Zona Espansione Nord, also known as ZEN or
San Filippo Neri, is an economically deprived quarter on the northern outskirts of
Palermo,
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
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, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
. It is located in the VII
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
and has a population of around 16,000 people. It was constructed in 1969, under the design by architect
Vittorio Gregotti
Vittorio Gregotti (10 August 1927 – 15 March 2020) was an Italian architect, born in Novara. He was seen as both a member of the Neo-Avant Garde and a key figure in 1970s Postmodernism.
Biography
Gregotti was born in Novara, in the Italian P ...
, and consists of multi-storied
housing projects
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, d ...
, most of which are in a state of dilapidation.
As a result of rampant unemployment, poverty, high school drop-out rate and marginalization of the residents, ZEN has become notorious for its crime,
juvenile delinquency, and social degradation. The architect
Massimiliano Fuksas
Massimiliano Fuksas (born January 9, 1944) is an Italian architect. He is the head of ''Studio Fuksas'' in partnership with his wife, Doriana Mandrelli Fuksas, with offices in Rome, Paris and Shenzhen.
Biography
Fuksas was born in Rome in 194 ...
[Interview in '' Corriere della Sera'', 3 April 2006] proposed its demolition, together with other similar structures in Italy, such as the
Corviale in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
.
In 1997, ZEN changed its name to San Filippo Neri, but most Palermitans refer to it by its former name. Italian director
Marco Risi
Marco Risi (born 4 June 1951) is an Italian film director, screenwriter, film producer and cinematographer.
Born in Milan, he is son of director Dino Risi. After graduating from Liceo Scientifico, Risi joined the faculty of philosophy, but aband ...
used ZEN as the setting for his 1990 film ''
Ragazzi fuori'', which depicted the social problems and lack of opportunities faced by the unemployed youth of ZEN.
Bibliography
*Fava Ferdinando, ''Lo zen di Palermo. Antropologia dell'esclusione'', introduction by Marc Augé, Franco Angeli Editore, Milano. 2008 -
*Badami Alessandra, Picone Marco, Schilleci Filippo (eds.), ''Città nell'emergenza. Progettare e costruire tra Gibellina e lo Zen'', Palumbo Editore, Palermo. 2008 -
References
Zones of Palermo
{{Sicily-geo-stub