The document summarizes efforts to revitalize the historic Rialto commercial district in Venice, Italy. It describes how Rialto has transitioned from a thriving medieval marketplace to a struggling area facing threats from depopulation and over-tourism. The local government launched a project to boost economic development through events, branding, and a website to promote traditional businesses and attract residents. Evaluations found that animating the public spaces and blending past and future approaches could help reinvent the district. The presentation concludes by thanking the audience and inviting ongoing engagement to further open doors and revitalize the Rialto area.

1. Mesa Redonda:
Experiencias sobre revitalización de Áreas
Comerciales Urbanas
Dinamización Urbana-Comercial de Rialto Venecia
Dña. Roberta Capuis
Responsable de Asuntos Generales y Actividad Productiva
Ayuntamiento de Venecia (Italia)

2. An experiment of urban regeneration
Un experimento de regeneración urbana
Economic development and productive activities Directorate - Venice City Council
Directora del Dpto. económico y actividades productivas – Ayuntamiento de Venecia
Roberta Capuis

3. • Rialto: a thousand-year market
- Rialto: un mercado de mil años
• Rialto today: threats and opportunities
- Rialto hoy: amenazas y oportunidades
• The project: actions undertaken
- El proyecto: acciones emprendidas
• The evaluations and the way forward
- Las evaluciones y el camino a seguir

4. Vittore Carpaccio, Il miracolo della Croce, 1494 Rialto bridge, Arch. Antonio da Ponte, 1591
A bridge for commerce
Un puente para el comercio
• 6th century a.c. refugees from the mainland founded Civitas Rivoalti
• 810 the Doge fled from Metamauco to Rivo Alto
• 10th century the big market of Rivoaltus moved to the island - pontoon bridge
• 1250 - new wooden bridge with small shops
• 1588 – 1591 stone bridge, still existing nowadays
• 1854 building of the Accademia bridge

5. Canaletto, la chiesa di S. Giacomo a Rialto, 18th Century
The commercial core of the city
La base comercial de la ciudad
• oldest church founded on 25th March 421 a.c
• the ancient 14th-century market
• import, export and sale of precious goods
• international trade, offices, banks, workshops
Campo San Giacometo today

6. The market and the lagoon
El mercado y la laguna

7. The market area
El área del mercado
Erbaria
Pescaria
Naranzaria
Casaria
Campo delle Beccarie
C.po S. Giacomo
New pontoon
C.po Bella Vienna

8. The market today
El mercado hoy día
Fish market Fruit and vegetable market

9. An epic or a folkloristic place?
¿Un lugar épico o folcrórico?
The hunchback of Rialto The touristic market
20 million of tourist per year

10. A place for residents
Un lugar para los residentes
Less than 60.000 residents left
Menos de 60.000 residentes se fueron

11. Typical economical activities
in Venice
Actividades económicas típicas
en Venecia

12. Commerce and handicraft
Comercio y artesanía
Commerce = 130
Sector: 22 food - 101 non food - 7 mixed
Handicraft = 28
Source Chamber of commerce November 2009, data processing COSES

13. How the city tries to react to the commercial desertification
Como la ciudad intenta reaccionar ante la desertificación comercial
The Ministry for the economic development finances a program to support the entrepreneur activity
in deprived areas of the territory.
The historical centre of Venice and some areas of the mainland are considered at risk of commercial
desertification (D.M. 267/2004).
The economical support given from 1999 up to now is:
• Support to commercial and handicraft 3 Millions €
• Activities of economical animation 236.000 €
New rules in the urban plan to forbid new commercial activities in non traditional sectors

14. The project:
a programme of events
Un programa de eventos
Planning
Historical re enactment
Activities for children Jazz concerts

15. branding
offline and online communication, blog, guide, thematic channels and social networks
geotagging
The project:
the website
communications

16. Evaluations
Evaluaciones
Market places as livable spaces where to promote and reinvent the quality of goods
Animations
When?
Where?
For whom?
Past and future
Remind and innovate

17. The way forward
El camino a seguir
Thank you for your attention
roberta.capuis@comune.venezia.it
www.rialtovenezia.com
Out doors Open doors