Seeds for Imagineries: Toward Hybrid Valorization of Rome's HeritageMai Joseph, Adèle Kremer, and Manuela Silva Orozco

Eastern Rome is a palimpsest where historical and contemporary traces, far beyond monumental archaeology, come together to create a dynamic constellation of material and immaterial forms. Traces of heritage emerge from silence to become part of the urban carpet, acting as anchors for collective memory and creativity.

Envisioning a bright future for 2050, we envision Eastern Rome as a living system where heritage becomes a force for transformation. The question is no longer how to preserve the past, but how to activate it to address global pressures, fragmentation, gentrification, climate emergency, and to reweave ecological and social continuities across the territory.

Our project aligns with the visions of popular movements. We aim to strengthen local identities, layer narratives, and create a hybrid framework that brings together built and unbuilt realities. Heritage is a transitional infrastructure, capable of generating new forms of collective life and revitalising ecological corridors. Heritage as Rome’s greatest renewable resource, it is a driver of resilience, a foundation for continuity and a catalyst for reinventing living spaces. It enables communities to reclaim land, protect common goods and shape a fairer, greener and brighter future.