Empoli, a small city situated between Florence and Siena, is to be reborn with a modern touch. The project “HOPE” (Home of People and Equality) created by PIU (Urban Innovation Project), aims to turn abandoned buildings into spaces which will host cultural and social exchanges where members of different communities in the town can meet.
The project aspires to modernize the town, instill safety and inclusivity, and make Empoli a catalyst for social, economical, and environmental change. In an effort to reach this goal, the city is collaborating with the research team of the Department of Architecture. The city obtained a fund of 4.8 million euros, which will be used to renovate various buildings throughout the town from now until 2021.
Centers and organizations in Empoli are contributing greatly to this project, including: a social and health center, a cultural center in the Agostiniani Complex, and a center for the entrepreneurial and employment development in the complex of the former Hospital of the San Giuseppe complex. (sierra case)
To read more in Italian, visit Florence’s La Repubblica article here.
