Urban and architectural strategies for the new green towns

Obiettivo del workshop internazionale ospitato dalla Tongji University di Shanghai è stato la progettazione di una città ecologica di nuova fondazione per 40 mila abitanti sull’isola di Chongming, collegata recentemente alla terraferma con nuove infrastrutture viarie e ferroviarie. Il tema è stato approfondito tenendo in considerazione le esigenze già espresse in termini di politiche insediative, sociali e urbanistiche e finalizzate in un masterplan che i partecipanti hanno però liberamente modificato, elaborando cinque diversi modelli urbani

Elements of interior architectural design against stylish approaches

The importance of this book is related to different reasons. Firstly it deals with interior architectural design that is a key topic in architectural practice even if it is a neglected subject in most schools of architecture nowadays as “interior design is often misunderstood as only a kind of decoration”.[1] On the contrary, as Prof. Chen Yi states, “we believe that interior design and architectural design were indistinguishable since the beginning of the civilization”.[2] As a matter of fact interior space is “the space enclosed by walls, wherever they are arranged or configured. It is primary and characterizing of every architectural work, it is addressed to the fruition by whom it is going through, crossing or stopping; […] it has a meaning clearly distinct from that of the other figurative arts…”.[3] Moreove

Pressures of social and programmatic needs on architecture and urban form: towards a renewed approach to sustainability in the post-crisis era

The paper investigates the “pressures specific to the twentieth century that combination of program imposes on architecture and urban form” (Holl, 2011). Financial crisis (2007-2008) and its consequences – not just in terms of urban development – have still not been absorbed/metabolized from urban settlements, also because of still un-solved causes that generated the problem (in terms of economic tools, financial rules, real estate procedures, etc) (Rossi, G. 2011). Large post-industrial sites’ reuse, under used districts for offices and services, housing districts and urban peripheries represent the result of last decades’ globalization processes, real estate and finance driven processes, property speculation, etc The complexity of contemporary society implies the creation of new categories of spaces in which design processes are reversed: social forms and communities’ needs provide reason and meaning to architectural transformations. Participation procedures, contractual communities, reappropriation processes are some of the tools that through different disciplines could have strong impact on architectural figures and forms. Design tools and procedure are also rapidly changing: on the contrary of what traditional design processes prescribe, the managing of project scales is changed: the approach "from large to small scale" could be substituted by iterative processes, and urban links or connections derive both from territorial approach and interior spaces’ definition. Urban analysis and design tools should be updated: sections and three of four dimensional design take precedent over plan layouts. Process reveals itself as more important than mere shapes, and architecture show again its being a science in strong relationship with society

Urban environment quality assessment using a methodology and set of indicators for medium-density neighbourhoods: a comparative case study of Lodi and Genoa

One of the main issues in urban sustainability and environmental assessment relates to the selection of indicators (SOCCO, 2000), as there are already many international and recognised core sets (DELSANTE, 2007; LEE; CHAN 2009). Nevertheless, specific local contexts are still in need of appropriate, original indicators and indices (MALCEVSCHI, 2004). This paper deals with the urban quality assessment of medium-density neighbourhoods, which typically include dwellings but also public functions, public spaces and urban infrastructure. The evaluation method is based on a set of 74 indicators used within a specific computational method that is based on scores and defined through pairwise comparison matrices (SOCCO, 2003) to convert qualitative and quantitative evaluations into scores (0 to +100). The assessment involved two different urban contexts in the cities of Lodi and Genoa (Italy). It tests if the set can be used in other sites and cities; the results show significant findings and potentialities, but also some limitations. As significant connections have already been found between urban quality and well-being surveys of inhabitants (ORLANDO, 2007), the possibility to act comparatively in different contexts increases overall research potentiality. The paper deals focus on neighbourhood scale in medium density cities, that usually includes not only dwellings but also public functions, spaces and urban infrastructures. A specific set of 74 indicators is set to effectively describe medium density neighbourhoods. It has been created and tested in European cities, but it can potentially be adapted to other urban contexts. Each indicator has been accurately described through quantitative and/or qualitative data, so that it can be assessed through a range of 4 qualitative evaluations (from excellent to not sufficient). To translate these evaluation in numeric values a specific methodology is used, based on scores and defined through pairwise comparison matrices. Indicators are organised in tree structure, with four main domains and 18 macro-indicators. Each indicator is finally expressed through a numeric value and weighted in relationship with others. The final overall urban quality index translate the 74 indicators into a synthetic numeric value: it can be monitored, compared with other case studies and precedents, interlaced with other data (e.g. pollution, health). Meaningful relationships have already been found with well-being surveys on resident inhabitants, and further development could be linked to e.g. urban quality of life

Urban analysis techniques and role of morphology in post crisis urban design

Urban spaces and towns are facing different and contradictory dynamics, between “endless” expansion and “shrinking” trends. Post financial crisis urban renovation also deals with different practices, between real estate development and temporary use entailing reappropriation of urban areas. It is nowadays almost impossible, at least in Europe, to realize major town plans similar to those carried out in the past decades, but new forms of urban renovation, much more complex and fragmented, or temporary and low cost, are now spreading. They allow the participation of different actors (public / private partnerships), flexible timing and spatial organization, with the not secondary goal of reusing urban territories and buildings. The aim of renovation projects is more and more focused on social issues and challenges, for example in terms of quality of life and health, also by means of innovative housing programs, and sustainable layouts over the years: which will be the effects of this “programmatic” architecture on urban morphology? The completion of elaborate programmes requires deep and integrated urban analysis, based on a “reading of the town” through multiple and complementary methodologies (i.e. considering the town as combination of layers, the town seen as an archipelago or a “town within the town”). Urban morphology plays an important role in defining urban strategies, especially within fragmented or superimposed layouts. Rubattino and Ortica districts in Milan represent a meaningful case study for research and design: it could be described as a multi-layered and multi-composed scenario, considering its various parts and their “complementary”, “separated” and even “contradictory” status, as opposed to a homogeneous and uniform one

Spatial practices, commoning and the peer production of culture: Struggles and asprirations of grassroots groups in Eastern Milan

This paper reports on a case study of the Milan-based collective Macao to examine whether its commoning practices and governance model allow for processes of cultural peer production and their degree of engagement and inclusiveness on various scales. In 2012, Macao occupied iconic spaces in Milan and became rapidly a significant urban movement that gathered a large number of members and supporters. The activists eventually settled in the former Slaughterhouse Exchange Building in the Molise-Calvairate-Ponti neighbourhood, an area characterised by a large number of abandoned and underused sites, inadequate provision of affordable housing and issues around the social integration of immigrants and ethnic minorities (Milan City Council, 2010; Caffa, 2016, 2017). Drawing on foundational studies on urban movements and the role of the creative sector in urban struggles, the paper first contextualises Macao within the broader framework of grass-roots initiatives in Italy since the 1970s before investigating the controversial relationship between the collective and the local community. The gaps we note between them provide a better understanding of the complexity of the actual social, economic and political struggles in Milan, and how ‘right-to-the-city’ aspirations are differently interpreted. By analysing Macao’s experience through the lens of the commons, the paper provides insights into whether its key features and governance aim at activating inclusive practices of cultural peer production. During two field work periods in February 2016 and April 2017, data were collected through mixed methods that included visual mapping, semi-structured interviews with representatives of Macao and local stakeholders and a multi-activity participatory session with a group of Molise-Calvairate-Ponti social housing tenants

Urban spaces’ commoning and its impact on planning: a case study of the former Slaughterhouse Exchange Building in Milan

Thanks to several foundational contributions (De Angelis 2010; Hardt and Negri 2009; Harvey 2012; Ostrom 1990), the topic of urban commons has recently gained much interest, as indicated by a number of publications and international conferences (Dellenbaugh et al., 2015). While these have variously analysed the topic in relationship to its fundamental elements, this paper further investigates the relationship between urban commons and planning and local governance processes (Muller 2015). On 5 May 2012, the artists’ collective M^C^O (henceforth Macao) drew public attention to the massive number of unused and vacant spaces in Milan by squatting in the iconic Galfa Tower, a private property that had been abandoned since 1996. This event, recalling ideals and actions of the social centres that flourished during the 1980s and 1990s in Italy, represented the first public manifestation of the complex and hidden scenarios of the social movements animating the cultural life of Milan. Due to their intimate awareness of urban spaces (Molinari 2012), these artist-led informal initiatives have been able to stand opposite to globally oriented political choices and could thus be interpreted as symbols of community values and local resistance. Symbolically, squatting in the Galfa Tower served to shine a light on the need for a radical change in urban policies regarding the reuse of the massive patrimony of abandoned sites in towns, which could accommodate un-revealed spatial and social needs (Valli 2015). Unlike the current planning tools and practices adopted by the City Council of Milan (Oliva 2001), Macao’s activists developed and proposed the Constituent City manifesto (Macao 2015), which sought to guarantee that vacant and abandoned properties within metropolitan Milan, whether privately or publicly owned, could be directly managed by self-organised groups of citizens. In their alternative proposal, the Macao activists were striving for the possibility for these self-organised communities to manage the available spaces for non-profit purposes through public assemblies. Starting from these premises, the paper interrogates the issue of how urban commoning can challenge conventional planning procedures. Using a case study of the former Slaughterhouse Exchange Building (henceforth SEB) in Milan, also squatted in the by Macao movement, the paper seeks to identify the mutual influences between commoning practices, local governance and planning policies. Drawing on these insights, we conclude by offering a reflection on the roles that commoning practices may have in defining innovative governance and planning processes

Urban analysis techniques and role of morphology in post crisis urban design: the case of Rubattino and Ortica districts in Milan

Urban spaces and towns are facing different and contradictory dynamics, between "endless" expansion and "shrinking" trends. Post financial crisis urban renovation also deals with different practices, between real estate development and temporary use entailing reappropriation of urban areas. It is nowadays almost impossible, at least in Europe, to realize major town plans similar to those carried out in the past decades, but new forms of urban renovation, much more complex and fragmented, or temporary and low cost, are now spreading. They allow the participation of different actors (public /private partnerships), flexible timing and spatial organization, with the not secondary goal of reusing urban territories and buildings. The aim of renovation projects is more and more focused on social issues and challenges, for example in terms of quality of life and health, also by means of innovative housing programs, and sustainable layouts over the years: which will be the effects of this "programmatic" architecture on urban morphology? The completion of elaborate programmes requires deep and integrated urban analysis, based on a "reading of the town" through multiple and complementary methodologies (i.e. considering the town as combination of layers, the town seen as an archipelago or a "town within the town"). Urban morphology plays an important role in defining urban strategies, especially within fragmented or superimposed layouts. Rubattino and Ortica districts in Milan represent a meaningful case study for research and design: it could be described as a multi-layered and multicomposed scenario, considering its various parts and their "complementary", "separated" and even "contradictory" status, as opposed to a homogeneous and uniform one

Collective housing as a good way to reduce city fragmentation

Today the study of the fragmentation represents an important occasion to meditate on the city and on the evolution of the relational strategies of settlements. If we analyse in a critical way our contemporary cities, we can see several interventions of the last decades, that brought, more or less consciously, to discontinuity and isolation (gated communities to the new ghettos). In this situation the individual becomes part of a small community; but how long does it can go on? Are the public and sharing spaces, in which we can open ourselves to the city and in the same time we can develop a sense of identity and belonging, well designed? Are they at human scale? A tendency, that can be observed in the modern western cities, is the intervention as collective living and cohousing that are producing urban continuities and community relations trying to institute relationships with the outside, always keeping their own differences and identities. Anyway the architectonic results don’t seem already innovative and the general quality of the interventions remains of low level. The innovative examples for collective living can certainly be considered positive for what deals with functions, topics and sense of community: spaces where liveability increases and where a rediscovered relation between Man and Environment is at the centre of the project, have been designed. So the lacking passage to completely solve, thanks to the cohousing projects, the fragmentation of the city, deals with the architectural aspect. Architects must underline the importance of the architectonical results in terms of language and spatiality to increase the integration capability of the intervention. In this case the design of architecture has a fundamental role for the next development of the city and for solving all the fragmented and inclusive situation