prato, a city in tuscany, italy, has adopted a new set of urban planning regulations that place a greater emphasis than ever before on the environment. to draw up the new guidelines, the municipality appointed a team of specialists who reconsidered the concept of urban development through the reuse and recovery of the region?s existing infrastructure. the program was led by deputy-mayor for urban planning valerio barberis, who worked closely with architect stefano boeri and neurobiologist stefano mancuso. coinciding with the announcement, architectural photographer fernando guerra documented prato as part of a new photo series.

the walls adjacent to prato?s lazzerini library, built inside the city?s former campolmi factory
image © fernando guerra | FG+SG (also main image)  
 
with predictions estimating that two-thirds of the world?s population will be living in urban centers by 2050, many cities are considering how they will serve their future citizens. prato, located at the heart of tuscany, is one such city. with a population of nearly 200,000, prato is known for its industrial history and its heritage of textile production.

the city of prato with the region?s undulating terrain as its backdrop
image © fernando guerra | FG+SG
 
 
together, valerio barberis, stefano boeri, and stefano mancuso hope to overcome divisions between urban and rural areas with the help of integrated and holistic design concepts. the city also hopes to re-launch its manufacturing industr...