How does a students’ neighborhood look? Visibility and heritage in Casal Bertone (Rome, Italy)

Abstract

This article adopts a mixed ethnographic and architectural urban regeneration perspective to explore how the heritage and visibility of different social groups in Casal Bertone, a neighborhood in Rome, influence power dynamics and the urban configuration. The study describes how the elderly group’s visibility is achieved through an assemblage of symbols, practices, and material elements, such as civic activism, local memories, urban paths, heritage constructions, and architectural styles, creating a meaningful urban environment focused on the legendary railway worker figure. However, preserving this heritage risks rendering university students and their needs invisible. The research indicates that Casal Bertone has undervalued the presence of students by not incorporating distinct architectural features that recognize their importance, relegating them and their public structures to mere logistical consideration. The case of Casal Bertone underscores the necessity to architecturally and rhetorically acknowledge students, fostering their active participation in daily neighborhood life and heritage management. This engagement is crucial for enhancing their visibility, a cornerstone for the political agencies of any social group.