Beyond Top-Down and Bottom-Up
A Comparative Analysis of Community Engagement in Rural Revitalization in Italy: The Cases of Peccioli and Gibellina Nuova
M. Saba (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
W. Feng – Mentor (TU Delft - History, Form & Aesthetics)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
This essay critiques the binary framing of rural revitalization as either top-down or bottom-up by comparing two Italian case studies: Gibellina Nuova and Peccioli. Gibellina, rebuilt after an earthquake, began with local support but evolved into a top-down cultural project disconnected from residents’ needs. Peccioli, often praised as a bottom-up success, used landfill revenues to fund public works and art, but maintained centralized leadership and limited dissent.
Through qualitative analysis of governance structures, public narratives, and community responses, the study reveals both cases as hybrid models shaped by ongoing negotiations between authorities and communities. Participation, it argues, is not guaranteed by origin but by the depth, openness, and continuity of engagement over time.
The thesis proposes a new framework for rural revitalization focused on flexible governance, genuine participation, power transparency, and the integration of local and expert knowledge. Success, it concludes, depends less on governance models and more on sustained, inclusive dialogue and adaptability to community needs.