This fall, Detroitisit will convene local and global leaders for the fourth Sustainable Urban Design Summit (SUDS), a gathering dedicated to reimagining cities through the lens of sustainability, design, and innovation. The summit will feature conversations around mobility, architecture, circular economies, and resilience — all areas where Italy has long been at the forefront.
As a 2025 partner and supporter of SUDS, the Consulate of Italy in Detroit is helping connect the city’s design community with global conversations on sustainability. Consul of Italy Allegra Baistrocchi has focused her work on bringing Italian innovation, culture, and values to Detroit in ways that highlight both common ground and new opportunities.
Since her arrival, Baistrocchi has hosted more than 130 events, engaging nearly 100,000 people across Metro Detroit and even pioneering public programming in the metaverse. While Italy is globally renowned for food, fashion, and art, she has made it a priority to spotlight another side of her country: a world leader in sustainability, circular economy practices, and adaptive urban design.
“Italy isn’t just a pretty place to visit — we are at the top in Europe for recycling, efficiency, and renewable energy,” she says. “Those values come from our passion for food, culture, and the places we live. We want to preserve all of this, and that makes sustainability a natural priority.”
Ahead of the summit, Baistrocchi spoke with Detroitisit about Italy’s approach to sustainable urban design, what Detroit can learn from it, and why global collaboration matters.
Detroitisit: Why did you want to be part of SUDS?
Allegra Baistrocchi: As a consulate, many people know us for providing services like visas and passports, but the part I enjoy most is promoting Italian culture, language, and commerce. I believe that when people learn more about Italy, they want to engage — whether with our companies, events, or communities. That’s why I’ve made dialogue such a priority.
Over the past four years, we’ve hosted more than 130 events with nearly 100,000 participants, many in the metaverse — we were the first public administration to create one. And while it’s always wonderful to share food and wine, I want to give people food for thought. Italy is admired for art and architecture, but many don’t realize we’re also a leader in space technology, renewable energy, and circular economy practices. My goal is to highlight those values.
Detroitisit: From your perspective, what unique lessons can Detroit draw from Italy’s approach to sustainable urban design?
Baistrocchi: Detroit has incredible architecture and the opportunity to build smart, future-ready neighborhoods. In Italy, our challenge is almost the opposite: adapting centuries-old structures into sustainable, modern spaces. That’s where our expertise can help Detroit.
We’ve done this consistently — for example, Milan’s first urban district certified by LEED and WELL, or Bologna’s project to digitize its historic city center with real-time environmental monitoring. The lesson is that you can preserve heritage while building a smart city. For Detroit, the question is what expertise do you need to bring in, and how can partners like Italy help.
Detroitisit: Why is it important for Detroit — and cities like it — to engage in these international exchanges around sustainability and design?
Baistrocchi: Everybody gains from international collaboration. If we want to make our cities better, we can’t be insular — we need compatible partners.
For example, I had a conversation with DTE about sourcing renewable energy components. Currently, 95 percent comes from Asia, but Italy has high-quality alternatives. That meeting led to connections with Italian companies and potentially new contracts. That’s what collaboration looks like: letting people know what’s available, and finding shared opportunities.
Detroitisit: How do you see Italy’s involvement strengthening connections between Detroit’s design community and the broader global conversation?
Baistrocchi: Italy was the first country to participate in Detroit Month of Design, and that partnership has only grown. Design is not just fashion — it’s innovation across industries.
We’ve brought Italian speakers to Detroit, helped showcase Detroit startups in Italy, and even created a docuseries to highlight why founders are choosing Detroit over Silicon Valley. My goal is always two-way exchange: Detroit learning from Italy’s innovation, and Italy learning from Detroit’s resilience and reinvention.
Detroitisit: As a partner, what are your hopes for this year’s summit? What kinds of conversations or outcomes do you think are most critical?
Baistrocchi: It’s about spreading knowledge. The more you know about another culture, the easier it is to collaborate, trade, and build together.
Italy and Detroit share so much history — both were built on the automotive industry, both are now diversifying into new fields. I hope SUDS helps strengthen those connections and sparks collaborations on projects that matter, whether it’s sustainable architecture, mobility solutions, or new business partnerships.
Detroitisit: What would success look like for Italy’s partnership in SUDS, both for the event itself and long term?
Baistrocchi: Success is when people in Detroit come out of the summit curious about Italy — wanting to learn more, partner with our companies, or adapt our models of sustainability.
One great example is architecture. Italian innovators like Carlo Galbusera have influenced Detroit’s building heritage. Why not bring that full circle by incorporating Italian expertise into Detroit’s next generation of sustainable neighborhoods?
And mobility is another. In Italy, 40 percent of vehicles are EVs or hybrids, and we’re investing heavily in hydrogen refueling, electric buses, and sustainable ports. That kind of attention to sustainability is embedded in everything we do — agriculture, transportation, design. If Detroit can tap into that, we can build stronger, more resilient cities together.
Detroitisit: Final thoughts?
Baistrocchi: At the end of the day, it’s about showing Italy is not just food, fashion, and holidays. We’re also a leader in innovation, resilience, and sustainability. And Detroit — with its creativity and grit — is a perfect partner. My hope is that SUDS helps more people see that connection and use it to build a stronger future.
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