When we talk about Matera we refer to a complex story, very curious and that starts from far away. Civilization, in fact, has lapped this land since the Paleolithic times, going through the Magna Graecia period, in which it was a colony, up to the post-war period and the denunciations of Carlo Levi who called it shame of Italy.

Matera, in the post-war period, found itself, in fact, on the margins of twentieth-century cultural production. The stones, which for thousands of years had hosted human settlements, representing, until 700, a sustainable and original model of habitation, had now become the symbol of strong southern backwardness.

The Second World War had, unfortunately, accentuated the already very serious inequalities between the North and South of Italy to which the subsequent pastoral crisis gave the coup de grace. In Matera a social disruption was generated which stood out in the media all over the world. Many stones were enlarged and used to house more and more numerous families, who found themselves living in conditions of indescribable backwardness, without water and hygienic norms.

Matera, proposed as the capital of culture 2019, presents all this, not forgetting even one of the darkest pages characterizing a land that is not only a story of itself, but of the entire humanity.

Remarking and retracing every single step that has taken Matera and the south of the caves from time to time, we will address what is one of the most important initiatives for the South in modern history.

As mentioned in the dossier presented to the region and edited by Alessandro Bollo and Joseph Grima, high-value projects can take advantage of the cooperation of a large number of citizens who share a common goal. It is only so that smaller cities can go on the most important stages of culture without being crushed by large capitals.

Introduction to Matera, capital of culture 2019

The dossier is an open work, it is no coincidence that it is called "Open Future", a program in which the cultural initiatives that will affect the territory intertwine with one that will try to focus the spotlight of the world.

The numbers, on the other hand, tell us without any doubt that Matera 2019 will be much talked about.

€ 48 million from regional, national and private funds.

A 48-week programming, 27 projects, or half of the overall cultural program, entirely made by Lucanian cultural associations for an investment value of 6 million euros.

About 3,000 Lucanians plus a hundred international partners directly and indirectly involved in the preparations.

117 artists and curators and 27 European countries involved with the indirect and direct support of all Italian regions.

The numbers of Matera the capital of culture 2019, in short, promise very well and we at TrackDesign are proud to be able to say that we will be present with some of our art and our steel!

The center of Matera 2019, the quarry of the sun

The heart of Matera 2019 will be the famous quarry of the sun, a monument of the city of both natural and anthropological character.

The Cava dates back to 1700 and was previously used for the extraction of the tuffs necessary for the construction of the "i Sassi" or the ancient city of Matera. Remembering that this is a Cava is fundamental, also because of some unmistakable human signs left on the walls of the site. Signs of excavations by hand are a symptom, therefore, of that evolution towards modern civilization of which much has been spoken in reference to Matera 2019. This particular tells a time and a way of working past and that if it is true that the Sassi are Unesco heritage.

The supply of Track Design for the architect Antonio Acito, responsible for the preparation of the historic quarry, concerned the central building of the place.

An operational base in painted black steel and glass designed by the creatives of Matera 2019 as the first impact spot to host the thousands of visitors expected.

The structure that was built, in its typically minimal and geometric forms, recalls an innovative type of architecture for our territory

and that we at TrackDesign have married wonderfully.

The mixture we love so much, between stone and steel, between the extremely ancient and the extremely modern has generated an exciting short circuit and in our opinion perfect.

What better place than the historic Materana tuff quarry to express a philosophy of this kind, whose aesthetic success is visible to everyone? Judge for yourself.