Bozen – The title to this article recalls the one and only chart topping number of Zager and Evans back in 1969, a song in which they attempted to look at our world in 2525, and make a prediction or two about what the future might hold. The 26th century is a bit too far off to concern the reader directly, but perhaps with a little artistic freedom we can venture a guess or two about what might be round the corner in just 11 years time.
It is always informative to reflect on some changes in life style and urban ways which seemed highly improbable in the past but now have become par for the course. On an everyday level take the requirements for seatbelts in cars and non-smoking in certain venues, once thought of as serious invasions of privacy and the individual right to decide, and yet have become accepted non-disputed norms. Even the ticket systems for regulating queuing in public places seemed something of a martian-like invention, especially for Italians accustomed to far more sinister ways to get to the front of the queue, and yet few would now query the logic. It is in the field of urban planning and land management that a look into the crystal ball will give a helping hand in determining how our towns and cities will look in the future. To apply this exercise to the case of Bozen we concoct an imaginary interview between a journalist and an ex inhabitant of Bozen, (s)he having left the South Tyrol capital in 2013. In fact the interview takes place in a remote part of South America in the year 2025. Strangely it is the respondent who asks most of the questions!
Interviewer: So it is 11 years since you were last in Bozen?
Respondent: Yes, I have fond memories of the place but now I am immersed in my new life here and I have lost touch with everything.
I: There have been quite a few changes, I can assure you.
R: I am sure. Did that airport ever take off after all the various attempts there were?
I: As it was originally planned no, there were just too many factors against introducing larger aircraft, even in this day and age, but now the concept has developed and it functions as a type of shuttle airport and heliport transferring passengers to the major hubs of Milan and Munich.
R: Pity they didn’t think of that use from the beginning. Sometimes there is not sufficient forward thinking in these planning initiatives!
And what about the Museion? Did it get to fulfil its role as a museum of contemporary art?
I: Not really, at least not in the literal sense as it was just too ambitious a plan for a relatively small provincial town, but something more than good has developed, for it’s become a very popular open city museum now with a lot of street theatre in the surrounds and drama performances for youngsters inside. It is always full and buzzing and the art side of the venture is now on the lower floors and much more appreciated by one and all The top floor has been taken over by an architectural studio specialising in stone, glass and wooden structures so it provides a bit of an exhibition in its own right and it helps to keep the running costs down.
R: Are there so many architects in Bozen?
I: Well, with all the advances in renewable energy applications good old Bozen has become Europe’s most important applied research location. You can regulate your home from the office and vice-versa.
R: Fascinating indeed. And what about the debate there was on introducing surveillance cameras?
I: Town is full of them now and in fact Bozen has received international praise for its avant-garde approach which has made it one of the safest and fastest growing tourism locations of its size in Europe.
R: Don’t people object to their presence – infringement of civil liberty and all that stuff?
I: No, not at all. That is old hat! The place is really safe, there has been a dramatic fall in that gratuitous graffiti problem, and the whole thing has been seen as an extremely civilized approach to town management. They even see you nude on airport security scanners now so a little camera offends nobody, and as from next year the flying drones will be a feature of the system – all the gadgets used now are almost part of the tourism offer.
R: Amazing – there was so much fuss about it years ago! And what about the Ice-Man – is he still going strong?
I: I am afraid not. The melting of the glaciers phenomenon meant that quite a few new finds of prehistoric skeletons came to the surface in recent years and Otzi is now considered as quite a young guy! So much so that the Museum has now closed and been replaced with a huge exhibition area dedicated to South Tyrolean foods and wines – origins and recipes – and is proving a huge visitor attraction and of course it is hands on for tasting and experimenting
R: Poor Otzi – nobody can live for ever I guess. And I remember that the big cableway construction companies had plans for the town infrastructure and traffic routing.
I: Yes, you are right. All the experience they picked up in the Far East and in the Russian Federation is now being applied locally – the industrial zone is a maze of passenger and goods escalators and overhead commuter walkways, and lots of firms have moved their retail outlets to the zone. There is even an overhead car conveyor system from Ponte Roma to the motorway area. Incredible really – it is like a scene from Albert Huxley’s Brave New World. He did write the book in Italy you know. It is as if there is a town suspended over the town – elevated cycle paths with separate fast lanes for e-bikes and all is lavishly decorated with plants and murals.
R: And so what goes on in the town centre?
I: it’s all cuisine and culture and general tourism entertainment. The Jazz Festival and the Dance Festival are now major internationally acclaimed events lasting for a month each! The old traditional shops have all closed and the only stores in town are the fashion boutiques. If you want to buy a lamp-bulb you have to go to the industrial zone. It’s all to do with the destination management strategies adopted by the Town Tourism Association working with private consultants.
R: As Bob Dylan said ‘The times are changing’.
I: I don’t think he had lamp-bulbs in mind!
R: And by the way, did they ever do anything about the train station?
I: Thankfully they got that one right and made good use of the space to create a really functional and spacious station, separate hubs for local and international routing. The high speed line means that many people commute to Innsbruck and Verona on a daily basis. All this with lots of green around and the commercial developments, car-parking and skyscraper developments discussed were long abandoned. The tourists and locals just love the station area now and the nearby Dodiciville area has become a creative arts success story.
R: Thanks to the Lord for that! And the University? Is it still trilingual?
I: It certainly is, for economics and international relations there are in fact four language entry requirements, and it now has taken over some of the provincial government buildings for the creation of new faculties. The Italian budget reforms in 2019 hit the public administration hard and both provincial employee levels and office space were reduced drastically. Bozen is all about culture and education and it has become the preferred choice for eastern European and Scandinavian students and in town you can hear a multitude of languages. And guess what – the urban design and town management faculty is the fastest growing in the whole world – Bozen is considered a real ‘smart city’ internationally. As the yuppies say it is ‘a real hip place’.
R: I wonder how things will be if we come back in 2525.
I: I think that really is beyond our imagination!
R: But didn’t some American guys write a song about that once?
I: Now that you mention it I think you are right. I must look up the words. Do you mind if I ask you some questions about life in South America as I seem to be answering and not asking all the questions!
