Culture for Sustainable Cities: an Analysis of Cagliari and the Cultural Centre "Lazzaretto of Cagliari"

Abstract

Defining culture in a single field is impossible because of its essential nature in all aspects of human life. Since the post-war period, culture has been highlighted as an element of sustainable development worldwide, and through various treaties and conventions it has been defined as the fourth pillar of sustainability along with the fields of economy, society, and environment. A valuable example is its contribution to the sustainable development of creative cities. At the European level, initiatives such as the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) aim to highlight a designated European city and its cultural development. In Italy, in 2019, the chosen city was Matera, but other contenders were noteworthy, such as the city of Cagliari. Indeed, in recent years, the Sardinian capital has been the subject of numerous policies that have sought to change the face of the city, bringing it closer to the idea of a European city with a strong cultural connotation. The candidacy project for the European city wanted to show the dialogue between cultural institutions and Cagliari's urban fabric. The analysis carried out aims at understanding the city of Cagliari through its cultural development over the years with a particular focus on the management of the Lazzaretto, a cultural center based in Sant'Elia, a district just outside the city center, understanding whether the city is trying to become more sustainable thanks to culture.