New Edition Released: ARL Country Profile Italy

The new ARL Country Profile on Italy, authored by Giancarlo Cotella, provides a comprehensive overview of the country’s territorial governance and spatial planning system within its geographical, socio-economic and institutional context.

The profile examines the evolution of Italian spatial planning from the traditional concept of urbanistica towards the broader notion of governo del territorio (“territorial governance”), introduced through the 2001 constitutional reform. It highlights the progressive regionalisation of the planning system since the 1970s, which has led to diverse regional approaches, planning instruments and governance practices across the country.

Particular attention is given to the distribution of competences between the state, regions, metropolitan cities, provinces and municipalities, as well as to the enduring role of the Municipal General Regulatory Plan (Piano Regolatore Generale Comunale – PRGC). The profile also explores the growing importance of strategic planning, urban regeneration, participatory processes and public-private cooperation, strongly influenced by European cohesion policy and territorial development agendas.

In addition, the publication reflects on the evolution of Italian planning culture and education, discussing the coexistence of regulatory, design-oriented and strategic planning traditions, and the challenges posed by demographic change, territorial inequalities and environmental transitions.

👉 Read the full Country Profile of Italy here