Sustainable rural landscapes of the late 20th Century: the Italian land reform villages in Basilicata between rediscovery and the valorisation of Inner Areas

The recognition of the historical and testimonial value of land reform settlements in Basilicata plays a crucial role today in envisioning potential strategies for the regeneration and functional reinvention of internal agricultural territories. This contribution aims to reinterpret several emblematic cases located in the mid-valley of the Bradano River in Basilicata region, areas characterized by long-standing abandonment and, more recently, by a renewed interest in sustainable development. The study adopts a multiscale methodological approach, spanning from district-level planning to architectural and settlement analysis. Investigating the existing built heritage serves as the foundation for outlining strategies of protection, recovery, and reuse in line with principles of environmental sustainability and in harmony with the original agricultural vocation of both the villages and the surrounding rural landscape. The systematic documentation of these modern-era agricultural settlements has been explored experimentally through the integration of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) tools and methods. Selected case studies include Santa Maria d’Irsi, Taccone, and La Martella are all located in the province of Matera. From on-site surveys to the creation of interoperable databases and digital models, the research investigates these rural colonization projects, assessing their current state of preservation and use. Based on these findings, the article proposes a set of actionable strategies aimed at urban and architectural regeneration, aligned with current territorial cohesion policies and the broader objective of revitalizing inner areas. Modern Rural Heritage, Environmental Sustainability, ICT, Inner areas, Territorial Cohesion