei Principi, can undergo meaningful transformation without losing its centrality, provided that the redesign of its spaces begins with the people who use and experience them;
- the many and diverse local associations and organisations are not merely “stakeholders” but essential partners in shaping and sustaining the visions that have emerged.
Above all, we have once again seen that participation is not merely a means of gathering ideas, but a way of caring for places, recognising them as common good, and gradually building a city that genuinely makes space for ideas, culture and people.
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