SDS FEST - Architecture, City and Territory

A festival to rethink architecture

SDS FEST - Architecture, City and Territory is the inaugural festival promoted by the SDS of Architecture and Cultural Heritage of Syracuse, a teaching department of the University of Catania. The first edition, dubbed the "Edition Zero" by the organizers, is held from June 3rd to 6th, 2026, in Syracuse, Sicily, coinciding with a special milestone: the 30th anniversary of the Syracuse School of Architecture.

The festival views architecture not merely as a technical discipline, but as a public cultural practice, a space for critical debate, and a tool for connection between the academic world, the city, and the territory. It is promoted by the Labo.Cò Communication Laboratory, directed by Fabrizio Foti.

Ortigia and Palazzo Impellizzeri as a stage

For four days, the heart of the island of Ortigia, and specifically the spaces of Palazzo Impellizzeri, become the hub of a public program involving scholars, architects, researchers, students, artists, and citizens. The schedule interweaves lectures, seminars, readings, urban exploration tools, and cultural events spread throughout the fabric of the UNESCO-listed historic center.

The theme: inhabiting the critical zone

The opening day, titled "Unstable Lands. Inhabiting the Critical Zone", brings together scholars, ecologists, architects, and researchers to discuss the environmental and territorial transformation of the contemporary Mediterranean. Announced guests include French researcher Alexandra Arènes, co-founder of S.O.C., alongside scholars Christian Mulder and Tommaso La Mantia.

Lectio magistralis and cultural sections

Highly anticipated is the lectio magistralis by architect Paolo Zermani, which enriches a lineup of contributions from the worlds of criticism, literature, and visual arts. The program is organized into a series of cultural sections:

• Provincia Eccentrica
• Experienze
• Ad Alta Voce
• Ricerche Extra

SDS FEST also hosts a photography exhibition dedicated to Elia Fiammingo, a student at the SDS of Architecture in Syracuse, as part of a broader program of activities developed with the student community.

An appointment for Syracuse and Sicily

With this festival, the Municipality of Syracuse and the local province establish themselves as a laboratory for reflection on contemporary living, in a dialogue that unites university research, citizenship, and the Mediterranean landscape. SDS FEST aims to become an annual event capable of bringing architectural debate out of the classrooms and back into the city.