Gibellina was completely destroyed by a terrible earthquake in 1968 and later rebuilt among the vineyards of an ancient valley, not far from the original town. During the reconstruction many artists and architects created sculptures and buildings to bring the city back to life under a new artistic influence. The project is based on the idea that life in Gibellina Nuova can be improved by enhancing the city's potential. We started by listening to the local populations and discovered that the main vocation for growth is the promotion of a quality food supply chain.

The "Rural Lab" is an innovative space where students develop specific skills through cooperation with local enterprises and associations. The theatre keeps its sculptural nature and is re-inhabited inside by a new building which, like a hermit crab in its shell, grafts itself onto the grid of the original structure: the roof becomes a public square, the basement hosts a covered market of agricultural products.

Freespace is what we have in this project: the offer of public space supporting the new urban configuration, but also an immaterial space that creates opportunities generated by geographical and historical events, yet still available for further imagination.