Porta Palazzo: The Anthropology of an Italian Market

Afterword: Porta Palazzo Market and Urban Renewal

afterword Porta Palazzo Market and Urban Renewal The last time I visited the Gate office, in 2009, I was surprised to find a rather discouraged group and negative energy in the air. It did not seem that the people currently working there could see their success; they just seemed frustrated by the constant resistance they encountered when they tried to implement programs. Luca Cianfriglia, the director, told me it was frustrating and difficult trying to listen to all the people who work, shop, and manage the market because each group is fractured and has its own agenda—there is no unified voice. The people involved in the daily activities of the market have little desire to collaborate and cooperate. They do not have much vision beyond the immediate future—an almost insurmountable roadblock when it comes to implementing changes and trying to renovate a market. Despite all the difficulties they encountered, the Gate and the City of Turin carried out some very important physical improvements to the market that make shopping and working a better experience. As the ethnographic snapshots in this book attest, these changes were not made without meeting great resistance and persevering despite a lack of consensus. Everyone complained before the renovations started and moaned even more once they started; however, now nearly everyone seems very happy with the results. The people of Turin are proud of Porta Palazzo, which certainly was not the case in 2001 when I started my research and the area was run down and in need of repair. The recent renovations have raised the morale and the status of the market. The City of Turin has shown a major commitment to Porta Palazzo and has dedicated funds to turning the area around from an urban slum to a vibrant part of the downtown core. With all the different interests 178 afterword that kept colliding during the planning process, at times it seemed as if the project would never get off the ground—consensus building largely failed. I think this is the reason the employees of the Gate felt frustrated and were unable to realize that their work had paid off in many visible ways. I visited the market infrequently during the renovation, but when I returned in 2009 after the work had been completed, I was astounded by the transformation that had taken place. It was three years after Turin had hosted the Olympics, and the feeling of prosperity and renewal could still be felt at the market. Room for Change The case of the Porta Palazzo and its transformation is an important example for European cities that want to improve their markets and invest in their social and cultural vibrancy. It is a good sign that many municipalities are starting to see the positive aspect of urban market places and the benefits that they bring to city life. From when I started my research in 2001, I have noticed that there is a new openness to supporting markets. Certainly, most administrators see markets as beneficial to the local economy because they draw in potential customers and create an atmosphere that encourages commercial exchanges in fixed and ambulant businesses. For this reason, markets should be kept at the heart of neighborhoods rather than marginalized or relocated to periphery areas (shopping center parking lots, vacant lots, and city blocks). In some communities, markets have been pushed out of the center of the city because of the cost and effort of closing off streets and cleaning up after the market closes. Some cities have cited traffic issues and lack of parking as reasons for moving markets to peripheral areas. These communities are missing out on the positive benefits of open-air markets, while severely limiting food access in the city center. Porta Palazzo is a case in point that shows how a market can be used to revitalize a neighborhood. There are some other practical aspects that market organizers should consider, such as the fact that people’s use of time has changed, especially for women who have traditionally been in charge of family provisioning. Most people who work outside the home can no longer do their shopping, 179 porta palazzo market and urban renewal or socializing, during market hours (normally from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.), and this is the biggest cause for the decline in business at markets. For this reason, municipalities need to reconsider the logic behind...