When we talk about ‘parasitic’ architecture we mean that which does not take up land, in other words buildings which are self-sufficient from an energy standpoint and also make structural use of existing buildings in order to function, just like living organisms which coexist with other creatures in natural ecosystems.

The practise of turning land into residential areas should not be incentivised and urban densification policies should be encouraged, if not land restitution policies. This is ‘urban recycling’, meaning building upon what has already been built – working vertically.

There are many unfinished steps, undecided combinations and breaks in the urban fabric. When we see a building with blank and windowless walls, we see a building that should have been finished, but for a number of reasons was not.

It is in these fringe buildings that new ideas on redesigning cities can be brought to the table, and ways of satisfying the need for housing while not extending cities into agricultural areas — which are more and more precious — can be thought up.

Wood is the ideal material for this type of operation, as it is light, making things quick and easy to put together.

The aim of this urban exploration project is to show people how many ‘vertical plots’ there are in cities. Thus local people are invited to explore the city looking for blank walls which they can pick out using a mobile internet application, allowing anyone interested in the issue to participate directly.

For more information visit: www.paracity.it