Strategies for spatial and technological flexibility

The design of housing sys- tems is today challenged by a highly uncertain context, dominated by the rapid development of functional and technological obsolescence in inherited housing models. The design of housing systems should first and foremost optimise the longevity of the sub-systems and be able to offset the process of obsolescence which is concomitant to both the current use of materials and components devised to fail after a short period, and to rigid spatial models that are incapable of adapting to changes in the household’s needs over time. This research examines flexibility as a fundamental requirement to be incorporated in the Life Cycle of the house, through the use of strategies that affect both the form and the technological system that governs its structure

Connecting Cultures, Strategies for the Best Use of Diversity

The essay proposes an alternative approach to the design and location of emergency housing for refugees. Beginning with past experiences that demonstrate how cultural diversity and cohabitation have served as an impulse for change and development in host countries, the paper reflects on choices of location that overcome the current solution of spatial segregation in favour of territorial distribution. This approach is applied to the case study of Tel Aviv through strategies that operate: at the level of the building by adopting envelopes that adapt to existing buildings, at the level of the dwelling through recognisable and customisable and at the level of the city through connections and reciprocal opportunities involving all actors.

Form follows zero energy: technological design for sustainable housing in extreme climate areas

Hot and humid Extreme Climate Areas, like the United Arab Emirates, pose unique challenges for architects and engineers seeking innovative technologies for energy and environmental efficient building designs; at the same time, these regions are characterized by an innovative spirit that pushes to develop and implement projects to test renewable building technologies and solutions. The research team, which includes the Engineering faculty of The British University in Dubai, is working to develop design strategies that contribute to implementing low-energy and off-grid architecture in the UAE. The goal is to design a home balancing human comfort and efficient energy use, and to respond to the site’s climatic and contextual variables. The research aims to design a water-conserving, net-zero energy single-family home that can be used as a prototype for new building developments in this area. The approach developed toward an energy-efficient design process includes both traditional bioclimatic elements and high-performance active technological systems. The experimental design process also aims to reduce the building’s environmental impact while creating a comfortable and responsive living environment. In this way, efficient water use and renewable energy features can be aesthetically, economically and culturally integrated into the home’s architecture to improve its residents' quality of life. The house design responds to the climate challenges and complements active systems reducing energy use and associated carbon emissions. At the same time, it aims to contribute to the development of appropriate architecture, a starting point for simple architectural expression in the UAE

Autonomy, Independence, Inclusion

The living environment must not only meet the primary needs of living, but also the expectations of improvement of life and social relations and people’s work. The need for a living environment that responds to the needs of users with their different abilities, outside of standardizations, is increasingly felt as autonomy, independence and well-being are the result of real usability and adaptability of the spaces. The project to improve the inclusivity of living space and to promote the rehabilitation of fragile users need to be characterized as an interdisciplinary process in which the integration of specialized contributions leads to adaptive customization of space solutions and technological that evolve with the changing needs, functional capacities and abilities of individuals

A repository of recovered materials from post-earthquake reconstruction areas

Following the series of ‘severe’ seismic events that began in 2009, Italian legislation classified demolition debris as urban waste, despite Directive 2008\98\EC calling for the reuse/recycling of 70% of all waste from human activities by 2020. This choice will produce a technical, cultural, environmental and economic impoverishment in territories already under heavy strain. Considering the convergence between the paradigms of the Circular Economy and Smartness, the essay identifies possible technological innovations for creating repositories of recovered materials. Collective activities and spatialities tied to processes of selection, reuse and recycling can generate forms of social-organisational-collective resilience required to confront the losses and damages suffered by a community.

Manutenzione e progetto. Le nuove ragioni della sostenibilità (Editoriale)

L'editoriale sottolinea il fondamentale rapporto tra manutenzione e progetto nella sua accezione di fondamentale modalità per perseguire obiettivi di sostenibilità. La sfida della sostenibilità dello sviluppo che caratterizza la società contemporanea impone, infatti, in tutti i settori, un ripensamento in termini culturali, scientifici ed operativi delle forme di pianificazione, programmazione, progettazione al fine di pervenire a politiche, strumenti, approcci, tecnologie che possano consentire forme di gestione e trasformazione dei sistemi antropici che garantiscano il soddisfacimento delle esigenze del presente senza che si comprometta tale possibilità nel futuro

La manutenzione verso un'etica della sostenibilità. La manutenibilità come requisito di progetto

Durata dei sistemi, risparmio delle risorse, abbattimento della produzione dei rifiuti, sono gli obiettivi che possono trovare una risposta efficace a partire dall’integrazione dell’approccio manutentivo nella progettazione. L’utilità di tale integrazione deriva dalla necessità di fornire strumenti concettuali e operativi volti non solo alla minimizzazione degli impatti del processo e dell’oggetto edilizio ma utili a regolare anche la dimensione della durata dello stesso. È necessario, infatti, implementare un processo di costruzione e gestione orientato al controllo della durata del ciclo di vita dell’edificio in modo da estenderne il più possibile la fase utile

Annual Lapidei n°5 - Facciate continue e ventilate in lapideo/Curtain Walling and Ventilated Walls

Filosofia, tecniche, illustrazioni dei sistemi, ferramenta, scelta del materiale lapideo con la sua lavorazione e finiture, esempi di lavori eseguiti con loro schemi costruttiv

La terra di nessuno tra piano e progetto. Dibattito

La terra di nessuno è quel luogo che separa esiti ed elaborazioni di attività di piano e decisioni di procedere agli sviluppi del progetto di architettura; luogo in cui si confondono incerti confini fra ambiti, scale, definizioni disciplinari. Il contributo dell'autore al Dibattito riporta esperienze e posizioni culturali dell'Ateneo G. d'Annunzio di Chieti-Pescar