This research examines how Italy's prolonged and complex waste crisis and the marginalisation of affected communities have led to the emergence of powerful urban commons that actively advocate for environmental justice. Beyond simple analysis, the project aims to advance alternative pedagogical approaches that make significant contributions to the fields of design and spatial justice. This will be achieved through a practice-based investigation of spatial processes that directly challenges the systemic forces behind the production of what scholars refer to as ‘wasted communities’ (Armiero, Sgueglia 2019).The project frames the ongoing ecological crisis not merely as a technological problem but as a direct outcome of political and social inequality, a critical perspective essential for designing truly regenerative and just futures.

Building on the environmental knowledge and spatial reclamation tactics shaped by back-to-the-land movements in the Campania region, the research argues that the current ecological crisis cannot be effectively addressed without a critical examination of the spatial conditions and planning policies that perpetuate systems of inequality, specifically through the creation of wasted geographies. By studying these grassroots movements, the research identifies a powerful counter-narrative to state and corporate negligence—one rooted in communal action and a profound connection to the land itself. This approach highlights how local, community-driven responses can offer more sustainable and equitable solutions than top-down policies.

The investigation will begin with an in-depth analysis of the Land of Fires in the Campania region (Alberti 2022), a notorious area severely impacted by decades of illegal waste dumping facilitated by organised crime and political corruption. The researcher will engage in close collaboration with NGOs and local cooperatives, co-developing tools and methods to map how land commons and socio-agricultural strategies have successfully reclaimed and regenerated previously blighted land. This embedded, participatory approach ensures the research outcomes are not just academic but directly applicable and beneficial to the communities involved. Through this embedded research methodology, the project will develop representational and research methods to advocate for the viability and significance of land-use models built on the principles of ‘commoning’ (Federici, 2018) and environmental stewardship. Ultimately, this work aims to provide a critical framework and a practical blueprint for communities worldwide facing similar challenges, showcasing how local action and collective governance can be powerful forces for global change.