ATINA

Atina is a small town in Italy that faces many of the typical challenges of a rural location; it suffers from an ageing population and an economy that is overly dependent on seasonal tourism. It is also a fractured community, divided into an historic core, where heritage and culture thrive, and an industrial area that is suffering from decline. Working with multiple partners, including the Municipality of Atina, CLEAR VILLAGE engaged the community in a highly publicized week-long design residency – ‘Discovery Week’ – aimed at regenerating community spirit and breaking down the invisible border between Atina’s two parts.

Discovery Week brought the local community together around the motto of ‘I Love Atina’ to boost local pride and overcome internal fragmentation. CLEAR VILLAGE designers conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews in the streets, as well as condensed interviews through a postcard survey, an online questionnaire and a poster poll. The initial findings of ‘Discovery Week’ were presented at a public exhibition in Atina and were subsequently analysed and collated in a Recode Report for the Municipality.