PAT | Vicenza

The definition of the PAT (Piano di Assetto del Territorio/ Territorial Asset Plan) of the municipality of Vicenza according to the regional urban planning legislation defined by the L.R. 11/2004 was the occasion for an experiment of a scientific approach and a completely new content development based on the themes of participation and communication. Institutional stakeholders were involved in the strategic choices of the plan. The disruptive political choice that led the way to this experience is linked to the councilor for urban planning and culture in charge at the time, Francesca Lazzari, who decided to support a multidisciplinary team of facilitators. This team acted as interaction antennas within the territory and in relation to the population, able to communicate and filter expert knowledge in a non-specialized language. The outcome of a journey that lasted several months was achieved by thematic work tables, interactive exhibitions, workshops, focus groups and specially designed urban events. It generated hundreds of original contributions and about two thousand total presences in the various scheduled appointments, all in addition to a dedicated urban plan that summarized the shared urban plan strategies.