Leader: Maria Argenti (Sapienza). Other collaborators: Fabio Cutroni, Domizia Mandolesi, Anna Bruna Menghini, Maura Percoco, Francesca Sarno
The objective of this task is the definition of architectural-typological models for living and socialization spaces dedicated to the elderly population and guidelines for the adaptation of existing structures. The method will consist of an analysis of innovative cases and experimentation through pilot projects that demonstrate a strategy to be disseminated throughout the country. The application cases will be: - recovery of disused buildings and conversion of RSA as shared residences and neighborhood aggregation centers; - design of day centers open to intergenerational exchange. - reuse of “in-between spaces” in condominiums (ground floors, common apartments, courtyards, porches, washrooms) to create small and diffused exchange places.
In November 2023, the research team pushed forward the process of deducing from case studies a composite set of information and parameters, both quantitative and qualitative, to be applied and verified through the pilot project of a Social Day Centre for older people. The data has also begun, in view of the Report relating to the Summary Sheets of the case studies, to highlight the quality and originality of each example.
The Summary Sheets were completed in December 2023 and incorporated into the Report (Key-output 2).
The research team came into contact with ‘Roma Capitale’, to identify an empty urban area or a disused building to be designed as a Social Day Care Center.
In January 2024, the Critical-Interpretative Phase began, aimed at defining hypotheses and design strategies (end December 2024).
The first part of this Critical-Interpretative Phase was developed between January and March 2024 (end May 2024). This part consists in: deducing performance and architectural requirements from the analysed examples; outlining design solutions, arrangement strategies as well as effective, innovative, and relevant implementation processes to be used in the pilot project.
This phase involves a limited selection of cases considered significant, currently falling within the European context (especially Spain and Portugal), with particular attention to a few Italian cases. An evaluation of the effectiveness of the adopted design solutions is planned, through site inspections, interviews with operators, users, and designers In March, the questionnaire format was finalized.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications:
The identification of performance and architectural requirements for future Social Day Care Centers is closely linked to European, and therefore national, policies for healthy and active aging. Specifically, with the aim of integrating architectural, social, and technological solutions, the expected outcomes aim to associate the concept of Active and Assisted Living (AAL) with that of Smart Care. This integration will be developed in collaboration with WP5 Task 5.2 (Zaccaria Del Prete) e WP4 Task 4.1 (Christian Napoli).
Social Day Care Centers, besides being aggregation and socialization centers, will also serve as neighborhood hubs for remote monitoring, where necessary, of the living environments of independent elderly individuals, enabling remote monitoring of the health of chronic patients and facilitating teleassistance. This will require specific industrial sectors to develop devices capable of supporting the elderly through the aging process. Such a concept of support and monitoring, utilizing digital instruments and ICT solutions, impacts local social policies, particularly at the neighborhood level. The population, as well as the national basic healthcare system, will benefit from this widespread "age-friendly" multipolarity.
The main expected impact is the implementation of collaboration among universities, architects, institutions, and companies in the IT sector, aiming to define the scope of monitoring and suitable tools for easy use, both by the elderly and by operators of Social Day Care Centers.
Please see the next reporting period.
During the July-September 2024 quarter, the second part of Phase 2: Critical-Interpretative continued. This phase consists of developing typological-morphological models for innovative Social Day Care Centres, based on examples analysed and primarily located in the Iberian Peninsula. These examples made it possible to identify significant aspects and inclusive solutions for collective spaces dedicated to the elderly, conceived as centres for health and socialisation, and, in the most innovative cases, as intergenerational meeting places.
Based on these studies, the research team developed the report on the characteristics of living environments for the elderly, initiated in the previous quarter, in line with the objectives and activities of WP1 (Key-output 3).
Furthermore, the definition of strategic guidelines was initiated, which will serve as the theoretical-architectural support for the drafting of the pilot project, to be developed within the framework of the existing building stock.
The identification of the property for which this project will be developed was preceded by a survey of the policies of Rome's municipal administration regarding the elderly population. The aim was to map the day care centres in the Municipality of Rome, to verify the existence of a widespread system across the territory, even if not properly connected.
For the design experimentation, the preliminary investigation for site identification involved – during the reference quarter – meetings with the technical-administrative staff of the Department of Infrastructure and Public Works of the Municipality of Rome. Several sites and existing buildings, considered suitable for developing a project capable of hosting the functions identified by the research team, have currently been identified, with uses to ensure constant social interaction and appropriate health monitoring.
From October to December 2024, in adherence to the schedule for the first 24 months of research, Task 1.4 focused on completing the critical-interpretative phase (Phase 2). Specifically, Phase 2.2 was finalized, which involved defining typological-morphological models and design strategies for innovative Day Care Centers. This phase included outlining the performance requirements and typological-morphological characteristics for Social Day Care Centers, particularly:
Through these efforts, Key Output 3—the characteristics of living environments for elderly people—was achieved.
The work carried out also led to the initiation of a collaboration between the research team and the Department of Infrastructure and Public Works of Roma Capitale, establishing a partnership between the university and a public institution. On December 13, 2024, an agreement was signed between the Sapienza Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering (DICEA) and the aforementioned Department to formalize their collaboration for the development of an experimental design project: the Completion of the Elderly Center "Villa Fiorelli" in the VII Municipality of Rome. This intervention will serve as the case study for the pilot project to be undertaken during the next research phase (Phase 3).
During the reporting period, the Task participated in WP and Spoke meetings, as well as national and international conferences.
On October 18, a remote meeting of WP1 was held to organize the structure of the report Guidelines for the Design of Technological Interfaces in the Built Environment with Integration of User-Friendly Devices for the Elderly. In November and December, the research team worked on the development of this report.
Regarding coordination, Task 1.4 participated in the WP Update Meeting of Spoke 9, held online on December 9.
As for dissemination, some research outcomes were presented during the conference "Futuro Abitabile. Spazi, oggetti e dispositivi intelligenti a supporto dell’invecchiamento" organized by WP1 at the Faculty of Architecture, Sapienza University of Rome, on December 18, 2024, in the presentation Social Day Care Center. New Approaches to the Architectural Project.
A reflection on the theme of a livable and inclusive city was presented in the talk The Role of Cultural Heritage for A Liveable City at the Tirana Urban Forum, Leadership for Liveable Cities, held on December 6-7, 2024.
Scientific publications
Dissemination Events