VENICE FOR RENT – VENICE CITYVISION COMPETITION – SPECIAL MENTION

R. RONCORONI

After the economical and cultural crisis, the lack of money and the greed of some people brought Venice to its social and cultural decline. What remains of the city is just the vision and maybe the atmosphere, but even those have become illusions for the people who live there. Local people have left their homes for more livable places, students cannot stand the city life for more than a few years and the nature of the tourist itself is not consistent. The city doesn’t have any local spirit anymore, but it cannot become global either if it doesn’t want to lose its charm.

The city needs to change its nature, but how? Well, Venice has traditionally been an open city where anybody who wanted to set up a new business was more than welcome. Now it could happen just the same, streets, water channels, bridges and squares could be rented. Venice could lend its public space to whomever requests it. No more tourists, no more students, only private investors and moneymakers. Basically, Venice could be on rent.