Keywords

1 Research Perspective

1.1 Introduction

Through a design experience this contribution integrates a set of research activities conducted at the Politecnico di Milano regarding the quality of contemporary design in public housing. The proposed reflection adds a voice to the emerging debate on the results of the National Innovation Programme for Housing Quality (PINQuA). The text presents considerations that emerged during a design action, addressing both architectural and procedural issues.

1.2 A New Season for Public Housing

In Italy, the Next Generation EU instrument has made it possible to launch what could be optimistically defined as a new (short) season for public housing, focusing on the regeneration of existing stock, and with an intense experimental orientation, after at least three decades of decreasing financial support [2]. The PINQuA (programme acronym) was launched in 2020 and supported with 2.8 billion euros, prompting a race among eligible public bodies to submit a proposal. Thanks to the funding, 159 projects of the 271 presented were selected and are currently in the implementation phase across national territory (the ranking list of projects accepted for funding was published in October 2021). The projects are scheduled for completion by March 2026, which is the extremely limited timeframe imposed by the conditions for accessing the funding – a key aspect with a profound impact on the entire experience. This occurred when the program – initially set up with fewer funds – was expanded and absorbed into National Recovery and Resilience Plan resources. This compression of design time, which exceeds any rational logic, puts significant pressure on the involved stakeholders and announces considerable fallout on the quality of the proposals, which are often critically deprived of the time for reasoned development and for exploring concepts that differ from routine expectations. As a further consequence, this condensed timeline hinders the possibility of engaging the local community in meaningful participatory processes.

According to the numbers released by the ministry, the program will involve renovation, replacement, and new construction of 16,500 housing units [3] – approximately 2% of all Italian public housing stock estimated at 806,146 units [4]. Quality and innovation, two concepts prominently featured in the program title, encourage a sense of optimism. However, they also require critical examination to understand how the issues related to these concepts have been interpreted in terms of proposal development, evaluation, subsequent selection, and implementation.

In other words, if we focus on aspects related to the culture of design, can we see this programme as an opportunity that has also been designed for architecture as a discipline and not solely for architecture as a technical service? It would thus provide space for experimentation beyond business as usual. In the absence of actual results, it is too early to formulate a definitive answer at this stage. Although most of the design decisions are already taken, the outcomes will only be visible after the projects have run their entire course. Only then we will have a comprehensive vision and be able to start a meticulous evaluation phase. We will then understand whether this major investment has enabled Italy to contribute to the international debate on social housing design, bridging the current gap compared to major European countries – a gap confirmed by the almost complete absence of projects carried out in Italy in major specialist European literature.

Today, however, by taking part in one of the interventions, we can anticipate some of the themes and questions that may fuel the debate in the future. In parallel, even in the absence of a systematic collection of official detailed material from other interventions, a brief report published by Mims (Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility) allows us to draw up a shortlist of the 159 projects, similar in scale and program, that will be worth comparing in the future when in search of successful solutions and possible failures – some of these projects are: Ri-Abito qui in Potenza; ex SAIRO area in Udine; ViviBbusto 2030 in Busto Arsizio; Ponte San Giovanni in Perugia; San Giovanni: un quartiere verde, inclusivo e smart in Trieste; Pinqua Vallette in Torino; Nuove Ca.Se. in Calenzano e Sesto Fiorentino; Librino Città Moderna in Catania; Terra in Andria; Contrada Torregiana-Fontescodella in Macerata.

1.3 A Reflection in Action

Having refined the goal of the investigation, there are several possible research approaches that can be more suitable for acquiring an understanding of the change potential and challenges of this tool, as well as for testing its ability to guide outcomes toward the best possible results. The approach undertaken within the framework of research-by-design [5] involved direct participation in one of the 159 PINQuA projects. Thus, it was possible to conduct – and produce – a “reflection in action” [1] from a privileged observation point. Although the experience relates to a single case, it was an opportunity to get to the core of general issues, triggering a reflection on both the design and process dimensions: two complementary aspects. The study of the first dimension makes it possible to test the program’s design potential, also in response to the current challenges in the implementation of low-budget housing solutions. The study of the second dimension examines the main opportunities and problems intrinsic to the PINQuA process that impact the physical results, as they prepare the ground. This contribution seeks to bring together these two interdependent levels that influence architectural results.

1.4 A Point of Observation: The Case Study of Piazzale Visconti in Bergamo

The project that prompted this reflection focuses on the urban regeneration of an area facing various challenges: the Piazzale Visconti housing complex, located on the southwest outskirts of Bergamo and separated by the consolidated part of the city. The area, commonly known as Villaggio degli Sposi, traces its roots back to 1955 when the local parish initiated a self-managed housing project financed by subsidised mortgages aiming to provide housing for young couples – hence the name of the quarter, which means Newly-weds Village. The outcome was a low-density neighbourhood comprising single-family homes, rowhouses, and small apartment buildings, each comprising two to four storeys. The site being regenerated lies 500 m north of the neighbourhood centre, where a few local services and micro-commercial businesses can be found around the church. The five public buildings occupying this area are in a state of decay. In particular, two have reached the end of their life cycle and are currently empty. The central public space, characterized by a monotonous functionalist design, serves mainly as a parking lot, with the only positive quality provided by the presence of a few trees. Size-wise, the plot is relatively compact, approximately 5,000 sqm, bordered by public roads. Of the five buildings, two are linear blocks perpendicular to each other (owned by ALER, the regional public housing authority) and three are standalone buildings (owned by the municipality). The aim of the intervention, in line with the program, is to reverse the decay in progress and define a new focal point for the entire neighbourhood through the creation of a pedestrian square, with addition of public functions on the ground floors; replacement and increase of social housing stock (a 60% increase in volume is planned); and the energy and seismic upgrading of the remaining buildings.

Our contribution – a scientific consultancy for the Technical-Economic Feasibility Project provided on direct commission of the company awarded the design services contract, Progettisti Associati Tecnarc s.r.l., in partnership with Mythos S.C.AR.L. – falls midway in the overall process, bridging the gap between the administrative phase, (started with the publication of the call for proposals and concluded with the allocation of funding), and the competition for the assignment of design services (which, in turn, precedes contracting of execution of works), providing an overview of the entire process. In this specific case, it should be noted that the transfer of responsibilities from the public authority to the design holder was facilitated through a document of intent. The public authority, during the drafting of the proposal and for the subsequent development phases, engaged in a scientific consultancy provided by Politecnico di Milano (responsible for the consultancy: O. E. Bellini, Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering) with the aim of creating a Design Guideline Document (Documento di Indirizzo Progettuale – DIP) containing directives for objectives, themes, innovative aspects, and quantitative requirements to be adhered strictly in the design phases. This procedure, a virtuous attempt of the commissioner to protect the design scope, does not represent a mandatory step but arises from the initiative and civil responsibility of the single decision-maker.

2 Two Complementary Research Dimensions

2.1 The Project Dimension

The first reflections on the actions carried out have made it possible to verify the real transformative capacity of the PINQuA programme, which is partly determined by an adequate match between the initial ambitions (as declared in the call and included in the goals set by the DIP) and the financial resources allocated. While this might seem obvious, past national experiences with the so-called Contratti di Quartiere (Neighbourhood Contracts) programme, for example, revealed a misalignment in this sense, resulting in a downsizing of the originally envisioned scope during the implementation phase [6]. Secondly, we had the chance to highlight the main issues arising from the specific context and to relate them to problems common to other fragile areas targeted by the program, together with a range of possible responses. In this regard, the case study allowed us to observe how the program offered designers flexibility to develop adequate solutions, in line with the most recent experiments in housing design.

These findings, grouped below into six themes, are then an example of what the implementation of the PINQuA can enable, allowing for some elements of design experimentation while respecting strict constraints. The following thematic paragraphs identify problems common to any similar intervention and provide a starting point for addressing equivalent challenges [7].

Advantages and Consequences of Densification (1). Given the acute shortage of social housing, when involving such estates, regeneration tends to include the issue of volume increase: a more intensive use of already available and urbanized land is absolutely advantageous for increasing housing stock and/or expanding the user base attracting higher-income households [8]. This phenomenon is common in other European contexts, like the practices of housing associations in the Netherlands. Here, regeneration serves not only to increase the supply of social housing but also integrate a proportion of open-market housing, thus fostering social diversity [9].

Fig. 1.
figure 1

Preliminary hypothesis of the ground floor plan for the feasibility study (left), comparing the building to be demolished with the new construction (pink), accompanied by images of the neighbourhood (right), 2023. (Drawings reworked by the authors of the paper. Images ©Google.

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Beyond its primary objective, a net increase in density can, however, become challenging for settlement and typology, especially in small, highly constrained areas like that under consideration. These difficulties are often accentuated by the conservative attitude that permeates many urban planning regulations, requiring compliance with existing settlement criteria or restricting maximum building heights. An initial hypothesis was to consolidate additional volumes within a tall building located at the end of a low L-shaped structure. However, this option was dismissed since a derogation from local regulations was required, despite its typological advantages. So, to preserve the original building heights and adhere to land constraints, the only viable course of action for increasing density was to construct thicker buildings. This led to the development of residential structures with deep typologies, achieved through the design of three parallel bands. The central band contains bathroom and kitchen, while the two lateral bands house the main rooms – as will be explained later. (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 5).

Opportunities for Reactivating Urban Quality (2). While addressing the issue of monofunctionality and underutilization of open spaces, a common problem in most mass-housing contexts, urban spaces can be transformed into welcoming and inclusive places by rethinking the ground floor. This can be done by increasing types of use (not solely residential) and strengthening the permeability of the outward-facing frontage – this principle is well expressed in the words of Aldo van Eyck: “Forty doors make a good street” [10], referring to the inseparable relationship between home and street rooted in the Flemish tradition (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2.
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Preliminary hypothesis of the ground floor plan for the feasibility study, with communal areas highlighted in pink (left), and ground floor plan of the building before intervention (right), 2023 (Drawings reworked by the authors of the paper).

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In line with these principles, the design strategies to make Piazzale Visconti a vibrant place included concentrating commercial or community spaces in the most accessible corners of the ground floor; placing only specific shared residential types at the urban level (such as temporary co-living or student accommodation); and providing direct access to all ground floor spaces from the square. In particular, in the case of Bergamo, the project included ground floor housing intended for collective living, organized as Cluster-Wohnung [11], a typology better suited to extending the outdoor part of shared domestic life (see Fig. 1).

Impacts of Regulations on Parking Spaces (3). The current national regulation requires the provision of parking spaces for new residential constructions in proportion to the volume of the building, without considering potential future decrease in private mobility. This regulation contrasts with recent European initiatives where incentives for shared transport have led to the minimization of parking space provision. For example, in the Mehr als Wohnen cooperative neighbourhood in Zurich, residents agree to give up private car ownership to become members of the cooperative. Other projects, such as the Sonnwendviertel in Wien and the Résidence Rosalind Franklin in Paris-Saclay, tackle the issue with above-ground, removable, or reconfigurable structures that envision a car-free future. In the case at hand, there is no viable alternative to designing a conventional underground garage to meet code requirements. However, fulfilling parking needs on such a small site demands significant compromises, which unfortunately have a deep impact on environmental aspects.

Fig. 3.
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Preliminary hypothesis of the underground floor plan (left) and section (right) for the feasibility study, comparing the building to be demolished and the new construction (pink), 2023 (Drawings reworked by the authors of the paper).

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These compromises include reduced soil permeability, removal of existing trees, and challenges in finding suitable locations for new plantings. Such conditions have led to some compensatory solutions that allow some trees, planted at the underground level, to emerge on the square after crossing the garage in section. Two prominent trees emerge from a central patio, as in the CasaNova district in Bolzano, designed by Fritz van Dongen. Additionally, others are individually scattered between the parking spaces, corresponding to an equal number of holes drilled in the ceiling that allow the trunk to overhang the public space above – an innovative approach previously tested in the Het Kastel residential complex in Amsterdam. The combination of these options allows the square to be shaded and to contain heat islands, although it is a compromise solution. (see Fig. 3).

Solutions for Efficient and Welcoming Distribution (4). The choice of how to implement the internal distribution of a social housing building can contribute strategically to controlling the amount of construction and operating costs (a burdened for tenants), allowing an efficient use of the limited resources available without compromising the spatial results. An example of efficient distribution is the gallery solution as it provides access to a large floor area per level without multiplying staircases and lifts, and without limiting the double exposure of the dwellings. Although this option is considered taboo by many because of the well-known window privacy issues, its use can be strategic in terms of efficiency and spatial opportunities – even in a renovated version, as proposed in the case of Bergamo. In addition to increasing costs, a solution with two staircases per building would have meant missing the opportunity to characterize the access to home as a place for fostering social relations and to consider circulation spaces as urban spaces, reinterpreting the Smithsons’ idea of a ‘street in the sky’.

Fig. 4.
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Initial design render image of the external corridor distribution for the feasibility study, 2023 (Drawing reworked by the authors of the paper).

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Numerous contemporary examples of social housing, moreover, have effectively experimented with the inclusion of welcoming and generously proportioned circulation spaces to improve the overall living environment, while also cutting down window privacy issues through specific design solutions. Of the cases analysed during the design process, the Briesestraße housing project in Berlin (EM2N studio) and the Fratelli di Dio complex in Sesto San Giovanni (Giancalo De Carlo) shared several similarities with the project. Like these two examples, in Bergamo the gallery depth is bigger than usual and makes it possible to distance walkways from windows to respect privacy; it also makes the spaces in front of the individual entrances habitable, transforming the system into a large loggia. (see Fig. 4).

Advantages of a Modular and Flexible Floor Plan (5). Ongoing social changes that affect domestic life encourage the concept of buildings capable of adapting to possible changes over time. Adaptability becomes a way to sustainability. The lines of research active in this field respond with multipurpose or flexible layouts, the former understood as spaces that can adapt to different uses because of their geometrical conformation [12]; the latter understood as structures composed of a permanent part completed by versatile elements – a theory initially developed in the 1960s with the term “support” by Habraken [13] and the SAR group. Among the various recent experiences, particular interest has been directed on interventions in Catalunya. For example, the Peris + Toral social housing projects in Cornellà were built with a strict structural grid that gave origin to same-size rooms that could be combined in different ways and rearranged in the future; or the project by Lacol for La Balma cooperative housing, which features a longitudinal tripartite block, where a central band, accommodating bathrooms and kitchens, separates two bands that host the main rooms of the house.

Fig. 5.
figure 5

Preliminary hypothesis of the standard floor plan for the feasibility study, accompanied by typologies layout and diagram of possible future configurations, 2023 (Drawing reworked by the authors of the paper).

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Similarly to the second case, the Bergamo project develops a modular plan that accommodates a wide variety of housing types and, at the same time, is easily reorganizable in the medium to long term. The regular cadence of the wooden structure, in addition to guaranteeing simplicity of construction, divides the building into regular spans, determining a basic module useful for current and future aggregations. The depth of the building, which is dictated by settlement factors, is resolved by a central strip of bathrooms and kitchens – analogous to the reference – that subdivides each span into two equivalent spaces, drawing a pattern of juxtaposed rooms that can be easily reassembled (see Fig. 5).

Language Responding to Criteria of Necessity and Durability (6). When it comes to figurative and material choices, designing with limited economic resources favours solutions that respond to principles of necessity and durability, foregoing any non-essential elements, sophisticated materials, or fragile fixtures. Also, designing with limited economic resources implies a strategy which relies heavily on geometric choices, eliminating the superfluous. This is probably the foundation for an aesthetic appropriate to the theme of public residential construction. According to these principles, the figurative character of the Piazzale Visconti complex relies on the meticulous composition of a limited number of standard components, and not by adopting customised, sophisticated elements or by using noble expensive materials. The façades are of two types: hermetic toward the exterior of the plot; porous toward the public space. The former defines an apparently random pattern, with four types of windows arranged on a plastered background (see Fig. 6). The latter – the gallery front – is a direct expression of the structural steel elements: cantilevered beams and pillars set back from the outer edge, joined by metal railings (see Fig. 4). Most interventions, however, share that they were carried out after the 2008 crisis, a time that prompted many designers to look towards more elementary solutions, which coincided with an increasing focus on envelope design to meet specific energy performance requirements.

Fig. 6.
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Preliminary hypothesis of elevation and window typologies for the feasibility study, 2023 (Drawing reworked by the authors of the paper).

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2.2 The Process Dimension

As for the reflections on the potential, criticality and risks of the process, the feeling is similar to what has already been noted by other experts: that we have focused on “how much”, without finding indirect measures that could control the “how” [14]. Despite the transformative potential and the centrality given to physical makeover, at least three weaknesses emerge, all related to the preservation of the quality of architectural and urban design. Firstly: the time available to prepare proposals, which required a rather advanced level of complexity, was extremely limited, especially when considering the ambitious objectives to be achieved, particularly for a sector that has been under-funded for years and is no longer accustomed to addressing the theme of new design [15]. This key factor could have a negative impact on the quality of proposals, which may result sometimes from the revival of projects developed in the past and then abandoned for various reasons, sometimes from new projects stripped of the necessary breathing space to innovate. A side effect that cannot be reversed, even if the timeframe for the completion of the proposals is reconsidered. Secondly, the evaluation of the preliminary proposals, entrusted to a ministry-appointed High Commission, is centred on measurable criteria and quantitative parameters. This reflects an attempt to make the proposals comparable, based on an unquestionable system, but at the risk of losing effectiveness when faced with predominantly qualitative issues. None of the seven criteria, moreover, places architectural and urban design value at the centre of the evaluation (here is the list of criteria: Quality of the proposal and consistency with the purposes of the program; Scale of the interventions with respect to ERP properties; Recovery and promotion of cultural, environmental and landscape resources; “Zero balance” of soil consumption; Activation of public and private resources; Involvement of private operators; Application of BIM methodology, and of innovative management models). The third issue concerns the selection of professionals. This is done through a public tender based on the proven ability to complete the assignment, expressed through a technical offer influenced by an economic offer. There is no explicit evaluation of the architectural and urban quality of the project to be developed, implicitly emphasizing architecture as a technical service. This does not necessarily lead to a negative outcome but rather places the quality of the result in the hands of the awareness, culture, and capability of the tasked professional (or team). This selection is based on entirely different criteria, however, as if it were a secondary aspect, overshadowed by the correctness of execution.

3 Final Considerations

3.1 The Project Dimension

The experience conducted allowed us to test the potential and understand some structural weaknesses of the entire PINQuA program, which can be pinpointed in the seemingly secondary position afforded to the quality of architectural and urban design. The successful results – as one would expect given the number of proposals – will owe their achievement to fortunate coincidences, rather than to the will and/or ability of the process to direct the outcomes towards the best possible results. Thus, beyond the words that accompany the call, there is a significant risk that exceptional opportunities, such as those made possible by PINQuA, may result in ordinary responses that fall short of their full potential.

In this, as in other circumstances, the absence of a law for architecture in Italy is keenly felt – a law capable of defining, for example, the ways in which projects must be evaluated and professionals must be selected. Such a law, widely discussed but without tangible outcomes, would aim to create regulatory conditions for architectural culture to assume a decisive role in the processes guiding the transformation of the built environment (The MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts has recently added fuel to the debate about this law). This would allow Italy to regain an active role in the contemporary architectural debate, proposing solutions that seek interaction with current international best practices. A law should help to ensure that this does not happen as a result of positive coincidences (as the PINQuA experience will hopefully be able to demonstrate), but as a systematic result of a political will, properly regulated and included in the tools and mechanisms behind every public work. This would require, upstream, a greater recognition of the role of the discipline of architecture in proposing innovative solutions that can respond more effectively to initial objectives, understanding current and anticipating future needs.