Event-oriented cities. Mutations, narratives and re-uses from the past to the future

The past has a very strong and emotional presence in Italy, and this influences the way we think about future. We live in and with these footprints: we act, we react, we interact. Cities are not just made out of buildings and streets, they are mainly built of events, actions, and practices, sharing knowledge. Events assume a social significance that meets with representative and promotional needs. They are collective expressions of a will and of an intention. They are a way to stage and test possible uses, to put back into circulation spaces and environments by using installations, products, signs and messages. They are tools to propose new cycles of life, give meaning, narrative and uses - even temporary uses - to underused or forgotten spaces. Thus, the function of an event is expressed as an anticipation action. Events are design-initiatives, performed through a sequence of actions, characterized by the use of specific design devices, such as prototypes, mock-ups, design games, models, and sketches. Why is the term event so widespread today? What semantic area does it cover? How should we use it? The multiplication of events modifies temporalities in cities. What can be the impact of events on heritage or vice-versa? And their relationship in the city?