JUST DIG IT!

DIAMOND IN A ROUGH
AREA 1: PIAZZALE FERRARA

URBAN POLICIES DESIGN STUDIO GROUP N. 9

Proff: A. Balducci, A. Abruzzese Beker Dimitry

Tutors: Elena Batunova, Beatrice Bellè, Gianluca Nardone Cigognetti Tommaso
Jimenez Maria Jose
Academic Year: 2017/2018 Zhao Chunyu
INDEX

I PART I - ANALYSIS 1

II PART II - CONCEPT 44

III PART III - STRATEGY 54

IV PART IV - FESEABILITY 76

V PART V - CASE STUDIES 78

VI PART VI - REFERENCES 86
PART

ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
Milano’s outskirts, are facing challenges in different neigh-
borhoods, specially those that are mainly composed by public
housing. These are complex and plural spaces, as we will see
ahead with the case study of Quartiere Mazzini.
The current state of Quartiere Mazzini is full of potential, given
that is one of the oldest modern neighborhoods in Milano, and
during different periods of the development of the city it went
through a several cultural and physical changes until what we
see in 2018.
The requalification of this specific area present and enrichning
project in terms of urban planning because it present several
dimensions, some of them are very strong and others are
missing. We will try to bring up clearly each of these dimen-
sions and how we developed a strategy that can enrich
Quartiere Mazzini.
1
NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATION
NIL location and census sudbivision

Q. MAZZINI Q. OMERO

Local Identity Area (NIL) n° 35: LODI-CORVETTO Census subdivisions within the area

2
Q. MAZZINI
Q. OMERO

3
HOW WE PROCEEDED IN OUR WORK
Analysis phase

€
ECONOMY

URBAN SOCIETY
DESIGN

MOBILITY ENVIRONMENT

ISSUE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ACTORS

DEFINITION ANALYSIS AND DATA DEFINTION
INTERPRETATION

4
Projectual phase

VISION

AXIS 1 AXIS 2 AXIS 3

JUST DIG IT!

PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT
1 2 3 4 5

PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT

6 7 8 9

PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT

10 11 12

VISION 3 AXIS STRATEGY MAP PROJECT

DEFINITION STRATEGY DEFINITION
DEFINITION

5
 SITE VISIT AND INTERVIEW WITH LABORATORIO DI QUARTIERE

MUNICIPALITY DOCUMENTS SEARCH

POPULATION AND ECONOMY DATA COLLECTION

ANALYSIS OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

6
HOW WE PROCEEDED IN THE ANALYSIS PHASE
The framework of this phase consists on questioning the main
aspects of what we can define as a city: the economy, the
society, the natural environment, the mobility and urban
design of the area in study.
The first step was to list and identify the issues that were
present in the area, which were deducted by a first approach
during the site visit. Parallel to this we set a meeting with
Laboratorio di Quartiere Mazzini to get to know more in depth
the roots of the issues faced by the neighborhood and get a
more solid foundation on the research that will follow.
Next we started an extensive research of documents that the
municipality has on the area, for example Contratto di Quartie-
re II, PGT, NIL Lodi-Corvetto, Piano Strategico della Città metro-
politana di Milano, and other documents from the municipali-
ty that would help us understand the study area.
In hand with the documentation we collected relevant census
data that could be connected with the issues defined in the
beginning, to understand population more in depth and the
economical panorama faced in Mazzini.
The analysis of the physical aspects of the neighborhood were
next, trying to understand the built environment and periods
of growth that this part of the city had. We tried to put Mazzini
in context with the rest of Milan in terms of accessibility and
public services that we encounter there. Mapping and graphi-
cally show the data collected are part of the tools we see in this
phase.
We followed a circular process to validate our first assumptions
on the issues. We tried to understand what issues were more
relevant and how these were related with the five aspects
mentioned in the beginning. This process gave us a better
foundation on the spheres we wanted to analyze and also the
main struggles of Quartiere Mazzini became clearer in each
step.
7
 Commercial
Giving
Function to
Abandoned
Buildings
€ Presence of
Fragile groups
ECONOMY
Areas
in Main Streets

Mixed
Used
Specialized Presence of
Areas Fragile Groups
Security
Problems
Dropping Dropping
School School
Commercial
Areas
in Main Increase of
Streets Foreigners

URBAN
DESIGN Mixed
Used Presence of SOCIETY
Specialized Mothers & Minors Aging
Presence Areas
of
Social Housing
Identity
Places
with
Low
Healthy Quality
Places
With Low
Quality Presence
Of Mothers Lack of Spaces
And Minors for Associations and
Comunity
Lack of Spaces
For Associations
And Comunity

MOBILITY
ENVIRONMENT
Traffic In Main
Streets
Traffic in Main
Streets
Lack of
Maitenence

8
ISSUE DEFINITION
SOCIETY
€ ECONOMY
URBAN
DESIGN
During site visits to the neighborhood we noted in the compo-
sition of the inhabitants of the neighborhood the presence of
fragile group like minors, women, elders and foreigners toghe-
ter with the lack of maintenance in the sidewalks.
The metro used to get to the neighborhood is the M3 line, and
there are several public buses that serve the area and it only
takes 8 min to get there by metro from Duomo to the closest
stop, Covetto.
Corvetto is a very congested node within Milan, because is one
main entrance to the city center, so it’s possible to see traffic,
especially in Corso Lodi.
In the NIL it was remarked the increase of foreigners and also
problems regarding dropping school and insecurity led by
criminality.
MOBILITY ENVIRONMENT
Quartiere Mazzini and Quartiere Omero are composed mainly
by social housing that are visibly in bad shape because of
problems regarding the public real state agency that admini-
sters them, called ALER. The social housing areas are usually
related with poverty and social problems.
Also is possible to notice abandoned buildings and little
people in some streets, there are areas that are monotonous in
terms of urban quality.
All these issues mentioned before and some others seen on
the scheme of page 8 are given a specific name and then are
categorized and repeated if necessary in five spheres, to
contrast the global picture of the neighborhood’s problems.
9
 POPULATION DATA ANALYSIS

Milano Municipality Milano Municipality

1.500.000 600.000
TOTAL It’s possible to notice an 35-64 42%
ITALIANS 98%
increase of foreigners and a 0-34 40%
42%
43%
-9%
1.200.000
93% decrease of Italians in 500.000
86%
Milano from 1991 to 2011.
900.000 while, in overall, Milano’s 35%

population, has decreased 400.000 32%

by 9%, as seen in Graph 1.
In parallel, as noted in
25%

300.000
Graph 2, in the NIL area of 300.000
23%

14%
Lodi Corvetto the decrease > 65 18%

7% in all the population is 12%, 200.000

FOREIGNERS 2%
and the increase of
1991 2001 2011 foreigners is higher than 1991 2001 2011

the average of Milan by 5%

POPULATION DECLINE AND points. AGE CHANGE
COMPOSITION CHANGE IN POPULATION In terms of age change of IN POPULATION
population, as seen in the
NIL - Lodi Corvetto Graphs 3 and 4, there’s a NIL - Lodi Corvetto
40.000
growth of the aging 20.000
TOTAL
ITALIANS
98% population (more than 65
35.000
-12% years old) in Lodi Covetto
30.000 92%
92% compared with Milano by
35-64 42%

25.000
81% 8%, this comes in hand 15.000
0-34 38%
with the decrease of 44%
52%

younger groups (people

from 0 to 34 years old) by 36%
10.000 38%
6% in Lodi Corvetto.
10.000 28% 33%
> 65 21%
19%
5.000
8%
FOREIGNERS 2% 5.000

1991 2001 2011 1991 2001 2011

10
% OF FOREIGNERS AND STATELESS PEOPLE ELDERLY POPULATION INDEX

The Maps 1 to 4 show in circles where is

located the highest amount of each
population group. As seen in Map 1,
the northern sector of Quartiere
Mazzini, south of Viale Omero and
along Corso Lodi, is where there is a
higher amount of foreigners and
stateless people.
The highest amount of children in
preschool age coincides in several
sectors with the locations of foreigners
and stateless people.
% 0 7 15 25 45 100 The elderly population index (Graph 3) Index 0 140 287 620 1600 2800
accumulates around Piazzale Grabrie-
No data le Rosa, also in the slabs buildings east No data
of Quartiere Omero and in the
% OF CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL AGE retirement home next to the primary INDEX OF REPLACEMENT OF THE ACTIVE POPULATION
school, south of Q. Mazzini in Via dei
Panigarola. The block area of the
retirement center mentioned is of
aprox. 10.000 sqm.
The replacement of active population
index shown in Graph 4 indicates the
amount of retired people that is being
replaced by the working active group,
so is better for a neighborhood to have
a higher amount. In the study area is
possible to see that this index is more
present in Q. Omero and South of
Viale Omero, also along Corso Lodi and
north of Piazza Ferrara.
% 0 2 5 7 10 33 Index 0 88 172 289 500 1200

No data No data
11
POPULATION DATA ANALYSIS

Milan NIL
Milano Municipality Municipality Lodi Corvetto
800.000
Employed Employed
UNEMPLOYED 55% In terms of labour occupation we are
able to see in Graph 5 and 6 a differen-
700.000

600.000 ce between Lodi-Corvetto and the rest 51% 48% -3%

40%
of Milan, because the percentage of
EMPLOYED 49% 49% 51%
500.000 45%
employed people is higher in Milano
Looking Looking
400.000
and by 2011 the unemployed people in for employment for employment
the study area was more than the
average of the rest of the city.
4% 4%
100.000 The graphs on the right show a clear
LOOKING FOR JOB 4%
0
2%
4%
comparison between the percentage
of different occupation groups, in Retired Retired
1991 2001 2011 Milano and the NIL Lodi Corvetto. Next
to them we see if there was an increa-
27% 30% +3%
LABOUR OCCUPATION se or a decrease in Lodi-Corvetto
CHANGE compared with Milano, or if they are
the same. From data shown previously
NIL - Lodi Corvetto in this analysis is possible to see the Students Students

25.000 congruence for example in the increa-

se of retired people and a high popula-
6% 5% -1%
20.000
UNEMPLOYED 58%
tion index. Also we see a decrease in
the number of students and employed
53%
people that is related with the lack of
15.000 48% Housewives Housewives
EMPLOYED 38%
45% 47%
replacement of active population
index in a lot of parts inside Q. Mazzini.
10.000
8% 7% -1%
5.000

LOOKING FOR JOB 5% In other In other

4%
2% condition condition
0

1991 2001 2011

5% 5%
12
 % OF FAMILIES WITHOUT AN INCOME EARNER

Below we see a set of educational On Map 5 is possible to see that

levels and how the NIL classifies Lodi around Piazza Ferrara and inside of Q.
Corvetto in comparison to Milano. Omero there is a big amount of
The elementary and middle school families that live there without an
diploma is higher than Milano’s income earner, for example this will be
average by 2% and 4% respectively, the case of households supported by
while the amount of degrees after women that have informal works.
high school is 5% lower in Lodo
Corvet-to than in Milan, also 1% lower Is important to make a remark on the
in the post degree title. fact that most of the buildings in these
area are part of social housing
projects, which are usually given to
people with lower income.
% 0 3 7 11 17 100
The levels of education, percentage
income earners of households,
No data
employment rates, percentage of
Milan Municipality foreigners, and all the other data
Illiterate Literate Elementary Middle school High School Degree Post degree presented previously, are able to give
without titles school Diploma Diploma Diploma title us a sense of the socio-economical
state of the area in study. This way we
can start to narrow down the challen-
1% 6% 14% 25% 32% 18% 4% ges and issues presented at the begin-
ning.

Nil - Lodi Corvetto

Illiterate Literate Elementary Middle school High School Degree Post degree
without titles school Diploma Diploma Diploma title

1% 6% 16% 29% 32% 13% 3%

+2% +4% -5% -1% 13

POPULATION REPLACEMENT ANALYSIS

We made an overlap of the maps, trying to find some correlation between the data.

The greatest percentage of children in preschool age coincides in Q. Mazzini with

the highest percentage of foreigners and stateless persons.
This overlapping coincides in some location, specially in the southern part of Viale
Omero, close to the Corvetto intervention, north from Piazzale Ferrara and along
Via Giacinto Mompiani.
From population graphs shown before, we know that Italian population is steadily
decreasing while the amount of foreigners has more than doubled from 2001 to
2011, so younger generations of foreigners (children in preschool age) are replacing
the Italian population that is growing in general in the number of people older than
65 years old.
The change, or substitution, from one group giving space to the newcomers has
economical and social implications for the neighborhood. We will see in next
graphs public services, that in this area there is a particular high amount of services
for foreigners. So this neighborhood has different needs than the rest of Milano has,
because of this changing of population.

% of children in preschool age

7 10 33

% of foreigners and stateless people

25 45 100

14
 ECONOMIC PROBLEM ANALYSIS

Families that don’t have an income earner, are in general considered to have more
finantial necessities than the ones that do. On the other hand the foreigners and
stateless persons not always have all the resources needed in a place which is not
their homeland, considering that are some barriers as the language, vary on
customs, food, that can prevent a smooth integration to Italian society. These
differences can be enrichening and we will try to explode them in different ways in
the steps to come. In this particular merge of families without an income earner
and the highest amount of foreigners, we see in the map that specially in two
points there is a match. First in Via Giacinto Mompiani and in the slabs at south
west of Viale Omero. We want to give special attention to both of these places for
the implementation part of the project

% of families without an income earner

11 17 100

% of foreigners and stateless people

25 45 100

15
SOCIAL SERVICES DATA ANALYSIS
For type of population and for purview of intervention
Milan Milan
Municipality Municipality
Old Housing
People reception
In the Graphs 9 and 10 we see the Diagnosis, care
and prevention 250
Daytime educational activity
400 People with
Children
(0-10) 350 disabilities distribution of social services
200
300 addressed for different societal
250
groups. Animation activities,
150
Home-based care
holidays, sports
In general we see that social
200 and closeness
and leisure 100
150
services for younger generations
and participation
100 50
Teenagers Families
(11-18) 50 are less present compared to the
city of Milano, but there are Animation activities,
holidays, sports
Legal support
several social services created for and protections and leisure and
participation
foreigners that inhabit the NIL
Lodi Corvetto. This shows the
Young
people
Adults
relevance that is given to Psychological and
First access,
orientation and first
different groups in the area. relational support intervention

On the right, Graphs 11 and 12

First access, orientation and first Economic
Foreigners People with show on what the social services intervention, psychological and support

Nil
mental distress
consist and how much of each relational support
Nil
Lodi Corvetto there are. Lodi Corvetto
Old Is interesting to see how leisure Housing
People
activities and housing reception Diagnosis, care
reception
Daytime educational activity
15
in Lodi Corvetto are not given
People and prevention 12
Children
with disabilities
(0-10) 12 that much importance compa- 10

9 red with the rest of Milano. Also Animation activities,

8

Home-based care
6
because there are problems such holidays, sports
6
and closeness
and leisure
as squatting, so this makes us and participation
4

Teenagers
(11-18)
3
Families question the real economic 2

support given. Animation activities,

Legal support holidays, sports
and protections and leisure and
participation

Young Adults
people First access,
Psychological and
orientation and first
relational support
intervention

First access, orientation and first Economic

16 Foreigners People with mental intervention, psychological and support
distress relational support
Confrontation Milan - Lodi Corvetto

The Graphs 9 and 10 are put together in Graph 13, to have in
percentage terms in order to make a comparative analysis of
the social services that are addressed for specific groups
between Milano and NIL Lodi Corvetto. The same procedure
was made for Graph 14, combining Graphs 11 and 12, for social
services that the municipality has on the area, for example
Contratto di Quartiere II, PGT, NIL Lodi-Corvetto, Piano
Strategico della Città metropolitana di Milano, and other
documents from the municipality that would help us under-
stand the case study area.
Here is more clear the differences in terms of types of services
and who are they intended to serve.

MILAN NIL MILAN NIL

MUNICIPALITY LODI CORVETTO MUNICIPALITY LODI CORVETTO

Housing
Old reception
People Diagnosis, care Daytime educational activity
and prevention
People with
Children
disabilities
(0-10)

Animation activities,
Home-based care
holidays, sports
and closeness
and leisure
and participation

Teenagers Families
(11-18)
Animation activities,
Legal support holidays, sports
and protections and leisure and
participation

Young Adults First access,

people Psychological and orientation and first
relational support intervention

First access, orientation and first Economic

intervention, psychological and support
Foreigners People with relational support 17
mental distress
TRANSPORTATION DATA ANALYSIS

Milan NIL
Milano Municipality Municipality Lodi Corvetto
300.000 PUBLIC Train, Metro, Train, Metro,
43%
TRANSPORT From 1991 to 2011 is possible to see the Tram Tram
45%
change on means of transport inside
250.000 37% of the study area. 26% 32% -3%
35%
As it was mentioned before, the neigh-
PRIVATE CAR 32%

borhood is very well served by public

200.000 32% transport; even though all the parking Public bus Public bus
spaces in the streets are full of private
26%
ECOLOGICAL cars, and there is just one bike path in
150.000 22%
TRANSPORT
23% Corso Lodi and Viale Omero. 11% 13% +2%
Is interesting to see that for the first 10
0
years the use of private car only increa-
sed by 1%, then dropped by 20% the Private car Private car
1991 2001 2011 next 10 years, contrary from what
happened in the rest of Milano. The
MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION decrease and later increase in public 30% 26% -4%
CHANGE transport happened simultaneously
on Lodi Covetto and in Milano, this
NIL - Lodi Corvetto makes sense because the network of Motor bike Motor bike
10.000 public transport of Milano serves the
hole study area.
Also in terms of ecological transport 7% 4% -3%
PUBLIC
46%
8.000 TRANSPORT the behavior of Lodi Corvetto was
46% similar with the rest of the city, just
39%
with 2% less. This present the challen- Bike Bike
ge to introduce in the neighborhood
6.000
PRIVATE CAR 33%
39%

more sustainable means of transpor-

30%
tation. 5% 3% -2%
4.000 ECOLOGICAL 24%
21%
TRANSPORT
22%

0 By foot By foot

1991 2001 2011

20% 21% +1%

18
 ROAD HIERARCHY Low High
intensity intensity

In the Map 6 we see first a road hierarchy in the Mazzini

neighborhood and its surroundings, it divides the roads
in three different levels of importance. For example on
the first level we see Corso Lodi, that derives from the
Autostrada del Sole-A1, a main national highway which is
an important gate to the city of Milano . Here we also see
the main nodes that appear in the neighborhood. Tuesday: 9.00 h

The public transportation network is shown in Map 7,

where there are different buffers that represent the
accessibility of the area, for example its closeness to
Rogoredo train station, which is important for the
connection it gives Milano to the rest of Italy. In the urban
scale the M3 metro line makes it accessible to the rest of
the city; in a smaller scale the bus routes serves the
neighborhood entirely, which make Mazzini pretty rich in Tuesday: 12.00 h
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ACCESSIBILITY terms of accessibility by public transport.

In the maps on the left we see the traffic intensity in the

PORTA ROMANA

area during a regular weekday (Tuesday). Here is noted

that the morning rush hour is where there is more
LODI TIBB.

concentration of traffic, and specially on the first level of

MILANO PORTA ROMANA

BRENTA

M
road hierarchy.
CORVETTO

PORTO DI MARE
Tuesday: 15.00 h
M

MILANO ROGOREDO ROGOREDO FS

M T

Train Line Bus Routes

Metro Line Bus Stops
Railway and Metro Buffer (800m) Bus Buffer (400 m) 19
Tuesday: 20.00 h
STATE OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

EVOLUTION OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT STATE OF CONSERVATION OF BUILDINGS

The main historical expansion of

Quartiere Mazzini and Quartiere
Omero dates before the 70’s. after this
there are few changes on the overall
shape of the built environment. As we
see on the expansion index, after the
90’s there have been few changes only
on some parts at the west and north of
the area. Most buildings were made
post-war when there were high flows
of immigration within Italy.

1919 1945 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2005 The physical state of the building play
a major role on Q. Mazzini and Q. Very good Very bad

Omero, where we see close and linear

urban tissues respectively. The worst
INDEX OF EXPANSION state of conservation of buildings is in COGNITIVE MAP
the Mercato Ferrara and it’s surroun-
dings, and also on the eastern borders
of Q. Omero with of Parco Agricolo Sud.

The corridor of Viale Omero, the

primary school and Via Polesini are
some of the places that stay in the
memory of those who visit the area,
we are calling them cognitive places,
while Corvetto and Piazza Ferrara are
part of landmarks for the inhabitants
of the neighborhood. This will play a
major role later on the projectual
phase.
1970 1980 1990 2000 2005
Cognitive places Identity landmarks

20
During several site visits we collected
photos that show physical damage
and decay that coincide in location
with the worst state of conservation of
buildings.
Broken windows, graffitis, huge
amounts of trash on the streets,
abandoned buildings in construction
work, dirty sidewalks; these are just
some examples of the first things that
you see when you are in these “red
areas”.
This lack of urban quality affects the
life of the people that lives there,
because the place is automatically
associated with vandalism , criminality
and similar social problems.
We would like to address this negative
image as an anchor for change.

21
Land use and service map

FUNCTION

Residential / Food & Drink / Commercial

Abandoned
Cascina
Commercial
Commercial / Industrial
Commercial / Industrial (Probably Illegal)
Food & Drink
Hotel
Minor Building
SERVICES
Offices
Offices / Food & Drink
Bank Cultural
Residential
Residential (Probably Illegal)
Hotel Library
Residential / Commercial

Market Medical Residential / Commercial / Services

Residential / Food & Drink

Municipality Night Club Residential / Food & Drink / Services

Residential / Offices / Services
Retirement house Post office Residential / Services
Services
School Social Services / Offices
Transport
Supermarket Worship Under Construction

22
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS

A detail land use map helped us to understand better the
character of the area. It denotes a highly residential use with
some commercial spaces mainly around the main arteries.
It became evident that it is a well served area, but with some
abandoned buildings and also some places that are not well
identified, giving the sense of illegal commerces or residences
for example.
From Via Polesine to the north, we see a more mixed use of the
urban fabric, while Q. Mazzini and Q. Omero are pretty much
monotonous, dormitory neighborhoods. The school and
church integrate both places, but in overall the services are
near.
The public services, as seen on the bottom are distributed and
very close in terms of distance.
The weekly market activity is held during three days of the
week in the area, being the one in Via Giacinto Mompiani the
biggest one. This is an attractor of visitors and an asset for
Mazzini’s inhabitants.
Apart from several schools of different scholar levels, there is
an important retirement home in Via dei Panigarola, also with
some health services close to it.

1 Elementary
Public School
Pool
Comunal
Public
Market
Library 2
Retirement
house
Secondary
Art
School
School

Corso Lo
di
ero
le Om
Via

Education
Social Services
3 Places of Worship
Sports Facilities
Street Markets (7:30 - 14:00)
Health Services
1 Via Giacinto Mompiani: Tuesday, 262 sellers Administrative
2 Via Oglio: Saturday, 61 sellers Commercial and productive activities

3 Via Benaco: Friday, 44 sellers

Technological infrastructure
for the environment
23
The mono use city

In the schemes on the right we are able to see examples of the

urban fabric with single functions. We refer to them as the
“mono use city” and this type of phenomenon happens due to
zoning and land use laws. It is important to note that most of
our neighborhood is a mono use city.

The first one shows a seven-story residential building without

balconies nor other uses on the ground floor, all of them very
close to each other and approximately with the same height
and for the most part similar architectural choices.

The office building has a more modern type of architecture

and it has an open space on the ground floor. They appear in
work dedicated areas and create small “downtowns” when Residential Offices
many of them are grouped up together with public services.
The public services example is a post office.

While most of the industry is concentrated on the ortomerca-

to area to the north east. Its scale is very big and it creates an
industrial island.

Services Industry

24
 The mixed use city

The mixed use city is found predominantly outside of our

neighborhood, but there are some mixed use elements and
multi functional buildings in proximity to the crossroads and
the market.

A mixed-use structure is what makes the city vibrant and

dynamic this lack in our neighborhood could be seen as an
issue to be solved, but in truth only 3 minutes away along
Corso Lodi almost every type of service and commercial
activity can be found.

The lack of mixed use make some parts of the city almost
Residential + Food & Drink + Commercial Residential + Services +
abandoned during the evening which is also important to
Commercial + Food & Drink note.

The schemes represent some of the more dominant combi-

nations distributed around and partially inside our neigh-
borhood. It is interesting to note that when industry is
included with in the mixed use city it is predominantly
artisans craftsman and small industry

Residential + Offices + Industry + Large scale commercial

Commercial + Food & Drink

25
 AGGREGATION OPEN SPACE HEIGHT UNIT PLAN

1 Quartiere Regina Elena (Now Mazzini) Block Building Private green space
Public green space
Plaza
Pedestrian path
3
1925 - 1928 / Giovanni Broglio

1
2
4

2 Case Ina Casa Linear Building

1955 / Arrigo Arrighetti

3 Private Housing Linear & block Building

1920s - 1980s

4 Public Housing Tower Building

1980s

26
TYPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
To make a qualitative description of the built environment, fist
we took different samples of blocks from the neighborhood
that presented a repetitive pattern.
Some of the repetition was due to the date of construction of
the building or the use that was given to it.
We also found the multi-composition in terms of ownership of
the different land plots, some of them are owned by Aler or
Ina-Casa which are social housing developers, on the other
hand there are also privately owned building that have a
typology on their own, surrounded with large open green
spaces.
Other characteristics such as location, density, permeability,
aggregation, amount of open space, height and unit plan, are
taken into consideration for the classification.
This helps us understand better the composition of the built
environment, specially when combining this type of analysis
with the demographics and socio-economical aspects
mentioned in previous sections.
27
Typology analysis 1

GREEN SPACE AND PLAZAS HARD PAVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Private green space Plaza Hard paving Access
Public green space Pedestrian path

BASIC INFORMATIONS QUARTIERE REGINA ELENA

(Now Quartiere Mazzini)
Construction date: 1925-1931

Owner: Public

Function: Residential buildings

Floor density: 4/5

PROBLEMS

Lack of public open space

Not mixed-use buildings

Enclosed settlement

28
 Typology analysis 2

GREEN SPACE AND PLAZAS HARD PAVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Private green space Plaza Hard paving Access
Public green space Pedestrian path

BASIC INFORMATIONS
CASE INA CASA Construction date: 1950s
(Now Quartiere Omero)
Owner: Public

Function: Residential buildings

Floor density: 5/9

PROBLEMS

Monotous space

Not mixed-use buildings

Lack of connection

29
Typology analysis 3

ACCESS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD HARD PAVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD GREEN SPACE AND PLAZAS
Access Hard paving Private green space Plaza
Public green space Pedestrian path

PRIVATE HOUSING
BASIC INFORMATIONS

Construction date: 1919-1980

Owner: Private

Function: Mixed use buildings

Floor density: 4/9

PROBLEMS

High density settlement

Lack of common spaces

30
 Typology analysis 4

GREEN SPACE AND PIAZA HARD PAVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Private green space Plaza Hard paving Access
Public green space Pedestrian path

PUBLIC HOUSING BASIC INFORMATION

Construction date: 1980s

Owner: Public

Function: Residential buildings

Floor density: 7/17

PROBLEMS

Low densıty settlement

No cooperation with near area

Separate settlements island

31
Section analysis
SECTION 1 - 1

2
2
1
1
2

3 3
2.5 m 4.5 m 6m 4.5 m 2.5 m

20 m
Via dei Panigarola

SECTION 2 - 2

11 m 2m 7m 2m 4m

Via Giovanni Montemartini 26 m

SECTION 3 - 3
Residence

Sidewalk

Park

Vehicle lane

Green space

Viale Omero

1.5 m 4.5 m 4.5 m 11 m 7m 11 m 4.5 m 4.5 m 1.5 m 6m

32
36 m
Streets should be designed for people. While the area’s streets The third one is Viale Omero, this is a very important corridor to
have some problems because they mainly take in considera- the city center. And now it has greenlands and trees however
tion vehicles, but not people living here. the open space in the middle is too small and there aren’t
facility for people to use in order to make something happen
These are three most important streets’ sections shown. here. The vehicle lanes beside the green space make it hard to
The first one is Via dei Panigarola, the area besides it is whole get close to this open space creating an island like space not
public community, however almost half of the street is accessible by people. The bike lane in the center limits even
occupied by the parking lot that strongly limit the possibility of more the possibility to use the space without danger.
activities to take place in the street.
The second one is Via Giovanni Montemartini, in the area
which is access controlled community, on one side is the
entrances to garage and another is the entrances to the
community. There is even no tree on the street, and two lines
of parkings makes it no enough space for pedestrian ways.

33
Main building related situation in this area

? ? ? ?
WHAT
WHAT WHAT’S CURRENT HAS BEEN DONE
AND WHERE? THE PROBLEM? STATUS? AND
WILL BE DONE?

LEF T UNUSED, NOW,

POLITECNICO DI MILANO
HAS PARTECIPATED TO
A MINISTERIAL CALL FOR ITS
FORMER STUDENT STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION REFURBISHMENT
HOUSE PROJECT UNFINISHED INTERRUPTED

THE MUNICIPALIT Y BOUGHT IT AND

CREATED A CALL FOR ITS REFURBI-
SHMENT AND TO CREATE NEW
USES. THE BUILDING HAS BEEN
CASCINA CASOT TELLO FORMERLY ABANDONED CURRENTLY RENEWED.
BUILDING IN USE

THE PLAN IS TO DEMOLISH IT,

ALTHOUGH RESIDENTS WANT
TO KEEP IT
MERCATO FERRARA STRUCTURE IN POOR CURRENTLY
CONDITION AND UNDERUSED IN USE

AN OPEN CALL FOR THE USE

FOR MINORS, FAMILIES
AND OLD PEOPLE

34 RETIREMENT HOUSE SPACE NOT USED CURRENTLY

BUILDING AT HIS FULL CAPACIT Y IN USE
MAIN SITUATION IN THE AREA
After the interview with Laboratorio di Quartiere we tried to
understand what kind of initiatives had happen in the past,
who was involved and also what are their projections for the
future.
This is important for us to propose a course of action that will
address the current problems the neighborhood is facing and
to propose alternatives that they haven’t tried before.
We can separate the issues in three main realms, starting with
the social, the public services problems and finally the ones
regarding the built environment situation.
For the built environment we located, with the data collected
previously, four projects that are facing this type of issue. It is
easily visible the unfinished structure close to Mercato Ferrara.
It was an Aler building meant to be a student house, but
during the construction the money ended, so now Politecnico
di Milano participated in a call to get money to finish the works
and use the building for the same purpose. This kind of
intervention will bring a new type of population (young
people) in the area, and with that some of the commerce will
have to vary to attend their need; for example a copy center
near by.
Cascina Cassottello was formerly abandoned and held some
illegal activities, but later it was reclaimed and given to
Sunugal (an association that we will refer later on), who is
directly funded by Fondazione Cariplo. This cascina in located
at the south end of Viale Omero and can play a major role in
changing that area of the neighborhood.
Mercato Ferrara, as many other markets in Milano has been
underused and is currently in poor conditions.The inhabitants
of Mazzini area identified with, it but there are plans to demoli-
sh it, altought their opposition.
The big retirement house is not fully used, so there are plans
from other social groups to be integrated there.
For the public and common spaces, the streets and courtyards
present the problems of lack of maintenance and careless use
from the inhabitants. They don’t consider those spaces as
communal, so they are dismissed by most people, giving a bad
outlook to them.
The association network in Mazzini is very strong and is
involved in different aspects that could benefit the neigh-
borhood, the problem is the interaction and coordination
between them: there is not a formal participation committee,
they all act as separate entities. This leads to disintegration of
some associations and also is being affected by the end of
Laboratorio di Quartiere in Mazzini.
Most of Aler buildings are composed only by residential
functions which restrain new commerce and activities in the
area.
The exclusion of Arab women in the neighborhood was
addressed by creating a group to teach them Italian and that
would integrate them with several activities, like cooking.
Also now, most of the buildings don’t have a doorkeeper, so
those spaces are currently empty, for us this abandoned rooms
represent a potentiality to be considered for our strategy.
35
Main social and public spaces related situation in this area

? ? ?
WHAT
WHAT’S HAS BEEN DONE
WHAT?
THE PROBLEM? AND
WILL BE DONE?

SOME GROUPS OF PEOPLE DID

A COLLECTIVE CLEANING,
STREETS DIRTY AND NOT MANTAINED BUT WASN’T SUCCESSFUL
BECAUSE OF THE LACK
OF PUBLIC SERVICE
AND PEOPLE CARE

THE ASSOCIATION NETWORK HAD

ASSOCIATION NETWORK
SOME PROBLEMS DURING THE
PERIOD OF THE SHUT DOWN OF
THE LABORATORIO DI QUARTIERE
AND SOME INFORMAL GROUPS DIED
ASSOCIATION NETWORK IS STRONG, BUT
IT NEEDS HELP FROM LABORATORIO DI
QUARTIERE TO FOSTER INTERACTION
AND COORDINATION

NOTHING DONE

HOUSING COURT YARDS LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND

36 SOCIAL USE FROM THE PEOPLE
Main social and public spaces related situation in this area

? ? ?
WHAT
WHAT’S HAS BEEN DONE
WHAT?
THE PROBLEM? AND
WILL BE DONE?

NOTHING DIRECTLY DONE TO

AFFECT THIS ISSUE, THEREARE 2
ONGOING POLICIES CALLED
“CUSTODI SOCIALI” AND “PORTIERE
DOORKEEPERS LACK OF DOORKEEPERS, SOCIALE”, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE
JUST TWO OF THEM REMAINED SAME THING IN MOST OF THE
DUTIES.

NOTHING DONE
ALER RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS LACK OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES AT
THE FOOT OF THE BUILDINGS THAT
WOULD HELP TO MAKE THE STREET SAFE
AND LIVED

LABORATORIO HELPED TO CREATE

AN INFORMAL GROUP OF WOMEN
AND THEY ENDED UP IN CREATING
FOREIGNER WOMEN SEGREGATION AND A COOKBOOK
DIFFICULTIES TO COMMUNICATE
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
37
 MATER CULT
LA BOT TEGA GIACIMENTI URBANI
DI GEPPO

CASCINA OTHER
CASOT TELLO LABS

LA CIT TÀ INTORNO
SUNUGAL
LA STRADA CASCINA
FONDAZIONE
NOSEDO CONOSCIAMOCI CUCINANDO
CARIPLO
CENTRO
FERRARA

OPENAGRI
CASA
CHIARAVALLE
ADOLESCENTI SICURI
CIT TADINI AT TIVI

MUNICIPALITY
OF MILANO
CASA PER LA PACE
COMUNITÀ DI SANT'EGIDIO

EQUI.LIBRI
RECUP

GRUPPO PROGET TO
DI DONNE ARABE EDERA

LABORATORIO
DI
QUARTIERE GRUPPO IN.CO.MINCIO
DELLE SARTE
CUSTODI SOCIALI
ASSOCIAZIONE
NOCETUM

ALDO DICE 26X1

Structured Associations / Cooperatives

QUARTIERE CASA MIA

Informal Groups GRUPPO
DIVERSAMENTE OCCUPATI
ACTOR ANALYSIS
There are three main networks of actors, working on different
levels.
The first one is directly connected to Mazzini neighborhood
and it’s composed by Laboratorio di Quartiere working along
with small association and informal groups.
The second level actors are composed by La Strada and other
associations connected with it, such as Cascina Nosedo,
OpenAgri, Centro Ferrara and Casa Chiaravalle. They have a
wider range of action because they work on projects for the
whole periphery of Milan, and are also very active in Municipio
4, which is the zone where our study area is located so they can
be connected in a more direct way to our neighborhood.
The third level actors are those that are involved in all of Milano,
but they have certain qualities that make them have a special
interest in our area, for example Recup which collects unsold
food after the street markets to give to people in need and
considering that three open markets in the area it is a key actor
for us.
We made a scheme with the different actors and the
connections between them, while they are in the space of
action of Q. Mazzini. This type of galaxy helps us understand
how some actors can be by themselves or directly related with
a public authority, in this case at the center of our constellation
we have Milano’s Municipality.
Following we will have a brief description of the actors within
the three levels of interaction in the neighborhood, as explai-
ned before.
Municipality of Milano - Is the director of the overall process
and has a direct link to our project in terms of permissions,
knowledge and it is also the one that provide funds for some of
the association.
Laboratorio di Quartiere Mazzini - A group of technicians/so-
cial workers defined by the Municipality of Milano in order to
create a network of actors and citizens that improve the under-
lying problems of the neighborhood through a process of
participation and co-working. Their main role in our project is
to generate autonomy in the network that they have helped
create through the years.
La Strada - Is the reference for social housing and residences
in Municipio 4, they are responsible for:
- Monitor of general health and well-being via telephone
interviews and home-based meetings
- Accompany for examinations and medical examinations to
those who need them
- Small commissions (like going to the supermarket) and
solving of bureaucratic practices
- “Network work” (with doorman, family, caregiver, social
workers and others)
- Socialization activities (workshops, courses, outings, parties,
film clubs, ...)
The main difference between Laboratorio di quartiere and La
Strada is that La Strada is private, while Laboratorio di Quartie-
re is public. Also La Strada usually provide directly the services
(usually welfare services), while Laboratorio tries to change the
social environment and to plan the full social recovery of the
neighborhood.
39
Laboratorio di Quartiere Mazzini - Main actors and Informal
Groups:
Casa per la pace - Based on social projects to prevent violence
and promote peaceful co-living in Milan.
Associazione Nocetum - Is a religious group found in the
Cascina Corte San Giacomo that participate in “hosting”(acco- CASA PER LA PACE
glienza) mothers and children and providing training courses COMUNITÀ DI SANT'EGIDIO

to the neighborhood residents. Even though they are funda-

mentally religious, they work with non-religious people as well. EQUI.LIBRI
Comunità Di Sant'Egidio - another religious group very similar
to Nocetum with its goals, participation and role in our project
Sunugal and Cascina Casottello - a socio-cultural association. GRUPPO PROGET TO
Their goal is to teach self organization and guide people to DI DONNE ARABE EDERA

become leaders in their communities.

Equi.Libri - They do a sophisticated form of book sharing,
LABORATORIO
classes where they discuss books and try to help pepople to
DI
improve their life through books. Have a problem? there's a QUARTIERE IN.CO.MINCIO
GRUPPO
book for that. DELLE SARTE
Gruppo Diversamente Occupati (Informal) - They try to help ASSOCIAZIONE
NOCETUM
unemployed people of a critical age (40 – 60), an age where
finding occupation is more and more difficult especially if you
have a problematic background. They help them to adapt to
their current situation, improve their life and even look for
work, they try to get a positivistic look at their current situation QUARTIERE CASA MIA
GRUPPO
and to give an alternative to occupation in the meantime. DIVERSAMENTE OCCUPATI
Gruppo delle Sarte del quartiere (Informal) - Several ladies of
the golden age that were dressmakers in there youth that
gather a few times a week to help other women (or men) to
learn how to use the sewing machine, how to repair or make
clothes and other elements of their profession.

40
 La Strada - Main actors:
OpenAgri Uia - Is a project funded by La Strada, which support
startups in the agricultural field and works with young people
in the neighborhood. Their role in Mazzini has to do with the
the agricultural park that is bordering the southern part of our
neighborhood.
Custodi Sociali - Oriented towards senior citizens gives
MATER CULT services of accompaniment for examinations and medical
LA BOT TEGA examinations, small commissions (like going to the supermar-
DI GEPPO
ket) and solving of bureaucratic practises.

Third Network Actors:

Recup - An association that recovers food that would otherwi-
se be thrown away after the street market on a municipal level,
LA STRADA CASCINA
and gives it free to people in need. They also organize free
CUSTODI SOCIALI
NOSEDO dinners and meals for the poor.
La città intorno - A project by Fondazione Cariplo for the
CENTRO elevation of quality of life in the city, with a strong emphasis on
FERRARA
the periphery. The core point of the project is to generate
Community Food Hubs – a focal point where people can meet,
eat food stuff, share experiences.
CASA
OPENAGRI Aldo Dice 26x1 - Basically squaters that unofficialy occupy a
CHIARAVALLE structure that provides “Social Housing” (houses families and
ADOLESCENTI SICURI
CIT TADINI AT TIVI people without home). They organize musical laboratories,
dinners (at low to no cost).

41
LA BOT TEGA MATER CULT
DI GEPPO
(
!

ADOLESCENTI SICURI
CIT TADINI AT TIVI

LA STRADA
CASCINA
NOSEDO
CENTRO
FERRARA

IN.CO.MINCIO
GRUPPO
DIVERSAMENTE ALDO DICE 26X1
OCCUPATI

ASSOCIAZIONE
NOCETUM

CASA CHIARAVALLE CASA PER

COMUNITÀ DI SANT'EGIDIO
LA PACE

EQUI.LIBRI
QUARTIERE
CASA MIA

GRUPPO PROGET TO EDERA

SARTE
DELLE
PORTA ROMANA

LABORATORIO
LODI TIBB.

M
MILANO PORTA ROMANA

GRUPPO DI
T

DI
BRENTA

DONNE ARABE
CORVETTO

R
M

QUARTIERE

E
PORTO DI MARE

N
MILANO ROGOREDO ROGOREDO FS

M T

A P LAN
OF
SUNUGAL
CASCINA
CASOT TELLO

E A D
T H EH
IN
CONCLUSION & PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Looking back at the process of analysis we can note 3 different
steps that has formed our opinion of the area and helped us to
identify the real problem.
On the right is the “first impression” underlined with the yellow
color. The ideas thoughts and mental images that we had
about the neighborhood before actually studying it. Our
prejudgments about terms like social housing, periphery,
failed projects etc. The lectures about the ongoing situation
combined with our first visit to the area have started to
construct a series of though patterns. At this point the main
problem seemed like a big concentration of abandonment
and a disinterest from the part of the municipality to improve
the situation.
In the middle we have the process of data collection, “The
adventure with numbers”. We have gathered all the existing
information (GIS files, excel sheets, documents etc), created
some of our own and made statistical calculations and
confrontations. From this part on, a very subjective stance the
main problem seemed to be the concentration of a lower
income population with many foreigners, but on the positive
side from a planning point of view there are a lot of positive
aspects like the dense urban structure, the availability of public
transportation the proximity to a mixed-use city that provides
most of the lacking services and the fact that there is no real
physical barrier separating the neighborhood from the rest of
the city.
The far left part underlined with the blue color is the process of
interviews and our own participation in events and association
network reunions, our process of “Communicative Planning”.
We have conducted interviews with actors in the area, through
the help of the Laboratorio di Quartiere members and their
availability, we have constructed a visual representation of the
associations correlation and how they work together.
We have also participated in some of the activities the various
formal and informal groups conduct. This part has shown us
that there is a very big number of people and resources that
are dedicated into the improvement of the neighborhood and
its surroundings. This has debunked our prejudice and
together with the process of analysis showed the real picture
of the neighborhood. The neighborhood of Mazzini is an
aggregation of people of low income and migrants, It has a
very strong network of associations that work to improve its
social quality and the overall urban structure is of high quality
and very well connected to the rest of the city. The neighborho-
od has a lot of underused potential and, that potential is
hidden behind a cognitive barrier that the residents have
developed because they live in what is considered by the rest
of the city as “one of the worst areas of Milan”. This underused
potential is hidden very close to the surface just waiting to be
uncovered and polished and placed on display. The neigh-
borhood of Mazzini is a diamond in the rough.
43
PART

II

CONCEPT
PROBLEM DEFINITION: IDENTITY
Like we have stated previously in the problem identification,
the way the rest of the city views Mazzini and the way the
residents of the neighborhood view themselves, conditions
the way they interact with the neighborhood. Their “identity”
or the way they perceive themselves has to be the main focus
of our work in order to generate a long-lasting change.
If an identity of a place is positive than the people are proud to
belong to it, they are more likely to upkeep their environment
and to contribute. Positive identity gives a since of belonging
just like being a member of a family or a part of a certain
culture. Like we have learned from out interaction with the
Laboratorio di Quartiere, when informal groups of citizens
form, a lot of positive change takes place, the sense of commu-
nity grows and residents start to “care more” about their
environment.
During the course we have conducted a trip to Bologna to see
some of its similar problems with the peripheries and, one of
the places that we have visited was the neighborhood of
Pilastro where a similar socioeconomic environment took
place. The people involved in the realization of the park there
have told us that for a period of time they have conducted
weekly events in the park with the residents and during that
time events of crime and vandalism have diminished and the
sense of community was growing.
These examples along with other interactions we had with the
actors working in the neighborhood showed us that the self
identification of the residents is a key for change. On a
different note negative identity that is created for the residents
can dictate a conduct of carelessness and lack of simple civil
behavior. “What’s the point to even try if everyone else already
has made up their mind about me?”.
Negative identity can limits the belief that change is possible.
Sometimes negative identities can have positive outcomes. In
the Bolognina neighborhood the young people identify them-
selves as “Bolofeccia” which roughly means “scum from
Bologna”, but it became cool to be a Bolofeccia and they
young kids are proud to live in Bolognina. This was possible
because the initial negative identity of the Bolognina neigh-
borhood was dealt with over time, through a process of urban
transformation. Keeping these ideas in mind let us look at an
example of how people perceive the city of Milan and confront
it with how the neighborhood of Mazzini is perceived.
45
 A
RAL
DYN
AMI

I
ICULTU C
MULT

R
P
L

A
LL

N
D
UT
G
ITALY’S ECO

MA
NOM

RO
IC C

IO
AP

RKS
WI
IT
A

N
N

L
G C

PROGR
UN
G ESS
YO I VE
IT Y
CR
IM

IPHERY
BAD PER
E

IC
NT
FRA
MILAN PERCEPTION

Feedback from the participatory work and experience has Because of this, Milanese are proud of being from Milano.
shown us that on a general scale when one thinks of Milano Milanese will tell you that they are from Milano even if you
the overall thoughts and visions are positive. The first thing don’t ask them. There is a very strong sense of identity in the
that comes up to many peoples minds when they think bout city and its ability to be open to the world attracts people from
Milano are its world famous landmarks, the fact tha it is a far and wide. Milan is attractive.
Progressive, Multicultural dynamic city that is filled with young
people. It is Italy’s capital of economic affairs and is constantly
growing. If people think long enough they might also remem-
ber the air pollution and the franticness of such a densely
populated city, but for the most part their perception is
positive.

47
 VERTY

TY
PO

I
L
A
N
I
M
I

DECAY
CR

SERVI CES
ORT
A NSP
M

TR
AL I S

B LIC
PU
D

E
AN

UR
V CT
U
R
T
S NT

RESIG N ATIO N
N ME R
A ON E
A B A ND T
N
B

E
C
R
U

PR TY
CI
E

OXI
MITY TO
S
N
DE

ST
RO
NG AS K
SOC OR
IATION NETW
MAZZINI PERCEPTION
Feedback from the participatory work and experience has
shown us that on a general scale when one thinks of Mazzini
the overall thoughts and visions are negative. The first thing
that comes up to many people’s minds when they think about
Mazzini is poverty, Decay, Crime and vandalism. Some people
are aware that there is a strong network of associations and
actors trying to improve the situation and most people agree
that with all the negative things about Mazzini, at least you are
5 minutes away from the metro that can take you to the city
center in 15 short minutes. For the most part the perception
that people have of Mazzini is negative.
This situation influences how the residents perceive themsel-
ves. No one has outstanding pride of being a resident of our
neighborhood. People don’t advertise that they took the
metro from Corvetto when they are walking around the
Duomo square on Sunday afternoon. Most of the public spaces
in the neighborhood territory are abandoned 90% of the time
because when residents leave their houses they get out of
Mazzini as soon as possible. Resident have told us that Mazzini
does not feel like part of the city because there is nowhere
really to go out to.
49
DIG OUT THE DIAMOND

We have stated in the problem identification that Mazzini has
a lot of unused potential, that it is a diamond in the rough. We
know it, the associations involved know it and we believe that
to a certain degree even the residents have this diamond
structure inside the neurological pathways of their minds.
Deep down in their subconscious they know that there is a
possibility for a better living condition without the need of
some extreme change. What is stopping the use of this surface
potential is the negative perception that people have of their
own neighborhood. Our participatory experiences the conclu-
sions that the guest speakers have arrived to during the
lectures in class and the examples from the Bologna study trip
all lead to one direction, a strong community creates a strong
identity and a sense of identity and belongingness is genera-
ted through participation.
For a brief period of time the people changed their negative
perceptions and worked together in order to generate a
positive identity, for a brief period they have reshaped their
neurological connections and brought out the diamonds
inside of them.
The diamond is both in the rough, but it is also inside people’s
perception, it is blocked by a cognitive barrier of negative
identity. Our vision is to clean and polish this diamond by
physical transformations of the public space and to reshape
the negative cognitive connections people have, by giving
them a strong sense of community through participation in
these transformations.

A very powerful and relevant example of this truth is the

Ferrara mural: The neighborhood of Mazzini has its fare share
of grafity vandalism. In late 2017 the walls surrounding the
Ferrara indoor market were painted by volunteers of the
association network. What started as a simple fresh coat of
paint has ended with a mural painted by the residents and
their children. Today, more than six months after the participa-
tory event no one has vandalized the mural. The reason for that
is because it was made by the people of Mazzini for the
people of Mazzini and not by some external body like random
municipality workers or a company.

51
JUST DIG IT!
!
PART

III

STRATEGY
VISION AND STRATEGIES

Our vision is inspired by the potential of Mazzini’s neighborho-
od, as we saw in the previous section. According to this we
perceive a transformation in people’s attitude towards their
neighborhood, from a negative to a positive one. We hope that
they will develop their sense of pride and belonging in the
future.
The vision is composed by three main strategies, that are a
metaphor for the different dimensions that we want to
address, which have to do with the use of the public and
communal space, a better physical quality, and to have such
places where neighbors meet and interact with other residen-
ts or outsiders.

ENHANCE THE SENSE

OF BELONGING TO
THE COMMUNITY

VISION
TRANSFORM THE NEGATIVE
IDENTIT Y OF MAZZINI
INTO A POSITIVE ONE
THROUGHT 3 AXES
OF INTERVENTION

IMPROVE QUALITY IMPROVE

OF PUBLIC AND THE SOCIAL 55
COLLECTIVE SPACES MIX
 ENHANCE THE IMPROVE
SENSE OF QUALITY OF IMPROVE
BELONGING TO PUBLIC AND THE SOCIAL
THE COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE MIX
SPACES

Community into decision making Improve the built environment Inclusive events

Stronger community network More permeability New opportunities

Sense of security Functions in abandoned spaces

56
3 AXIS STRATEGY
The 3 axis strategy consist in working on the neighborhood
through 3 different coordinates that point to specific goals and
that, all together, contribute in reaching the shift from the
actual negative perception of the neighborhood to a new
positive one: in digging out the diamond
This axis are present in almost all the actions of our projects
and is important to state that only working in all this three
direction all togheter can reach a longer lasting effect.
This is what each axis want to reach as it goal:
- Enhancement of the sense of belonging inside the commu-
nity, which is related to the way that people feel about
Mazzini,(their perception of the area and of themselves as
residents).
- The changes in the physical realm, meaning the improve
ment of the built environment.
- To have better social interactions and mixed of the inhabitan
ts
The way we want to develop each strategy is explained next:
1 - Enhance the sense of belonging to the community
We are planning to involve the community into the decision
making process
Also provide the conditions for a stronger community network,
trying to link residents
Increase the sense of security within the community
2 - Improve the quality of public and collective spaces
To involve community in small sustainable processes to impro-
ve the built environment
Provide more permeability in the neighborhood
Reactivate and change functions in abandoned or underused
spaces
3 - Improve the social mix
Give citizens opportunities to enhance their technical skills
Favour inclusive events between age, gender and cultural
background groups
Give new opportunities for local bussiness
47
57
 VISION
TRANSFORM THE NEGATIVE
IDENTIT Y OF MAZZINI
INTO A POSITIVE ONE
THROUGHT 3 AXES
OF INTERVENTION

ENHANCE THE IMPROVE

SENSE OF QUALITY OF IMPROVE
BELONGING TO PUBLIC AND THE SOCIAL
THE COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE MIX
SPACES

PIAZZALE
MAZZINI VIALE OMERO IN ‘N OUT GUARD HOUSE
FERRARA
JUNGLE LEISURE CORRIDOR COURTYARDS RENEWAL
NEIGHBORHOOD
PLAZA

FRAMEWORK ARTSY YOUNG WORK YOUR FIRST

FOR COMUNITY PANIGAROLA! SHARED SPACE OFFICE!
INVOLVEMENT

COMMUNICATIVE CYCLE SHADE

CAMPAIGNS VIA MINCIO MONTEMARTINI

58
THE 3 AXIS AND THE PROJECTS: A COMPLEX RELATION
We have 14 projects, and participation is in their core, because
a strong community makes the change last over time.
The individual projects fall on one or more of the axis, for that
reason our projects have a multidimensional complexity to
them.
Some of the projects are simple, for example Cycle Via Mincio
has two actions in it that are about the improvement of the
physical environment.
Others that are more complex have several actions that fall in
all three categories, for example the project of Piazza Ferrara is
about improving the physical aspects, changing the use of the
building, being a social and cultural center that will enhance
the sense of community of the residents and being a gate for
mix of people to gather.
We can see in the following page the multilayering map, so
basically where each of our strategies is located and they are
categorized by the three main axis. Some of the projects seem
to be repeated for the same reason.
Apart from seeing where the strategies are located, we also
have magnets or places that are directly related to our projects
as attractors of people, with current projects on the area, for
example Cascina Casottello is recently renewed and present
opportunities on our area as well.
The general map is shown after the multilayering of the strate-
gy, and there is present the physical aspects of the projects
that we are gonna explain later on in more detail.
59
62
Redefinition of the street profile Riqualificate public space Create spaces for economic inclusion
Riqualificate covered market Existing aggregating spaces
Open pedestrian passages
Realize kitchen gardens Riqualificate and give new function to the former guard houses
Create temporary pedestrian zones
Open courtyards for social use
Riqualificate the flowerbeds

61
Possible paths to problem solution dealing with different degrees of population involvement

TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS TECHNICAL

PROBLEM DEFINITION
A OVERLOOK SOLUTIONS OUTPUT
Involving
WHO? WHY?
Problem identified by the municipality The fastest solution
MUNICIPALITY, TECHNICIAN Solution defined by the municipality

HOW?
Through a technical process without the
involvement of the population.
BUT
- Understanding the real issues become difficult
- Not always adress the correct solution
- Could lead to the rejection of the project by
the population i.e. (vandalization costs)

PROBLEM TECHNICAL
PROBLEM DEFINITION POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
B SOLUTIONS OUTPUT
Involving
HOW?
Self organization through direct INFORMAL - Difficult to create big changes
CITIZENS,
action (mutualism) SOLUTION - Foster self-organization and spontaneity
ASSOCIATION NETWORK OUTPUT from the population
OR - Suggest the shift from informal groups
to formal ones
Involvement of municipality CONCERTED - Changes are achieved by working on the
SOLUTION political part of the municipality role
OUTPUT - Time and information could be lost because
people doesn’t know who to refer to

CONCERTED SOLUTIONS CONCERTED

C PROBLEM DEFINITION
OVERLOOK SOLUTIONS OUTPUT
Involving
WHO? - Most formalized process
Involvement of citizens and associations - Creates a constant exchange of ideas
A “CABINA DI REGIA CONDIVISA” between the between municipality and the population
neighborhood population and the municipality in the realization of the project
through a formalized structure
- Work with the municipality to foster
MUNICIPALITY, CITIZENS, HOW? the involvement of the population
TECHNICIAN ASSOCIATION NETWORK Through a cycle of meetings - Municipality better understand
62 between the different actors problematics and solutions
FRAMEWORK FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
The creation of a “Cabina di Regia Condivisa” to manage urban processes

?
AIM ACTORS ACTIONS / GOALS

Realize a “Cabina di Regia Condivisa” (CRC), Municipality, - Help the coordination between the associations
a formal structure to create a continuous Technician - Create initiatives to help the creation of informal groups and new associations
exchange of informations between the - Simplify the relationship with bureaucracy for informal groups and association
municipality and the neighborhood and to to help the realization of events and the survive of them
foster the population participation - Coordinate the problem and solution output from citizenship and association
to reach municipality
Citizens, - Organize the coordination between the Municipality and the Neighborhood
Association Network through organized meeting and through the monitoring of the results

2 POSSIBILE PATHS OF PROBLEM EMERSION

Develop the formal

Investigate the problem
strategy of intervention,
Problem output from and its limits together Meeting with Define a concerted
CRC Draft of solution involving through the
Association and CRC and Citizenship Municipality solution
CRC Associations and
Citizenship and Associations
Citizenship

Develop the formal

Investigate the problem Meeting with strategy of intervention,
Problem output from Define a concerted
CRC and its limits together Draft of solution Association and involving through the
Municipality solution
CRC and Municipality Citizenship CRC Associations and
Citizenship

63
Possible paths to problem solution dealing with different degrees of population involvement

64
PIAZZALE FERRARA NEIGHBORHOOD PLAZA

Reduce the space of the current market, maintaining the original structure

Maintain the mural on the market

Create a space for bussiness i.e. bar

Create a space for social interaction i.e. shared kitchen

Enhance the outdoor space of the piazza

Leave rooms for civic space i.e. association meetings

Reduce the surrounding street and add a Bike-MI station

Create a competition for art works in the plaza

Organize events inside the plaza

65
 FITNESS AREA

BASKETBALL
COURT

RUNNING
PATH

TABLE TENNIS
AREA

BAR AREA

AUDITORIUM

BOCCE

FREE AREA

RELAX AREA CHESS AREA

66
VIALE OMERO LEISURE CORRIDOR
?

?
?

?
Move the cycle path from the middle to one side of the street, removing the car parks
?

?
Enhance the natural environment by plant new trees in the playground at the middle of the corridor

Adding new playing facilities for children in the playground at the middle of the corridor

Create a space for bussiness i.e. bar

Create a spaces for collective sports activities i.e. basketball court, “bocce”, cheass tables

Create a spaces for individial sports activities i.e. running path, outdoor gym facilities

Involve citizens in the construction of street furniture and a small amphiteatre

Organize classes i.e. yoga or ping pong

Create a green connection with Cascina Cassotello planting flowers and bushes 67
47
 IN N’ OUT COURTYARDS

Open the gates of the courtyards during some hours of the day

Create kitchen gardens with and for the residents

Create social and cultural events i.e. movie nights

68
ARTSY PANIGAROLA! + YOUNG WORK SHARED SPACE

Readapt the inside structure of the building

Create a space for bussiness in the ground flood i.e. bar, shops, supermarket

Create a space for conferences or seminars in the first floor

Create a space for co-working in the second floor

Make a call for artists to add artworks Rent spaces at low cost
in the streets and on the wall of Via dei Panigerola

OPEN OFFICE

MEETING ROOM

BAR

ART WALL

69
 SHADE MONTEMARTINI

Reduce parking spaces to foster sustainable behaviour

Plant new trees in Via Montemartini to shade the sidewalk,

reduce the heat during summer time

70
MAZZINI JUNGLE + GUARD HOUSE RENEWAL

Plant dwarf bamboo in the flower bed

Involve people in the creation of small fences for the flower beds

Create signs to keep the streets clean from dog feases

Add doggie bags and special garbage

Renew the former guard house of the ALER buildings for the tenats

Create new functions inside

i.e. reading space, teaching space, party space

MEETING SPACE PARTY SPACE

READING SPACE COLLECTIVE MOVIE SPACE

TEACHING SPACE CHILDREN SPACE

71
DANCE SPACE ART SPACE
 SUMMARY OF ACTIONS AND ACTORS FOR EACH PROJECT

PROJECT ACTIONS ACTORS

Reduce the space of the current market, maintaining

the original structure
Maintain the mural on the market
Create space for bussiness i.e. a bar
Create space for social interaction i.e. shared kitchen Comune di Milano
PIAZZA FERRARA Enhance the outdoor space of the piazza Laboratorio di Quartiere
Leave rooms for civic space i.e. association meetings La città intorno
Reduce the surrounding street and add a Bike-MI Recup
station ATM
Create a competition for art works in the plaza
Organize events inside the plaza

Move the cycle path from the middle to one side of the
street, removing the car parks
Enhance the natural environment by plant new trees
in the playground at the center of the corridor
Comune di Milano
Adding new playing facilities for children in the
Sunugal
playground at the middle of the corridor
Cascina Casottello
Create space for bussiness i.e. a bar
Laboratorio di Quartiere
Create space for collective sports activities i.e.
LEISURE CORRIDOR - VIA OMERO Associazione Nocetum
basketball court, “bocce”, chess tables
La città intorno
Create a spaces for individial sports activities i.e.
Casa per la Pace
running path, outdoor gym facilities
Aldo Dice 26x1
Involve citizens in the construction of street furniture
Gruppo Edera
and a small amphiteatre
Organize classes i.e. yoga or ping pong
Create a green connection with Cascina Cassotello
planting flowers and bushes

72
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS AND ACTORS FOR EACH PROJECT

PROJECT ACTIONS ACTORS

Open the gates of the courtyards during some hours of ALER

the day Laboratorio di Quartiere
IN ‘N’ OUT COURTYARDS Create kitchen gardens with and for the residents Casa per la Pace
Create social and cultural events i.e. movie nights

Create a shared control room between neighborhood

and Comune di Milano
Help the coordination between the association
Create initiatives to help the creation of informal
groups and new associations Comune di Milano
Simplify the relationship with bureaucracy for informal Laboratorio di Quartiere
FRAMEWORK FOR groups and association to help the realization of events
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Interested associations
and their survival The new " to be formed"
Coordinate the problem and solution output from - Cabina di regia
citizenship and association to reach municipality
Organize the coordination between Municiapality and
the Neighborhood through organized meeting and
monitoring the results

Readapt the inside structure of the building

Create a space for bussiness in the ground flood i.e. bar,
shops, supermarket Comune di Milano
YOUNG WORK SHARED SPACE
Create a space for conferences or seminars in the first Gruppo Diversamente Occupati
floor
Create a space for co-working in the second floorRent
spaces at low cost

73
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS AND ACTORS FOR EACH PROJECT

PROJECT ACTIONS ACTORS

Transform one floor of the ALER building to make it a ALER

YOUR FIRST OFFICE! rental space for entrepreneural and new bussinesss Gruppo Diversamente Occupati
activities
Rent spaces at low cost for the fist 5 years

COMMUNICATIVE Create a communicative campaign to change the PoliSocial

CAMPAIGN inhabitants perspective of their neighborhood Laboratorio di Quartiere
Witness Journal

Reduce parking spaces to foster sustainable behaviour La Strada

SHADE MONTEMARTINI
Plant new trees in Via Montemartini to shade the La città intorno
sidewalk, reduce the heat during summer time

Comune di Milano
Remove one side of the parking spaces
CYCLE VIA MINCIO Associazione Nocetum
Reduce the car lane from 2 lanes to 1
Casa per la Pace
Introduce a new bike lane

Make a call for artists to add artworks in the streets and

ARTSY PANIGAROLA in the wall of Via dei Panigerola Comune di Milano
Witness Journal

74
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS AND ACTORS FOR EACH PROJECT

PROJECT ACTIONS ACTORS

Plant dwarf bamboo in the flower bed

MAZZINI JUNGLE Involve people in the creation of small fences for the Associazione Nocetum
flower beds
Create signs to keep the streets clean from dog feases
Add doggie bags and special garbage

Renew the former guard house of the ALER buildings

ALER
GUARD HOUSE RENEWAL for the tenats
Equi.Libri
Create new functions inside i.e. reading space, laundry
space, multifunctional room

75
PART

IV

FEASIBILITY
 Business plan

ASSUMPTIONS PIAZZA FERRARA YOUNG WORK SHARED SPACE

Superficie territoriale (St) 2 884 7483

Superficie fondiaria (Sf)
Indice di utilizzazione territoriale (Ut) 0. 3 5 0. 1 1
superficie coperta (Sc)
superficie lorda di pavimento (Slp) 1 002 81 9
thereof - residential
- commercial renovated (warehouse) 1 62 . 8 1 3 6. 5
- commercial renovated (bar, shops) 3 3 8. 2 1 3 6. 5

The projects are about renewing two

- offices structured (conference room) 0 2 73
- offices 0 2 73
demolished and rebuilt slp 501 0
buildings, one of them already has the
Development costs PIAZZA FERRARA YOUNG WORK SHARED SPACE Total money allocated for the demolition,
Low € High € Low € High €
but we want to demolish only half of it,
Low € High € Low € High € Low € High €
Cost of landplot

so we will not take demolition costs

- cost of land 838.8 2070.01158.3 1683.3 € 840,460 € 2,074,160 € 948,675 € 1,378,650 € 1,789,135 € 3,452,810
- cost of land if rented 4.6 6.5 6.5 8.8 € 4,574 € 6,551 € 5,296 € 7,221 € 9,871 € 13,772

Subdivsion costs into account. The other one has to

- Oneri di urbanizzazione
- Opere di urbanizzazione
346.4
-
346.4 346.4 346.4 € 173,546 € 173,546 € 283,702 € 283,702 € 457,248 € 457,248
renovated completely but it wont be
Renovation costs
demolished. The new facilities develo-
- offices renovated
- commercial renovated
1000 1500
1000 1500
1000 1500 €
1000 1500 €
- €
501,000 €
- €
751,500 €
546,000 €
273,000 €
819,000 €
409,500 €
546,000 €
774,000 €
819,000
1,161,000
ped by the project will be rented for
total € 3,566,383 € 5,890,058 low cost during the first 5 years and
Project fees then they will be sold at a higher cost.
- urban planning 8% of total costs € 60,000€ 80,000
- architecture & engineering € 285,311 € 471,205

Funding costs
- cost of debt 10% of total costs € 356,638 € 589,006

No demolition costs because the money for this has already been allocated for this purpose
Management costs
Asset management
- selling fees private Not selling anything
- letting fees 3% of the revenues

Property management costs

- costs for collecting rents and renewing leases € 15,567
- local taxes
- vacancy costs
- default costs

Facility management costs € 20,000

- maintenance and capital improvements € 12,000 € 12,290,400
- utilities € 4,000 € 4,096,800
- security € 4,000 € 4,096,800

Management cost of public spaces

- parks
- other public facilities € 400,000€ 400,000
€ 4,688,332 € 27,914,268

Revenues PIAZZA FERRARA YOUNG W ORK SHARED SPACE To t a l

Low € High € Low € High € Low € High € Low € High € Low € High €
Rents
- office 100 300 100 300 € - € - € 54,600 € 163,800 € 54,600 € 163,800
- commercial 120 470 150 450 € 60,120 € 235,470 € 40,950 € 122,850 € 101,070 € 358,320
TOTAL € 155,670 € 522,120
Selling
- office 2500 7500 2000 6000€ - € - € 1,365,000 € 4,095,000 € 1,365,000 € 4,095,000
- commercial 3500 10500 400012000 € 1,753,500 € 5,260,500 € 1,092,000 € 3,276,000 € 2,845,500 € 8,536,500

47
77
 Business plan
Years 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 TOTAL

Development costs
Cost of landplot € 1,789,135 € 1,789,135

Subdivsion costs
- Oneri di urbanizzazione € 457,248 € 457,248 € 457,248

Renovation costs
- offices renovated € 182,000 € 182,000 € 182,000
- commercial renovated € 258,000 € 258,000 € 258,000

Project fees
- urban planning € 60,000
- architecture & engineering € 285,311

Funding costs
- cost of debt 29,908.27 29,908.27 29,908.27

Management costs
Asset management
- letting fees € - € - € - € - € 4,670 € 4,670 € 4,670 € 4,670 € 4,670 € 4,670 € - € 28,021

Property management costs

- costs for collecting rents and renewing leases € 15,567 € 15,567 € 15,567 € 15,567 € 15,567 € 15,567 € 15,567 € 108,969
- local taxes
- vacancy costs
- default costs

Facility management costs € 12,000 € 12,000 € 12,000 € 12,000 € 12,000 € 12,000 € 12,000 € 84,000
- maintenance and capital improvements € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 28,000
- utilities € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 4,000 € 28,000
- security

Management cost of public spaces

- parks
- other public facilities € 400,000€ 400,000€ 400,000€ 400,000€ 400,000€ 400,000€ 400,000€ 2,800,000
TOTAL COSTS € 2,134,446 € 927,156 € 927,156 € 927,156 € 440,237 € 440,237 € 440,237 € 440,237 € 440,237 € 440,237 € 435,567 € 7,992,904

Revenues
Rents
- offices created € - € - € - € - € 54,600 € 54,600 € 54,600 € 54,600 € 54,600 € 54,600 € 327,600
- commercial created € - € - € - € - € 101,070 € 101,070 € 101,070 € 101,070 € 101,070 € 101,070 € 606,420

Selling
- office € 4,095,000 € 4,095,000
- commercial € 8,536,500 € 8,536,500

TOTAL REVENUES € - € - € - € - € 155,670 € 155,670 € 155,670 € 155,670 € 155,670 € 155,670 € 12,631,500 € 13,565,520

Profit or Loss $ (2,134,445.64) $ (927,156.27) $ (927,156.27) $ (927,156.27) $ (284,567.10) $ (284,567.10) $ (284,567.10) $ (284,567.10) $ (284,567.10) $ (284,567.10) $ 12,195,933.00 $ 5,572,615.96
discounted profit or loss (1,989,231.72) (805,292.20) (750,505.31) (699,445.77) (200,071.89) (186,460.29) (173,774.73) (161,952.22) (150,934.04) (140,665.46) 5,618,470.28 360,136.63

discount rate as italy's inflation 7.30%

78
PART

CASE STUDIES
CASE STUDY: SUPERKILEN
Architects: BIG Architects, Topotek 1, Superflex
Location: Nørrebro, Copenhagen / from Norrebrogade to
Tagensvej
Client: Copenhagen Municipality, Realdania
Budget: 11 MIO USD
Area: 30,000 sqm
Project Year: 2012
Photographs: Iwan Baan, Hasse Ferrold, Jens Lindhe, Maria da
Schio, Torben Eskerod, Mike Magnussen
General description
Superkilen is a half a mile long urban space wedging through
one of the most ethnically diverse and socially challenged
neighborhoods in Denmark. It has one overarching idea that it
is conceived as a giant exhibition of urban best practice – a sort
of collection of global found objects that come from 60
different nationalities of the people inhabiting the area
surrounding it. Ranging from exercise gear from muscle
beach LA to sewage drains from Israel, palm trees from China
and neon signs from Qatar and Russia. Each object is accom-
panied by a small stainless plate inlaid in the ground descri-
bing the object, what it is and where it is from – in Danish and
in the language(s) of its origin. A sort of surrealist collection of
global urban diversity that in fact reflects the true nature of the
local neighborhood – rather than perpetuating a petrified
image of homogenous Denmark.
80
The concept
The starting point is a division of Superkilen into three zones
and colors – green, black and red. The different surfaces and
colors are integrated to form new, dynamic surroundings for
the everyday objects.
Key elements found helpful for our project
- Support diversity, it is a world exhibition of furniture and
everyday objects from all over the world, including benches,
lampposts, trash cans and plants
- Urban version of a universal garden
-Reorganization on the bike paths
- New connections linking to the surrounding neighborhoods
- A range of recreational offers and a large central square
allows the local residents to meet each other through physical
activity and games
- Significant increase of vegetation and plants arranged as
small islands of diverse tree sorts, blossom periods, colors -
and origin, matching the one of surrounding everyday objects
- A large area on the square is covered by a multifunctional
rubber surface
- Permanent tables, benches and grill facilities serve as an
urban living room for backgammon, chess players etc
 GREEN ZONE BLACK ZONE RED ZONE

BIRD VIEW ON THE INVOLVEMENT OF INHABITANTS INTERACTION BETWEEN

PROJECT EXTENT IN ITS CREATION DIFFERENT SOCIETAL GROUPS

SPECIFIC SPORTS ACTIVITIES 81

OUTDOOR GYM MULTICULTURAL SPACES
CASE STUDY: PASSAGE 56 - ESPACE CULTUREL ÉCOLOGIQUE

INVOLVEMENT IN GARDENING KITCHEN GARDEN

Project Team: Atelier d'Architecture

Autogérée
Type: Development of an ecological
and social project
Date: 2006 in progress
Location: Paris 20°, quartier Saint
Blaise
Budget: 90.000 € / 3 years
Participants: Habitants / local associa-
tions / students in architecture and
urbanism / artists / videomakers /
external collaborators/ volunteers

It was an old passage closed after the

construction of a new building and it
was considered unbuildable because
ASSOCIATION MEETINGS there were too many windows lined OUTSIDE OF PASSAGE 56
and the ploted was neglected. The
location is highly visible and located in
the very center of the Saint Blaise
district.
After the project the space is used
periodically for gardening, organic
vegetables distributions by local
market gardeners, shows, exhibitions,
debates, festivals, workshops,
screenings, concerts, seminars.
The use of this small close space was
inspiring for our project. Also the
variety of activities that could be held
for the community, focusing on
environment friendly options.
82
CASE STUDY: PLACE AU CHANGEMENT !

GARDENING WORKSHOP CARPENTRY WORKSHOP, TO REALIZE

FURNITURE ELEMENTS

Project Team: Collectif Etc

Type: Design of a public square and
built it with the inhabitants in a partici-
pative process
Date: 2011 - 2013
Location: Corner of rue Cugnot and
rue Ferdinand, Saint Etienne, in the
district of Chateaucreux station

Supports two areas of work: collabora-

te with the inhabitants for the realiza-
tion of the public space, and use the
time of the yard, four weeks, for to
exchange and involve the population
in the long term.
They identify and meet the different
”LADIES OF COTE-CHAUDE” SELLING MEALS actors on the neighborhood, and PLAN OF IMAGINARY HOUSINGS ON THE GROUND
AND THEIR SECTION ON THE WALL.
inform as many people as possible, so
they would be able to mobilize them
and involve them in the project.
During the construction period, the
Etc Collective proposed a series of
daily events, trying to diversify the
range of activities.
The main reason we are attracted to
this project is because it tries to activa-
te a place through the activation of the
population.
The involvement of separate activities
for men, women and children helped
to wider their audience and increase
the spaces for people’s intercation.
83
CASE STUDY
Mercato Santa Maria del Suffragio and Mercato Sonato
PHYSICAL CHANGE ON THE EXTERIOR
INCLUSION OF A BAR INSIDE
CONCERT BY ORCHESTRA SENZASPINA
Mercato del Suffragio Renewal (right)
Location: Piazza Santa Maria del
Suffragio, Milano
Date: 2015
The goal in addition to creating
modern outlets, was to create spaces
for the supply of food and beverages
capable of hosting aggregative,
cultural and educational areas and
make the structures integral parts of
the economic and social life of the
neighborhood.
Mercato Sonato Renewal (left)
Location: Via Giuseppe Tartini 3,
Bologna
Date: 2015 DANCING SHOW
Is currently not only a market but also
the house of Orchestra Senzaspine
and it has a full program with artistic
and cultural activities during the
week.
Both of this examples show possible
use scenarios for Mercato Ferrara, now
that the market of food is planned to
be on the ground floor of Politecnico’s
student house. We take the creation of
multifunctional spaces for artistic and
culture groups as an example for the
future of our market.
84
CASE STUDY: SALVIAMO LA LUNA
Salviamo la Luna
HOUSE PORTRAITS
MUSEUM EXHIBITION

Project Team: Atelier d'Architecture

Autogérée
Type: Artistic and social project
Date: 2005-2007
Location: Cinisello Balsamo, Milano
Participants: Habitants / photo-
graphers / universities / artists /
Museum of Photography / external
collaborators
It consisted in main 4 steps:
1- People were invited to go to the
museum to have their pictures taken
by a group of young photographers
2- They wandered by themselves
through the streets of the town at
night carrying a placard with their
HOUSE PORTRAITS portrait on it HOUSE PORTRAITS
3- All portraits were shown at a joint
exhibition in the museum and Villa
Ghirlanda
4- The portraits were delivered to the
participants (each received the picture
of another, in an ideal exchange) who
had undertaken to keep them in their
homes: in this way the collection of
portraits became truly public and was
placed in the hands of the townspeo-
ple.
This is a good example of connecting
the inhabitants of a neighborhood and
a way reinvet its identity, bringing art
into the area.
85
PART

VI

REFERENCES
Database Sources:
- Open data, Milan Municipality
- Census 2011, Milan Municipality
Books:
- Città pubbliche. Linee guida per progetti e processi di
riqualificazione - Mondadori Bruno. 2008
- Dal recinto al territorio: Milano, esplorazioni nella città
pubblica - Mondadori Bruno. 2011
Websites (Case studies):
- ArchDaily - www.archdaily.com
- Collectif Etc, - www.collectifetc.com
- Mercato Sonato - www.mercatosonato.com
- Mercato del Suffragio - www.mercatodelsuffragio.it
- Passage 56 – AAA - www.urbantactics.org
partecipaMi - www.partecipami.it
- P.G.T. Milano - pgtmilano.ordinearchitetti.mi.it
- Salviamo la Luna - 1995-2015.undo.net/it/mostra/56316 ,
http://www.mufoco.org/en/collections/salviamo-la-luna-fund
- Superkilen / Topotek 1 + BIG Architects + Superflex |
Websites (Assosiations):
- Aldo Dice - www.facebook.com/pg/Residence-Sociale-AL-
DO-DICE-26-X-1-483373501845553al
- Associazione Nocetum - www.nocetum.it
- Banca del Tempo - bancadeltempocuccagna.com
- Casa per la pace - www.casaperlapacemilano.it Sunugal -
www.sunugal.it
- Cascina Casottello - www.cascinacasottello.it
- Comunità Di Sant'Egidio - www.santegidio.org
- Equi.Libri - www.facebook.com/equi.libri.in.corvetto
- Gruppo Diversamente Occupati - www.facebook.com/pg/di-
versamenteoccupati2.0/about
- In.co.mincio - www.facebook.com/In.co.mincio
- La Città Intorno - www.fondazionecariplo.it/it/progetti/inter-
settoriali/lacittaintorno.html
- La Strada - www.lastrada.it
- Laboratorio di Quartiere Mazzini - www.facebook.com/labo-
ratoriodiquartieremazzini/
- OpenAgri Uia - www.comune.milano.it/wps/portal/ist/it/am-
ministrazione/inter-
nazionali/progetti_europei_in_corso/openagri+uia
- Recup - www.facebook.com/recupmilano
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