Estetica del Riuso

Can we imagine a city built entirely from what already exists—where every material is given a second life and waste no longer exists? Estetica del Riuso is a collective project born to spark a cultural shift around the reuse of recovered materials in the construction sector.

Estetica del Riuso aims to bridge that gap by making visible—and desirable—an urban future where reuse becomes the standard practice. The project envisions a practice-oriented learning community, capable of weaving together hybrid knowledge, participatory governance models, and the exchange of expertise between local actors and European institutions. Starting in Rome, the initiative seeks to develop tools and strategies that can be replicated at larger scales, contributing to an international debate on how reuse can reshape our cities and our collective imagination.

 

Join us in Rome - Programme

The programme includes a series of public lectures and workshops taking place at Ex Mattatoio (Largo Giovanni Battista Marzi 10) throughout July, September, and October. It features two main workshops: Materia e Filiere (1, 2, 3 July) and Estetica del Riuso (30 September, 1 and 2 October). International guests and partners include SIC, VIC – Vivero de Iniciativas Ciudadanas, New Generations, Manuel Bouzas, Federica Andreoni, Gianpiero Venturini, Luca Montuori, Milena Farina, Stefano Converso, PARC – Programma di Architettura Circolare, and many others.

 

Workshop 4, Materia e Filiere (July 1, 2, 3 - Ex Mattatoio)

Building on the reflections developed during the Normative e Cataloghi workshop held in the first year of the programme, Materia e Filiere explores the challenges and opportunities surrounding the transport, storage, and circulation of reclaimed materials within the construction supply chain. Over the course of the three-day workshop, a group of up to 20 participants will develop and build a series of full-scale prototypes in collaboration with PARC – Programma di Architettura Circolare X PARC Summer School. Working on site, participants will use reclaimed timber from the university's material depot, drawing on the catalogue of recovered materials developed during the first year of the programme. The workshop combines hands-on construction with critical reflection, testing practical approaches to material reuse and circular design.

 

Registration and Participation: Materia e Filiere: 1–3 July, 9:30 am–6:00 pm, Location: Department of Architecture, Roma Tre University – Ex Mattatoio. The workshop is free to attend upon registration and is open to a maximum of 20 participants. To apply, please send a short motivation letter by 30 June to general@newgenerationsweb.com.

The Ex Mattatoio can be reached via the following options: Public Transport Bus: 170, 280, 719, 775, 781 | Train: FL1, FL3, FL5 | Metro: Line B. On Foot: The venue is about a 10-minute walk from the metro station Piramide (Line B), the Roma-Lido railway line (Trastevere), and Roma Ostiense train station. | By Bicycle: Bicycle parking is available.

 

Satellite Activity: Real Academia de España en Roma, July 10, 18:00: Would you like to join a public lecture by Manuel Bouzas at the Real Academia de España en Roma? As part of the Materia e Filiere workshop, Spanish architect, researcher, and curator Manuel Bouzas will present his work, which explores the intersections of architecture, ecology, and material culture. Through projects, installations, and research developed across Spain, Italy, and the United States, Bouzas investigates the environmental impact of the resources we use and the territories from which they originate, proposing new ways of balancing construction processes, landscape, and ecological transformation. The conversation will be moderated by Federica Andreoni (Real Academia de España en Roma).

Participation is free upon registration and is limited to 80 attendees. The booking form will be available on the New Generations website from 30 June.

What's Next? Curious to learn more about Estetica del Riuso? The programme will conclude with a three-day public event on 30 September, 1 October, and 2 October, bringing together local and international architects, researchers, and experts in material reuse for a series of lectures, round tables, workshops, and public discussions. The event will also mark the opening of an exhibition presenting the outcomes of the project, alongside the launch of a publication documenting the research, experiments, and activities developed over the past eighteen months. 

DOWNLOAD THE PRESS KIT (in Italian) HERE

 

Project credits: Estetica del Riuso, promoted by Roma Capitale – Assessorato alla Cultura, is the winner of the public call Roma Creativa 365. Cultura tutto l’anno, in collaboration with Zètema Progetto Cultura.

An original idea by: New Generations and VIC (Vivero de Iniciativas Ciudadanas)

In collaboration with: University of Architecture Roma Tre, PARC - Programma di Architettura Circolare, Real Academia de España en Roma

This project has been also made possible with the support of:

Acción Cultural Española (AC/E)

PosterGral ITAa ➡️ Estetica del Riuso. Poster, July, September, October 2026, RomeDSC03064 1 1 ➡️ Estetica del Riuso. Lab 1, Glossario (October, 2025) Ph. Stefano Converso01. workshop Estetica del Riuso. Ph. Gianpiero Venturini ➡️ Estetica del Riuso. Lab 2, Inventar (November, 2025) Ph. Gianpiero Venturini02. workshop Estetica del Riuso Ph. Simone Erbori ➡️ Estetica del Riuso. Lab 2, Normative e Cataloghi (November, 2025) Ph. Simone Erbori03. workshop Estetica del Riuso Ph. Stefano Converso ➡️ Estetica del Riuso. Lab 3, Metabolismo (December, 2025) Ph. Stefano Converso

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