E18 Portrait - Polymnia Futura

Polignano a Mare (IT) - Special mention

Polymnia Futura

Associates: Micaela Colella (IT), Maurizio Barberio (IT) – architects, Angelo Figliola (IT) – architect and environmentalist, Khaled Jamal (KW) – architect and urbanist

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"For us, "Re-sourcing" means rediscovering and reactivating resources already present in the territory but dormant or forgotten. We work on three interconnected dimensions. First, nature: the ancient karst gravine system that shaped Polignano becomes the model for a new urban water metabolism, where surfaces become permeable and soil regains breathing capacity. Second, social dynamics: affordable housing and proximity services for permanent residents, not just tourists. Traditional gathering spaces must be reborn as places of a new pact between residents and visitors. Finally, materiality: built heritage, vernacular knowledge, and local stone are not nostalgic constraints but living cultural and performative resources. Together, they generate a system that restores lost capacities: habitability, ecological permeability, and strong identity."