Let’s break the asphalt and listen to the soil

In the latest edition of Corriere della Sera – Pianeta 2030 of 2023, Andreas Kipar reflects on the need for a cultural and ecological paradigm shift, moving from resources’ consumption to regeneration. Highlighting how urban soil is not just surface but living infrastructure, the achitect urges planners, politicians, and citizens to rethink the city starting from its foundational element: the ground beneath our feet.

With references to Pope Francis’ encyclicals and examples of Nature-positive cities discussed at the World Economic Forum, Kipar envisions a future where breaking up asphalt becomes both a practical and symbolic act: restoring permeability, biodiversity, and a human-nature balance. Cities must no longer treat nature as décor, he argues, but as a core actor for urban resilience.

A call to reconnect with the land, rooted in the ethical and aesthetic necessity to make space for new, inclusive landscapes.