Bologna
The new Bertalia-Lazzaretto Ecodistrict represents a pioneering vision for the city of Bologna: a project that combines social housing, environmental sustainability and urban innovation. Signed by ATI Project, a-fact architecture factory, Weber Architects and Parcnouveau, the winning project of the international competition sponsored by the City of Bologna proposes an evolved housing model where architecture, nature and community are integrated into a resilient and dynamic urban ecosystem. The goal is ambitious: to transform a suburban area into an engine of urban and social regeneration, capable of activating new relational and environmental networks in the heart of the Navile district.
The proposed urban layout rewrites the traditional social housing paradigm through careful reading of the context and volumetric distribution that favors the creation of intermediate relationship spaces. The centerpiece of the system is a large urban courtyard, completely pedestrian, conceived as a system of “open rooms” where nature, light, opportunities for relationships and daily life are intertwined. The volumetric variety and articulation of the frontages build a rich, stimulating living landscape capable of activating a sense of belonging, encouraging the formation of a broad, inclusive and active urban community, capable of transcending the logic of simple “living.”
The synergistic development in the urban design of green and blue infrastructure allows not only to mitigate the effects of the urban microclimate but also to contribute to the sustainable management of extreme weather events, while also multiplying ecological benefits.
Rich in nature-based solutions, the landscape thus configured, thanks also to the symbiotic use of native species, has the capacity to bring the rich biodiversity of the river ecosystem closer to the city, rediscovering the relationship with the Reno and the Ghisiliera Canal.
The rich and diverse new urban fabric reinterprets the complexity and density of the established urban structure, promoting physical and visual proximity between settled functions, connected by the symbolic element of sociality par excellence: the ground-floor porch. A network of connected and accessible public spaces, conceived as environmental and social infrastructure, extends to the roofs of the buildings and spreads across the landscape. Community greenhouses, productive terraces and bicycle and pedestrian paths propose a new way of living within the neighborhood: shared, active and wellness oriented.
Flexibility as an Index of Sustainability
Sustainability is integrated not only in environmental aspects, but also in building typology and function. Architecture is designed to adapt over time. Typological variety, communal walkways and modular blocks allow for future transformations, extending the useful life of buildings and reducing environmental impact. Flexibility thus becomes a structural criterion of sustainability.
The Bertalia-Lazzaretto Ecodistrict is not just an urban project: it is a concrete vision of how architecture can be a tool for ecological and social transformation. By combining responsible design, green infrastructure and collective spaces, the project demonstrates that sustainability is not an option, but the necessary condition for building more equitable, resilient and livable cities. It is where architectural form becomes habitat, and building becomes caring.
Location: Bologna
Year: 2024
Typology: Masterplan, Public Social Housing
Client: Municipality of Bologna
Status: on going
Architectural design: Weber Architects, a-fact architecture factory
Sustainability: Weber Architects
Landscape design: parcnouveau
Structural design: ATI project
Systems design: ATI Project
Fire protection design: ATI Project
Render: Emmeworks
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