PIN Polo universitario città di Prato

Piazza dell'Università, 1 - 59100 Prato (PO) - Italy
tel. +39 0574 602 500
e-mail: didattica(AT)pin.unifi.it

 

The University of Florence's undergraduate and graduate programs in Regional Planning are located at the PIN - Prato University Campus. The PIN is housed in a beautiful industrial archaeology building located just steps from the city's historic center, near the Prato Porta al Serraglio train station—a major intermodal hub connecting it to Florence in less than 30 minutes.

The city of Prato is located at the center of the metropolitan area between Florence and Pistoia and in the heart of the plain's agricultural park. Crossed by the Bisenzio River, its monuments and palaces bear witness to an important historical stratification dating back to the Etruscan era.

Over the past few centuries, it has experienced significant economic and commercial growth, making it Tuscany's second largest city in terms of population and wealth. It also has the challenges and appeal of a large city, boasting numerous cultural and recreational amenities suited to university students. These characteristics, along with a rich and diverse surrounding landscape (from the woods of the upper Bisenzio to the archaeological area of ​​Gonfienti, the agricultural plain and hillsides, the Medici villas, the industrial fabric, and so on), and the vast ethnic melting pot of its residents (Prato is home to the largest Chinese community in Italy), have allowed the community of Prato to invest in a variety of artistic, social, and regional activities, as well as becoming one of Europe's most advanced cities in urban and regional planning.

 

Prato's cities and its significant territorial system offer the ideal context for researching polycentric design models that are alternatives to the crisis of central and peripheral metropolitan areas, addressing them directly with the challenges of a specific community. The intersection of scientific innovation, dense historical stratification, good governance practices, and a culture of good living allows for the local learning and testing of planning and design models that can be exported to various parts of the world.