Politecnica visions and experiences for a
“new normality”
In 2020, Politecnica’s People were confronted with a change that is leading to different needs in conceiving physical spaces and modes of use than we are traditionally used to.
In the context of the complexity of today’s society and the challenges it poses to the world of design, work is increasingly process design rather than form or space design; the designer is therefore asked to play a role of greater vision and “conceptualization”, to create community-oriented works, where the culture of design, humanism and social responsibility – values that have underpinned Politecnica since its foundation – today more than ever must guide the response to new needs, in order to look to the future with renewed enthusiasm.
This applies transversally to all the areas in which Politecnica has been working for years all over the world: from urban regeneration initiatives, to industrial and production developments, from infrastructures to health, from the conservation and enhancement of environmental and cultural heritage inherited from the past, to the great challenge of rethinking the post-pandemic urban context.
Design responsibility
“As designers we have an intrinsic responsibility: to imagine what is not there and must be there, to improve the quality of our lives and the future of new generations”
Accessible and inclusive design
“Design must promote new sustainable lifestyles through facilities that provide essential, inclusive and safe services to be generally accessible for the progressive improvement of the quality of life of all people, without distinctione”
Work-life balance
“Smart working, or emergency home working, has stimulated rapid and effective reactions that it is now time to translate into opportunities and sustainable solutions. While the home must remain the core of personal and family life, after a year of experimentation it has become clear that the office is the place for a new, stronger and sincere sociality”
Rethinking cities for a new paradigm of urban life
“Cities will prove to be the engine of growth and innovation in every country. The urban fabric is rich in ideas, inclusive and vital at all times, allowing for the variety of functions and adaptability to time and genius loci that make it suitable for responding at short distances to residents and city users who seek intertwined opportunities for their professional, family and personal needs close to home or work”
Spaces that generate new opportunities
“Buildings and public space become major generators of social, economic and cultural opportunities, structured as necessary for functionality although adaptable from time to time to the uses, and therefore the urban roles, that users will be able and willing to give them”
Towards resilient healthcare construction
“We are witnessing a transformation of hospitals that goes beyond the emergency context and requires a different, long-term reflection from us as designers: the structures from now on must be ready and conformed to guarantee an immediate response to new needs and emergencies. The new theme is Resilience”
Public-private partnership for efficient hospital facilities
“We create concrete projects and solutions: facilities with many hygiene points, large spaces and differentiated routes reserved for patients with infectious diseases, involving administrations in the training process, orienting them towards the idea that ‘prevention’ costs less in the long run than ‘treatment’”
Sustainable and inclusive infrastructure
“Infrastructure design must first and foremost consider the priority objectives of the community, defining which and how many long-term benefits it can really offer, thus minimizing negative impacts on the community. The key word is Sustainability, in all its main meanings: environmental, economic and social”