Another rural

Abstract

In Greece, the prevailing growth-paradigm has been manifested in the commodification of rural areas through tourism, and the continuous neglect and abandonment of the non-touristic territories. This has resulted in their societal and environmental degradation, exemplified through the recent devastating floods and wildfires, that also stem from the pressures of climate change. Within a context of intense political corruption and tardy governmental response, the nuanced topic of rurality is failing to be addressed adequately. We cannot continue business-as-usual, but should aim instead towards transitioning to a post-growth society. However, there are significant barriers present, like the limited societal acceptance, lack of alternative spatial imaginaries and intense bureaucracy. To bypass such hurdles, bioregionalism proposes the formation of a place-based administrative body - researched here through the case-study of the Spercheios river basin. Considering the overwhelming and ambitious nature of the post-growth agenda, in combination with the lack of adequate communication tools to engage disinterested stakeholders that are locked-in-growth, traditional planning approaches would not suffice. Alternatively, after the exploration of the site-specific conditions and a tracing of growth in the landscape itself, a contextual spatial imaginary is formed, conducted through a combination of fiction writing, speculative design interventions and physical artefacts. This narrative is explored through the perspective of a rural dweller of the bioregion of Spercheios, who meanders along the region in the scope of one day. They explore the adaptation to energy and water sufficiency from the scale of one individual house, to the neighbourhood, to the village, and reckon with food production through extensive agroforestry practices. They engage with bioregional decision-making processes in a weekly meeting, and observe nature-based solutions along the river as they commute towards the coast. There, they explore the restoration of the wetlands and the adaptation towards living with more water in the lowlands. Finally, they end their day back at the square of the village, reflecting, sharing stories and bonding with others. Through this narrative, implications, opportunities and limitations of the post-growth approach are investigated, while also exploring experimental methods of communication and engagement - ultimately attempting to imagine the post-growth future tangible, within grasp.