Ethics and aesthetics of transition symbols. The architecture of place attachment

Abstract

It is by now well established that the ecological transition is first and foremost a cultural transition. Like any radical change, it produces symbols, which are hard to process at the time they are created. Thus, it is not a coincidence that renewable energy facilities (solar power plants, wind farms, photovoltaic and waste-to-energy plants) generate concern and mistrust among communities and open up crucial debates about the protection and identity of the landscape. The text presents a critical viewpoint on the possibility of breaking down social barriers by opening up a field of design, which has so far been the exclusive domain of engineering to both architecture and art.