Gdzie mieszkają Toskańczycy? Peryferie między stereotypizacją a analizą i projektem [Dove vivono i Toscani? La periferia tra stereotipi, analisi e progetto]

Over the past 150 years, the metropolitan area of Florence has undergone significant demographic and urban transformations, dissolving traditional boundaries between city and countryside. This essay explores the morphological and social evolution of the Tuscan territory, highlighting how the classic dichotomy between center and periphery, urban and rural, is becoming outdated. It compares various interpretations of polycentrism—economic, urban, and legal—and critiques the shortcomings of Tuscan regional planning in recognizing the dynamics of the “urbanized countryside.” The author advocates for moving beyond traditional paradigms toward a regional planning model based on networks of mobility and social hubs, which better reflect the complexity of contemporary landscapes. A new concept is proposed: “dispersed centrality,” a planning framework that integrates fragmented centers with unbuilt spaces, redefining urban functions within a post-metropolitan context.