Centre and periphery: perspectives of vernacular rural heritage in urban areas

The built vernacular heritage occupies a central place in the affection and pride of all peoples. Traditional farm buildings form a special side of this heritage because they born by a special relationship with landscape and environment. Wherever in the world, changing socio-economic conditions in the agricultural sector made historic farm buildings a heritage at risk. Until they are signifiers of local distinctiveness, they are still side of local vernacular heritage. Enlarging the borders of towns and periphery meant to absorb these buildings. How to manage them? How to safeguard their features in order they could be enhance the feature of the town. The work described comes out from the awareness of a group of citizens in order to wake up on this theme the local administrations and to make aware the other citizens of their own heritage. The research has been carried out by University of Milan with an environment agency, operating on the Italian land. The results are offered as a prototype for considering the possibilities of maintenance any else old farm buildings inserted in urban area in expansion.