Sleeping Beauties stems from concerns regarding the decline of small post-industrial towns in Italy, where depopulation and neglected infrastructure threaten their cultural identity, risking abandonment or being overrun by unsustainable tourism. The project explores possible futures for Angera, a town on Lake Maggiore, which, while not as severely affected as some other towns, is facing symptoms of decline.

The proposal uses the Soara factory, an industrial relic of the town’s flourishing era, as a testing ground for community-driven revitalization, guided by the principles of commoning. It aims to create opportunities for local residents, supported by larger players, to attract the critical mass and funding necessary to launch and sustain the initiative.

The project focuses on reweaving the fabric of Angera by adopting the approach of a bricoleur - utilizing and revitalizing what is already at hand - valuing local know-how, stories, traditions, economic flows, and industrial heritage, creating a narrative that resonates with the community.

The outcome is not a final product, but the groundwork for collaborative processes, where the architect’s role involves both designing architectural interventions - sparking enthusiasm, and encouraging others to take part - as well as acting as a quartermaster, facilitating the necessary collaborations and processes.