Un campionato di...?
Umari is the plural form of umarell, and umarell is a jocular Italian term for a person – classically a man of retirement age – who pauses to observe work in progress. The term might be used as light-hearted mockery in Italy, but we think more people ought to umarell; this website is dedicated to that effort.
To umarell is to take an interest in the built environment – this world we move through that our species created, in which most of us spend most of our time. Umarelling transforms the city around us, from a grey blur into a story. Buildings are the redwoods of our time – we’re surrounded by them, they tower over us, and they should be objects of awe. If you’re watching a building rise today, it will probably be standing long after you’re gone. To understand construction is to gain access to wonder.
We recommend umarelling if you no longer walk through cities with a sense of awe and wonder. If your morning commute, or the walk to the grocery store, or to pick up your child, is just a drag, umarelling provides an ideal break in the routine. It’s a way to lengthen walks without actually doing more walking. You feel like you’re learning something new, even if you’re no more capable of pouring a foundation than you were before. It’s like a backstage pass to the built environment – not quite as glam as a backstage pass for the Rolling Stones, but much more applicable to everyday life. Umarelling is practically the antidote to social media – no one wants to know you’re doing it, but it can bring you such joy.
