Geografie dell’energia. Il caso del Piave

In the Anthropocene era, it is increasingly evident how energy production has required and continues to require space, giving rise to hybrid geographies that are neither exclusively topographic nor exclusively anthropogenic. The energy crisis, resulting from the exploitation and extraction of natural resources, alongside climate change, makes it necessary to rethink current models of energy production and distribution, and consequently, their relationship with space and geography. Rivers, geographic elements that have intertwined with urban development since prehistory, are perfect examples of “organic machines” that convey flows of energy and materials. The Piave River basin represents a significant case study, as it is the most altered hydrological system in northeastern Italy, with a long history of transformations since the pre-industrial era. In fact, its course has undergone significant diversions both under the Serenissima Republic and in the Modern era, becoming a formidable machine for energy production. Since the early 20th century, the Piave has been literally “industrialized,” transforming into a geography of the “Capitalocene,” a producer of energy to this day. Today, the Piave remains one of the most important sources of hydroelectric power for the Veneto region. The European Union’s climate neutrality goals for 2050 bring renewed focus to the relationship between hydroelectric technologies, energy distribution networks, energy storage, territory, and the uncertainty of renewable resource availability. While the EU’s support for such technologies can activate new potential energy scenarios for Veneto, it also raises architectural, urban, and landscape-related questions and urgencies. Starting from the Piave case study, this paper aims to explore the relationships between energy geographies and the energy transition from an architectural perspective: from the historical and cultural issues surrounding the infrastructures to those related to integrating energy spaces with the landscape and extending to the design trajectories of yesterday and today.