Reconnecting with nature
"Working and studying outdoors"
"Working and studying outdoors: regeneration, well-being and awareness"
The project aims to give workers and students of the city the opportunity to work and study in a natural ecosystem. All beneficiaries will become part of a community that aims to share experiences, knowledge and create activities aimed at raising awareness on environmental issues.
Italy
Regional
Liguria
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
2025-01-15
Yes
PNRR; FEASR
No
No
As an individual
The project "Working and studying outdoors: regeneration, well-being and awareness" aims to increase the quality of life, to promote and regenerate the well-being of those who work or study, reconnecting them with nature and giving them the possibility of using natural space as a location, to reduce fatigue, stress and attention problems, also aiming at raising environmental awareness, in line with the sustainable development objectives of the OECD 2030 Agenda.
The project idea is, in continuity with a NatWorking project recently developed within the La Tabacca social ecological farm, a reference point in western Genoa for social inclusion, environmental dissemination and sustainable agriculture projects, financed by the PNRR - mission 1, with the project "La Tabacca social ecological farm: new spaces for social projects and energy saving interventions".
The "Working and studying outdoors" project therefore intends to address the problems which, as reported by a large literature, concern the tendency of people to spend less and less time outdoors, with less access to natural environments compared to past generations. The consequence of this attitude has negative repercussions on cognitive abilities, in particular on the ability to direct and maintain attention.
Studies have found that attention, susceptible to fatigue, improves in performance following direct or indirect exposure to natural environments.
The specific objectives are therefore: implementation of special work and study stations within the natural ecosystem present on the La Tabacca farm; recovery and enhancement of the path that allows people to use the service; activation of a NetWork made up of profit companies, the third sector and the academic world.
The project idea is, in continuity with a NatWorking project recently developed within the La Tabacca social ecological farm, a reference point in western Genoa for social inclusion, environmental dissemination and sustainable agriculture projects, financed by the PNRR - mission 1, with the project "La Tabacca social ecological farm: new spaces for social projects and energy saving interventions".
The "Working and studying outdoors" project therefore intends to address the problems which, as reported by a large literature, concern the tendency of people to spend less and less time outdoors, with less access to natural environments compared to past generations. The consequence of this attitude has negative repercussions on cognitive abilities, in particular on the ability to direct and maintain attention.
Studies have found that attention, susceptible to fatigue, improves in performance following direct or indirect exposure to natural environments.
The specific objectives are therefore: implementation of special work and study stations within the natural ecosystem present on the La Tabacca farm; recovery and enhancement of the path that allows people to use the service; activation of a NetWork made up of profit companies, the third sector and the academic world.
connection with nature
environmental disclosure
well being
involvement of young people
multidisciplinarity
The project "Working and studying outdoors: regeneration, well-being and awareness" aims to achieve the ecological objective by promoting direct experience of the management of natural resources, so that this becomes a sustainable daily behaviour. The project promotes education in "constructive hope", i.e. based on conscious actions and choices and optimism regarding the opportunities to implement actions to overcome risks.
The project proposes, through the careful management of natural resources, to experience change through the use of stations in nature, which produces the benefits generated by natural environments, allowing direct attention to rest and regenerate (soft fascination).
The electrical energy useful for the operation of digital instruments (PCs, screens, electrical sockets) comes from solar panels; the sanitary services, and consequently the associated wastewater, are integrated into a closed water cycle, through the use of tanks suitable for phytopurification, with phytopurification aquatic plants inside.
As regards meals, users of the space will be able to directly collect products from the garden, coming from sustainable agriculture, thus triggering a small circular economy process.
The objective of sustainability will also be achieved through the valorisation of the path that leads from Crevari (GE) to the La Tabacca farm, a path which, due to its historical and naturalistic characteristics, becomes a direct learning experience. A narrative path will therefore be created that can interact with those who follow it, through signage that will use different communication methods: words, images, augmentative alternative communication, digital tools.
The project proposes, through the careful management of natural resources, to experience change through the use of stations in nature, which produces the benefits generated by natural environments, allowing direct attention to rest and regenerate (soft fascination).
The electrical energy useful for the operation of digital instruments (PCs, screens, electrical sockets) comes from solar panels; the sanitary services, and consequently the associated wastewater, are integrated into a closed water cycle, through the use of tanks suitable for phytopurification, with phytopurification aquatic plants inside.
As regards meals, users of the space will be able to directly collect products from the garden, coming from sustainable agriculture, thus triggering a small circular economy process.
The objective of sustainability will also be achieved through the valorisation of the path that leads from Crevari (GE) to the La Tabacca farm, a path which, due to its historical and naturalistic characteristics, becomes a direct learning experience. A narrative path will therefore be created that can interact with those who follow it, through signage that will use different communication methods: words, images, augmentative alternative communication, digital tools.
The project "Working and studying outdoors: regeneration, well-being and awareness"
enhances the natural ecosystem through collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture of Genoa with which, through a workshop, the study and work stations for users will take shape, considering the ecological design, the reference grid for the agricultural company for years (use of local materials, construction techniques that favor manual work, recycling and reuse of materials, historical recovery of the place). This led to interventions that fostered a sense of beauty and harmony, paying attention to processes, how and quality rather than quantity.
To maintain a connection with nature, the work and study stations will take into consideration the existing natural models, the functional locations of the place, the slopes and the type of territory, the orientation and seasonality, the type of vegetation and the climates and microclimates.
Natural materials of local origin or recovered on site (wood, earth and stone) will also be favoured. The stations will be camouflaged in the environment to enhance the silence of the forest and the sounds of nature. As regards health services, the tank used to manage wastewater composed of phytopurification is made up of plants such as calla lilies, peppermint, papyrus and which change color and shape during the change of season, camouflaging themselves in the natural environment.
The stations become part of the natural landscape and therefore of an intricate network of connections and energy flows.
enhances the natural ecosystem through collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture of Genoa with which, through a workshop, the study and work stations for users will take shape, considering the ecological design, the reference grid for the agricultural company for years (use of local materials, construction techniques that favor manual work, recycling and reuse of materials, historical recovery of the place). This led to interventions that fostered a sense of beauty and harmony, paying attention to processes, how and quality rather than quantity.
To maintain a connection with nature, the work and study stations will take into consideration the existing natural models, the functional locations of the place, the slopes and the type of territory, the orientation and seasonality, the type of vegetation and the climates and microclimates.
Natural materials of local origin or recovered on site (wood, earth and stone) will also be favoured. The stations will be camouflaged in the environment to enhance the silence of the forest and the sounds of nature. As regards health services, the tank used to manage wastewater composed of phytopurification is made up of plants such as calla lilies, peppermint, papyrus and which change color and shape during the change of season, camouflaging themselves in the natural environment.
The stations become part of the natural landscape and therefore of an intricate network of connections and energy flows.
The project "Working and studying outdoors: regeneration, well-being and awareness" achieves the objective of inclusion by promoting access and connection with nature for two types of beneficiaries: people who work permanently, usually inside an office in standardized places, who use digital tools, but who need open air spaces and tranquility to regenerate, and young people who are in the study or career orientation phase, who need quiet, digital support and to work together with other young people.
The synergy between these two different types of beneficiaries enhances the skills and knowledge of both, regardless of status and age, especially in reference to generational dynamics.
We think that active collaboration between different generations leads to sure winning results. In fact, each generation is characterized by its own set of skills and experiences, and it is precisely from the synergy between these two different realities, on the one hand the experience of the older ones, on the other the new vision of young people, that innovative solutions and ideas are born.
This objective will be achieved through the creation of a NetWork made up of institutional bodies, for-profit companies, the third sector and academic environments, with which a temporary table will be created to rethink work governance that takes into account the well-being of workers, male and female students, through the connection with nature.
Thanks to this NetWork, an agreement of principles will be created which will allow us to create the foundations for a new vision of work and study by taking advantage of natural resources.
The synergy between these two different types of beneficiaries enhances the skills and knowledge of both, regardless of status and age, especially in reference to generational dynamics.
We think that active collaboration between different generations leads to sure winning results. In fact, each generation is characterized by its own set of skills and experiences, and it is precisely from the synergy between these two different realities, on the one hand the experience of the older ones, on the other the new vision of young people, that innovative solutions and ideas are born.
This objective will be achieved through the creation of a NetWork made up of institutional bodies, for-profit companies, the third sector and academic environments, with which a temporary table will be created to rethink work governance that takes into account the well-being of workers, male and female students, through the connection with nature.
Thanks to this NetWork, an agreement of principles will be created which will allow us to create the foundations for a new vision of work and study by taking advantage of natural resources.
In the project "Working and studying outdoors: regeneration, well-being and awareness" several beneficiaries from civil society were involved and mainly in two phases: in the initial design and in the experimentation of the spaces dedicated to working and studying in nature.
In the first phase, the inhabitants of the valley where the La Tabacca farm, home of the project, is located, were involved to recover the history of the place, the paths, and the different agricultural traditions and more, through targeted interviews.
The primary school of Crevari (GE) was also involved, both teachers and children, through environmental training projects and on issues relating to social inclusion.
For the recovery and improvement of the path that leads from Crevari to the farm, various activities have been organised, including excursions to raise environmental awareness and on issues relating to biodiversity and the Ligurian rural territory with experts in the sector, walks organized by the FIE (Italian Hiking Federation) and collaborations with the faculties of architecture and social sciences of the University of Genoa.
With the first activation of the "Working and studying outdoors" project, the results obtained were positive, as we received several requests from employees, even from large companies (Costa Crociere), who used the spaces for team meetings and several designers and students used the space in nature to prepare for university exams and write theses.
Direct beneficiaries are therefore students of secondary schools in Genoa and the University of Genoa, workers of companies and third sector associations.
In the first phase, the inhabitants of the valley where the La Tabacca farm, home of the project, is located, were involved to recover the history of the place, the paths, and the different agricultural traditions and more, through targeted interviews.
The primary school of Crevari (GE) was also involved, both teachers and children, through environmental training projects and on issues relating to social inclusion.
For the recovery and improvement of the path that leads from Crevari to the farm, various activities have been organised, including excursions to raise environmental awareness and on issues relating to biodiversity and the Ligurian rural territory with experts in the sector, walks organized by the FIE (Italian Hiking Federation) and collaborations with the faculties of architecture and social sciences of the University of Genoa.
With the first activation of the "Working and studying outdoors" project, the results obtained were positive, as we received several requests from employees, even from large companies (Costa Crociere), who used the spaces for team meetings and several designers and students used the space in nature to prepare for university exams and write theses.
Direct beneficiaries are therefore students of secondary schools in Genoa and the University of Genoa, workers of companies and third sector associations.
To implement the project in question the different stakeholders will be:
local community, involved for the information to be included in the narrative path, for the historical recovery of the data;
Municipality 7 Ponente (Voltri-Prà-Pegli) of Genoa, to institutionalize the model;
University of Genoa, to promote the project and encourage students to use natural spaces;
secondary schools in the city of Genoa;
medium-large companies and their employees;
third sector associations and their employees.
local community, involved for the information to be included in the narrative path, for the historical recovery of the data;
Municipality 7 Ponente (Voltri-Prà-Pegli) of Genoa, to institutionalize the model;
University of Genoa, to promote the project and encourage students to use natural spaces;
secondary schools in the city of Genoa;
medium-large companies and their employees;
third sector associations and their employees.
To increasingly encourage a systemic approach to the project, various professional figures with skills related to: social planning, a farm operator, an architect expert in ecological design in natural environments, a labor consultant and an accountant will be added to the NetWork that will be created. This NetWork will allow a systemic and multidisciplinary approach that will allow the project to be systematized and made applicable in other territories. The synergy that will be created thanks to these collaborations will bring a new and innovative way of approaching the environment, work and study, with an open-minded approach to the different knowledge and skills put into play.
The main innovative character of this project is to use the ecological approach to build places of work and study that are no longer closed in an office, but immersed in nature.
The awareness is to make work and study no longer only efficient, but also sustainable, with spaces that can also bring psychophysical well-being to people.
To achieve all this, strategies for energy saving, thermal insulation, insulation and water management in a circular way were used.
Together with the work or teaching activity, it also offers food for thought and in-depth analysis of topics such as environmental sustainability, the circular economy and respect for biodiversity. The woodland plots around the workstations are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they produce oxygen and provide shelter and habitat for birds, small wild animals and pollinating insects.
The awareness is to make work and study no longer only efficient, but also sustainable, with spaces that can also bring psychophysical well-being to people.
To achieve all this, strategies for energy saving, thermal insulation, insulation and water management in a circular way were used.
Together with the work or teaching activity, it also offers food for thought and in-depth analysis of topics such as environmental sustainability, the circular economy and respect for biodiversity. The woodland plots around the workstations are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they produce oxygen and provide shelter and habitat for birds, small wild animals and pollinating insects.
The main innovative character of this project is to use the ecological approach to build places of work and study that are no longer closed in an office, but immersed in nature.
The awareness is to make work and study no longer only efficient, but also sustainable, with spaces that can also bring psychophysical well-being to people.
To achieve all this, strategies for energy saving, thermal insulation, insulation and water management in a circular way were used.
Together with the work or teaching activity, it also offers food for thought and in-depth analysis of topics such as environmental sustainability, the circular economy and respect for biodiversity. The woodland plots around the workstations are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they produce oxygen and provide shelter and habitat for birds, small wild animals and pollinating insects.
The awareness is to make work and study no longer only efficient, but also sustainable, with spaces that can also bring psychophysical well-being to people.
To achieve all this, strategies for energy saving, thermal insulation, insulation and water management in a circular way were used.
Together with the work or teaching activity, it also offers food for thought and in-depth analysis of topics such as environmental sustainability, the circular economy and respect for biodiversity. The woodland plots around the workstations are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they produce oxygen and provide shelter and habitat for birds, small wild animals and pollinating insects.
The project "Working and studying outdoors: regeneration, well-being and awareness" can be easily replicated in the areas of Liguria which have geographical and territorial characteristics similar to those where the La Tabacca social ecological farm is located.
Natural spaces are usually located at an easily accessible distance from the city, often connected by short paths and fascinating from a naturalistic and historical point of view.
Considering the critical issues regarding connection in some areas of the Ligurian hinterland, it could be interesting to evaluate the inclusion of the Eolo telephone company in the NetWork.
Natural spaces are usually located at an easily accessible distance from the city, often connected by short paths and fascinating from a naturalistic and historical point of view.
Considering the critical issues regarding connection in some areas of the Ligurian hinterland, it could be interesting to evaluate the inclusion of the Eolo telephone company in the NetWork.
The global challenges that the project intends to address are:
- climate change, through the use of renewable energy to produce energy and technology to serve work and study stations;
- promote sustainable agriculture, through the cultivation and food use of products harvested directly on site, which will be collected by users of the service to consume the meal;
- sustainable use of water and recycling of the same, through circular water phytopurification systems;
- people's well-being and psychophysical health.
- climate change, through the use of renewable energy to produce energy and technology to serve work and study stations;
- promote sustainable agriculture, through the cultivation and food use of products harvested directly on site, which will be collected by users of the service to consume the meal;
- sustainable use of water and recycling of the same, through circular water phytopurification systems;
- people's well-being and psychophysical health.
The results we intend to achieve on direct and indirect beneficiaries are:
direct beneficiaries in one year of the project are the students of the University of Genoa n. 15; students of secondary schools in Genoa n. 15; workers of profit companies n. 25; workers of third sector associations n. 25.
indirect beneficiaries in a project year are n. 40 hikers who will be informed of the project; Municipality 7 Ponente of Genoa; the inhabitants of the Brigna valley in n. 4 families; n. 4 local farms that will be informed of the project; there will be approximately n. 2000 people who will be informed of the project through communication on social media.
direct beneficiaries in one year of the project are the students of the University of Genoa n. 15; students of secondary schools in Genoa n. 15; workers of profit companies n. 25; workers of third sector associations n. 25.
indirect beneficiaries in a project year are n. 40 hikers who will be informed of the project; Municipality 7 Ponente of Genoa; the inhabitants of the Brigna valley in n. 4 families; n. 4 local farms that will be informed of the project; there will be approximately n. 2000 people who will be informed of the project through communication on social media.
