I am convinced that architecture can contribute to improve the public space and enhance places that suffer from a lack of sociality, urbanity and formal order.
Especially urban areas at the periphery of cities like Milan will play a key role in the future; they can be seen as enrichment added to the traditional urban space, or as a failed development. Since the ecological agenda (climate change, environmental pollution, resource management, etc) is one of the most pressing challenge for the future and for the development of our cities. I think that solutions for those problems can be found in high quality architecture. This is one of the most powerful strategies to create a new and positive cultural identity in urban peripheral areas.
Too often, those areas suffer of luck of “identity” or are reduce to be “dormitory cities” without any productivity or any significant cultural activities.
Therefore I think that we might support those areas in building their “identity “, by creating public areas that house cultural activities and are energy productive.
The goal of the workshop will be the design of those “nucleus” of cultural and technical installations, which will provide people a positive vision of their future. New, local community centres, that allow people to get involve and contribute with new solutions to solve problems like energy production, community life and cultural activities. I think that the Lorenteggio Library has a very high potential to be such a nucleus for a positive development.
In a first study, students should become familiar with the specific local situation, with the dimension of the urban space, and discuss different “hypotheses” how to bring in “a positive development” using architecture as a means.
Within the workshop, I am not so much interested in extended analyzes of the situation but more into creative solutions for a very complex situation, which should be in this case, understood in a more subjective way. The generated ideas should be drawn and demonstrated. After those first sketches and statements, there will be a carefully analysis and discussion to come up with a definitive design solution. A special focus will be given to the energetic aspects. A straight strategy shall be developed, drawn within the architectural concept and finally proved with some energy simulation programs.