Co-Evaluating Landscape as a Driver for Territorial Regeneration: The Industrial Archaeology of the Noto–Pachino Railway (Italy)

This contribution investigates the potential and the catalytic role of landscape and its collective values in driving territorial regeneration processes. Specifically, it reflects on how the public dimension of landscape—conceived as a shared space of identity, memory, and future-oriented practices—can serve as a strategic lever for initiating local development pathways. Local communities, as custodians of the knowledge and practices that have historically shaped cultural landscapes, are increasingly recognized by territorial policies for their participatory and generative capacity. Building on these premises, the research explores the case of the disused Noto–Pachino railway line, located in southeastern Sicily (Italy), as a living laboratory for testing collaborative strategies aimed at enhancing landscape value and fostering territorial cohesion. The ongoing investigation has identified several civic and grassroots initiatives seeking to reactivate this dormant infrastructure, repositioning it as a strategic asset for sustainable territorial enjoyment, cultural heritage promotion, and the revitalization of marginalized areas. The main objective of the study is to define an “action lab”—a collaborative framework capable of aligning diverse visions, actors, and resources—through which landscape can be reimagined as both a driver of social innovation and a foundational tool for shaping inclusive and resilient development scenarios.