Prioritising the places and people that need it the most
Restart Begato
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"Restart Begato" is an urban redevelopment project of the Begato, popular neighborhood in Genoa, promoted in 2020 by the Region of Liguria. Through the implementation of participatory practices and the use of multi-actor collaborative tools, the project has contributed to the complex redefinition of a ‘fragile’ context in order to design needs place-based interventions that, simultaneously, are adept at coordinating many actors and different rationales and forms of action
Italy
Local
Begato (Genoa), Liguria
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
2024-06-11
No
No
No
As a representative of an organisation
'Restart Begato' is a systemic-design process aimed at providing social support for the urban regeneration project of the Begato neighborhood in the city of Genoa, Italy. Begato is a public housing district characterized by high levels of social marginalization and spatial degradation. The urban regeneration project was launched in 2020 by the Liguria Region, in collaboration with the Municipality of Genoa and ARTE (Regional Territorial Housing Authority), and supported by the National Innovative Program for Housing Quality (PINQUA) of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility.
The regeneration project was accompanied by the establishment of the 'Begato Roundtable', which included all institutional stakeholders responsible for the neighborhood’s transformation. The Roundtable’s primary role was to ensure that residents' voices were represented in the final Master Plan of the regeneration project. To achieve this, the Roundtable initiated a participatory process [coordinated by Avventura Urbana's company] between summer 2022 and spring 2024, with two main objectives:
- To support the local territory and community through a widespread information and communication campaign, helping them navigate the significant changes brought about by the project.
- To revise the technically developed urban regeneration Master Plan through co-design sessions with neighborhood residents, ensuring the plan aligned more closely with their needs and aspirations.
- To explore the social energies present within the territory, capable of activating spontaneous and collaborative care for the neighborhood’s public green spaces.
'Restart Begato' thus exemplifies the principle of ‘design for all’, functioning as a multi-stakeholder systemic design process aimed at fostering territorial transformations that are more sustainable, beautiful, inclusive and, therefore, attentive to the needs and desires of socially and economically vulnerable individuals.
The regeneration project was accompanied by the establishment of the 'Begato Roundtable', which included all institutional stakeholders responsible for the neighborhood’s transformation. The Roundtable’s primary role was to ensure that residents' voices were represented in the final Master Plan of the regeneration project. To achieve this, the Roundtable initiated a participatory process [coordinated by Avventura Urbana's company] between summer 2022 and spring 2024, with two main objectives:
- To support the local territory and community through a widespread information and communication campaign, helping them navigate the significant changes brought about by the project.
- To revise the technically developed urban regeneration Master Plan through co-design sessions with neighborhood residents, ensuring the plan aligned more closely with their needs and aspirations.
- To explore the social energies present within the territory, capable of activating spontaneous and collaborative care for the neighborhood’s public green spaces.
'Restart Begato' thus exemplifies the principle of ‘design for all’, functioning as a multi-stakeholder systemic design process aimed at fostering territorial transformations that are more sustainable, beautiful, inclusive and, therefore, attentive to the needs and desires of socially and economically vulnerable individuals.
Public Housing District
Design for all
Participatory processes
Inclusion
Systemic-design
Exploring the social energies present within the territory, capable of activating spontaneous and collaborative care for the neighborhood’s public green spaces, was a key component of the project.
This approach aimed to identify and engage local individuals, informal groups, and community associations already demonstrating a sense of responsibility toward their environment. By tapping into these existing energies, the project sought to foster bottom-up initiatives that encourage residents to take collective ownership of public spaces, enhancing both environmental quality and social cohesion.
The activation of these social energies was not limited to practical maintenance efforts but was also intended to build a culture of shared responsibility, where public green spaces become places of community gathering, recreation, and mutual care. Through workshops, co-design sessions, and collaborative events, residents were empowered to envision and implement sustainable practices, ensuring the long-term vitality and usability of these spaces.
The distinctive feature of the 'Restart Begato' project lies in its approach to environmental sustainability. The 'Restart Begato' project envisions environmental sustainability not merely as the provision of standard green amenities but as the capacity to construct new and virtuous socio-natural assemblages.
This perspective emphasizes the creation of new, shared, and actively practiced urban and territorial ecologies, emerging from intersections between social practices, institutional actions, and environmental care. Rather than treating sustainability as an isolated technical goal, the project fosters dynamic fields of interaction where diverse actors—residents, local associations, public institutions, and environmental stakeholders—collaborate to reimagine and co-manage the neighborhood’s public spaces.
This approach aimed to identify and engage local individuals, informal groups, and community associations already demonstrating a sense of responsibility toward their environment. By tapping into these existing energies, the project sought to foster bottom-up initiatives that encourage residents to take collective ownership of public spaces, enhancing both environmental quality and social cohesion.
The activation of these social energies was not limited to practical maintenance efforts but was also intended to build a culture of shared responsibility, where public green spaces become places of community gathering, recreation, and mutual care. Through workshops, co-design sessions, and collaborative events, residents were empowered to envision and implement sustainable practices, ensuring the long-term vitality and usability of these spaces.
The distinctive feature of the 'Restart Begato' project lies in its approach to environmental sustainability. The 'Restart Begato' project envisions environmental sustainability not merely as the provision of standard green amenities but as the capacity to construct new and virtuous socio-natural assemblages.
This perspective emphasizes the creation of new, shared, and actively practiced urban and territorial ecologies, emerging from intersections between social practices, institutional actions, and environmental care. Rather than treating sustainability as an isolated technical goal, the project fosters dynamic fields of interaction where diverse actors—residents, local associations, public institutions, and environmental stakeholders—collaborate to reimagine and co-manage the neighborhood’s public spaces.
The aesthetic dimension has always been at the core of the 'Restart Begato' project. Its primary objective was to challenge the widespread aesthetic and design poverty that typically characterizes public housing neighborhoods. The guiding principle was the concept of an expanded right to housing, not merely as a right to a home, but as a right to a beautiful and accessible public city.
The project’s aesthetic focus developed across multiple levels:
• Communication: Throughout the participatory process, particular attention was given to the aesthetic quality of communication and the methods of interaction with residents. The aim was to elevate their capacity to imagine and desire better living conditions.
• Design: The results of the co-design work conducted with the local community were translated into high-quality public spaces by the Department of Architecture and Design at the University of Genoa. Three key public spaces were designed:
o An open-air theater, offering a venue for community events and performances.
o A new central square, designed to provide the neighborhood with a renewed sense of centrality and belonging.
o A new House of Culture, serving as a hub for cultural exchange and community activities.
• Dissemination: Special aesthetic care was dedicated to disseminating the outcomes of the participatory process. In this regard, a book was produced—entirely created using screen printing techniques—conceived as a crafted object where words, images, and graphic design merge seamlessly. With sharp irony, it leads readers through the ambiguities and paradoxes defining the neighborhood and the complex relationship between space and its inhabitants.
The ability to maintain a consistent aesthetic dimension across all three domains—Communication, Design, and Dissemination—is the defining feature of the 'Restart Begato' project.
The project’s aesthetic focus developed across multiple levels:
• Communication: Throughout the participatory process, particular attention was given to the aesthetic quality of communication and the methods of interaction with residents. The aim was to elevate their capacity to imagine and desire better living conditions.
• Design: The results of the co-design work conducted with the local community were translated into high-quality public spaces by the Department of Architecture and Design at the University of Genoa. Three key public spaces were designed:
o An open-air theater, offering a venue for community events and performances.
o A new central square, designed to provide the neighborhood with a renewed sense of centrality and belonging.
o A new House of Culture, serving as a hub for cultural exchange and community activities.
• Dissemination: Special aesthetic care was dedicated to disseminating the outcomes of the participatory process. In this regard, a book was produced—entirely created using screen printing techniques—conceived as a crafted object where words, images, and graphic design merge seamlessly. With sharp irony, it leads readers through the ambiguities and paradoxes defining the neighborhood and the complex relationship between space and its inhabitants.
The ability to maintain a consistent aesthetic dimension across all three domains—Communication, Design, and Dissemination—is the defining feature of the 'Restart Begato' project.
Three key objectives guided the 'Restart Begato' process regarding inclusion:
- Accompanying the territory and local community through the significant transformations introduced by the 'Restart Begato' urban regeneration project. The process aimed to ensure that residents, especially those most affected by the changes, were supported, informed, and actively involved at every stage of the transformation.
- Amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals, who are often excluded from urban transformation discussions. A distinctive feature of the process was its commitment to making the living environment more responsive to the needs of these individuals, thereby fostering a more inclusive neighborhood.
- Ensuring that the project’s Master Plan was designed around the needs and desires of the residents was a central objective of the Restart Begato process.
To achieve this, the entrusted organization, in close collaboration with street workers and educators from Cooperativa Agorà—a long-standing presence in the neighborhood with a wide range of community-based activities—and with social workers from the Municipality of Genoa, structured a series of information, engagement, and co-design actions with local residents.
The presence of the 'Begato Roundtable' played a pivotal role in integrating the outcomes of the co-design process into the project’s Master Plan. Its innovative and dialogue-oriented approach led to the proposal of a Memorandum of Understanding (Protocollo di Intesa) with the following objectives: Engaging the Department of Architecture and Design at the University of Genoa to translate co-design results into high-quality urban spaces to be included in the project’s Master Plan; Introducing the "iso-cost variant" clause into the public tender for the Master Plan’s construction works. This tool requires future contractors to commit to implementing the designed public spaces without additional costs.
- Accompanying the territory and local community through the significant transformations introduced by the 'Restart Begato' urban regeneration project. The process aimed to ensure that residents, especially those most affected by the changes, were supported, informed, and actively involved at every stage of the transformation.
- Amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals, who are often excluded from urban transformation discussions. A distinctive feature of the process was its commitment to making the living environment more responsive to the needs of these individuals, thereby fostering a more inclusive neighborhood.
- Ensuring that the project’s Master Plan was designed around the needs and desires of the residents was a central objective of the Restart Begato process.
To achieve this, the entrusted organization, in close collaboration with street workers and educators from Cooperativa Agorà—a long-standing presence in the neighborhood with a wide range of community-based activities—and with social workers from the Municipality of Genoa, structured a series of information, engagement, and co-design actions with local residents.
The presence of the 'Begato Roundtable' played a pivotal role in integrating the outcomes of the co-design process into the project’s Master Plan. Its innovative and dialogue-oriented approach led to the proposal of a Memorandum of Understanding (Protocollo di Intesa) with the following objectives: Engaging the Department of Architecture and Design at the University of Genoa to translate co-design results into high-quality urban spaces to be included in the project’s Master Plan; Introducing the "iso-cost variant" clause into the public tender for the Master Plan’s construction works. This tool requires future contractors to commit to implementing the designed public spaces without additional costs.
Resident involvement is the heart of the 'Restart Begato' project. From the outset, the project placed local inhabitants at the center of the urban regeneration process, recognizing that meaningful and sustainable transformation can only occur when the community is actively engaged and empowered to shape its own living environment.
For this reason, the appointed organization worked in close collaboration with:
•Street workers and educators from Cooperativa Agorà, a long-standing presence in the neighborhood known for its wide range of community-focused activities. Their deep-rooted connections with local residents allowed for effective outreach and meaningful engagement, particularly with vulnerable groups.
•Social workers from the Municipality of Genoa, who provided valuable insights into the community's needs and challenges while supporting awareness-raising efforts. Their involvement ensured that the participatory process was aligned with existing social services and local welfare strategies.
This collaborative approach not only broadened participation but also helped to build trust between institutions and residents, ensuring that the urban regeneration process was inclusive, empathetic, and grounded in the realities of everyday life.
To bring these principles to life, the project implemented a variety of participatory tools and methods:
•In-depth interviews to capture personal stories and residents’ perspectives.
•Questionnaires for broad-based community feedback.
•'Listening poles' to gather spontaneous input from passersby in public spaces.
•Itinerant co-design workshops to bring design discussions directly into the neighborhood.
•Planning for Real sessions to visualize potential changes through hands-on, model-based planning.
•Event-based 'construction sites' encouraging direct resident involvement transforming their environment
These activities were designed to be accessible, engaging, and responsive to the community’s evolving needs.
For this reason, the appointed organization worked in close collaboration with:
•Street workers and educators from Cooperativa Agorà, a long-standing presence in the neighborhood known for its wide range of community-focused activities. Their deep-rooted connections with local residents allowed for effective outreach and meaningful engagement, particularly with vulnerable groups.
•Social workers from the Municipality of Genoa, who provided valuable insights into the community's needs and challenges while supporting awareness-raising efforts. Their involvement ensured that the participatory process was aligned with existing social services and local welfare strategies.
This collaborative approach not only broadened participation but also helped to build trust between institutions and residents, ensuring that the urban regeneration process was inclusive, empathetic, and grounded in the realities of everyday life.
To bring these principles to life, the project implemented a variety of participatory tools and methods:
•In-depth interviews to capture personal stories and residents’ perspectives.
•Questionnaires for broad-based community feedback.
•'Listening poles' to gather spontaneous input from passersby in public spaces.
•Itinerant co-design workshops to bring design discussions directly into the neighborhood.
•Planning for Real sessions to visualize potential changes through hands-on, model-based planning.
•Event-based 'construction sites' encouraging direct resident involvement transforming their environment
These activities were designed to be accessible, engaging, and responsive to the community’s evolving needs.
The regeneration project was accompanied by the establishment of the 'Begato Roundtable', which included all institutional stakeholders responsible for the neighborhood’s transformation: the Liguria Region, the Municipality of Genoa, the local Health Service, the Department of Architecture and Design of the University of Genoa, and the Order of Architects of the Province of Genoa. The Roundtable played in decisive role, leveraging its innovative and dialogic capacity to ensure the integration the voice of community into the project.
To achieve this, the 'Begato Roundtable' proposed the signing of a Agreement in which the members committed to: :
- assigne the University of Genoa the task of translating the participatory process results into high-quality design solutions;
- incorporate into the 'public tender' for the project’s execution a mandatory ‘iso-cost variant', a technical and regulatory solution advocated by the Architects Association of Genoa, which would allow for project modifications in line with the insights gathered from the participatory process. The Agreement was signed in April 2024, and subsequently, the tender pro-cess for the project implementation was launched, integrating the proposed modifications. Overall, the 'Begato Roundtable' successfully bridged the gap between the project and the local community, acting as a key enabler for the coordinated action of different institutional stakeholders and ensuring that the participatory process had a tangible impact on the final project. This mediating role positioned the Roundtable as a facilitator of dialogue between institutional decision-makers and local residents, ensuring that the technical and bureaucratic dimensions of the urban regeneration project remained aligned with the lived experiences, needs, and aspirations of those directly affected.
To achieve this, the 'Begato Roundtable' proposed the signing of a Agreement in which the members committed to: :
- assigne the University of Genoa the task of translating the participatory process results into high-quality design solutions;
- incorporate into the 'public tender' for the project’s execution a mandatory ‘iso-cost variant', a technical and regulatory solution advocated by the Architects Association of Genoa, which would allow for project modifications in line with the insights gathered from the participatory process. The Agreement was signed in April 2024, and subsequently, the tender pro-cess for the project implementation was launched, integrating the proposed modifications. Overall, the 'Begato Roundtable' successfully bridged the gap between the project and the local community, acting as a key enabler for the coordinated action of different institutional stakeholders and ensuring that the participatory process had a tangible impact on the final project. This mediating role positioned the Roundtable as a facilitator of dialogue between institutional decision-makers and local residents, ensuring that the technical and bureaucratic dimensions of the urban regeneration project remained aligned with the lived experiences, needs, and aspirations of those directly affected.
The Restart Begato project was grounded in a multidisciplinary approach, integrating knowledge and expertise from various fields to address the complexity of urban regeneration in a socially vulnerable public housing neighborhood. The interaction between these diverse disciplines was fundamental to the project’s success, enabling the development of holistic, inclusive, and sustainable solutions. The disciplines and knowledge fields involved are:
- Urban Planning and Architecture. Role: Provided the technical foundation for redesigning public spaces, ensuring functional, aesthetic, and regulatory compliance. Contribution: The Department of Architecture and Design translated community input into concrete urban design solutions, developing spaces that were both high-quality and responsive to local needs.
- Social Sciences: Role: Analyzed the social fabric, community dynamics, and local needs, focusing on marginalized groups often excluded from urban planning processes.Contribution: Avventura Urbana guided the design of participatory methods, ensuring the inclusion of diverse voices and understanding the lived experiences of residents.
- Communication and Information Design. Role: Developed clear, accessible communication tools to facilitate information flow between project stakeholders and residents. Contribution: Avventura Urbana created user-friendly materials and interactive methods to enhance participation and understanding.
- Public Administration and Policy: Role: Managed the regulatory and institutional frameworks necessary for the project’s execution.
Contribution: The 'Begato Roundtable' acted as a platform where institutional representatives and the community could collaborate, ensuring that policy and community input were aligned.
- Education and Social Work. Role: Facilitated direct interaction with vulnerable groups through outreach and educational activities.
Contribution: Coop. Agorà and Municipality played a crucial role to engage residents.
- Urban Planning and Architecture. Role: Provided the technical foundation for redesigning public spaces, ensuring functional, aesthetic, and regulatory compliance. Contribution: The Department of Architecture and Design translated community input into concrete urban design solutions, developing spaces that were both high-quality and responsive to local needs.
- Social Sciences: Role: Analyzed the social fabric, community dynamics, and local needs, focusing on marginalized groups often excluded from urban planning processes.Contribution: Avventura Urbana guided the design of participatory methods, ensuring the inclusion of diverse voices and understanding the lived experiences of residents.
- Communication and Information Design. Role: Developed clear, accessible communication tools to facilitate information flow between project stakeholders and residents. Contribution: Avventura Urbana created user-friendly materials and interactive methods to enhance participation and understanding.
- Public Administration and Policy: Role: Managed the regulatory and institutional frameworks necessary for the project’s execution.
Contribution: The 'Begato Roundtable' acted as a platform where institutional representatives and the community could collaborate, ensuring that policy and community input were aligned.
- Education and Social Work. Role: Facilitated direct interaction with vulnerable groups through outreach and educational activities.
Contribution: Coop. Agorà and Municipality played a crucial role to engage residents.
"Restart Begato" fundamentally differs from the usual approaches to transforming Public Housing neighborhoods (Edilizia Residenziale Pubblica - ERP) through its innovative methodology, inclusive processes, and systemic vision.
While traditional urban regeneration projects often adopt top-down, technocratic approaches—focusing primarily on physical and infrastructural changes with limited community involvement—Restart Begato embraced a holistic, participatory, and people-centered approach that placed the needs, desires, and lived experiences of the residents at the core of the transformation.
The Key Differences from Traditional Approaches are:
1. From Top-Down Planning to Participatory Co-Design
Result: A more inclusive and widely accepted urban transformation, tailored to the real needs and aspirations of the neighborhood’s inhabitants.
2. From Standardized Solutions to Context-Specific Designs -
Result: Interventions that resonate with residents’ everyday lives and foster a stronger sense of belonging and ownership.
3. From Aesthetic and Functional Minimalism to High-Quality Public Spaces
Result: Public spaces that not only meet practical needs but also inspire pride, enjoyment, and community interaction
4.From Institutional Disconnection to Bridging Governance and Community Desires
Result: Transparent decision-making and increased trust between residents and institutions.
5. From Passive Beneficiaries to Active Community Stewards
Result: Empowered residents who take an active role in maintaining and caring for their environment, fostering long-term sustainability of the transformation.
6. From Isolated Physical Interventions to Systemic and Integrated Solutions
Result: A comprehensive transformation that considers social, environmental, and institutional interconnections rather than isolated fixes.
While traditional urban regeneration projects often adopt top-down, technocratic approaches—focusing primarily on physical and infrastructural changes with limited community involvement—Restart Begato embraced a holistic, participatory, and people-centered approach that placed the needs, desires, and lived experiences of the residents at the core of the transformation.
The Key Differences from Traditional Approaches are:
1. From Top-Down Planning to Participatory Co-Design
Result: A more inclusive and widely accepted urban transformation, tailored to the real needs and aspirations of the neighborhood’s inhabitants.
2. From Standardized Solutions to Context-Specific Designs -
Result: Interventions that resonate with residents’ everyday lives and foster a stronger sense of belonging and ownership.
3. From Aesthetic and Functional Minimalism to High-Quality Public Spaces
Result: Public spaces that not only meet practical needs but also inspire pride, enjoyment, and community interaction
4.From Institutional Disconnection to Bridging Governance and Community Desires
Result: Transparent decision-making and increased trust between residents and institutions.
5. From Passive Beneficiaries to Active Community Stewards
Result: Empowered residents who take an active role in maintaining and caring for their environment, fostering long-term sustainability of the transformation.
6. From Isolated Physical Interventions to Systemic and Integrated Solutions
Result: A comprehensive transformation that considers social, environmental, and institutional interconnections rather than isolated fixes.
The methodology employed by the 'Restart Begato' project is based on systemic design.
Systemic design is an approach that combines the principles of systems thinking with design methodologies to address complex problems through holistic, integrated, and adaptive solutions. Rather than focusing on isolated elements, this methodology examines the relationships, interdependencies, and dynamics between various components of a system—be they social, environmental, economic, or institutional.
Systemic design is articulated through several phases and principles that guide the design process toward solutions that are sustainable, inclusive, and adaptable:
- Understanding the system and mapping relationships_ Ex. in 'Restart Begato': Mapping helped identify residents' needs, institutional dynamics, and available territorial resources.
- Co-design and stakeholder engagement_ Ex. in 'Restart Begato': The 'Begato Roundtable' served as a platform for dialogue between institutions and the community, translating residents' desires into concrete design solutions.
- Development of integrated and flexible solutions_ Ex. in 'Restart Begato': Public spaces such as the square and the House of Culture were designed flexibly, evolving based on feedback from mobile workshops.
- Implementation and continuous monitoring_Ex. in 'Restart Begato': The introduction of the iso-cost variant ensured that co-designed solutions were implemented without additional costs, with ongoing community oversight.
- Generation of new socio-territorial ecologies_Ex. in 'Restart Begato': The activation of local social energies led to spontaneous care for the neighborhood’s green spaces.
In the Restart Begato project, systemic design enabled: Bridging the gap between administrative processes and community desires; Mapping and activating local social energies; Translating co-design results into high-quality urban spaces; Incorporating solutions into institutional mechanisms (Memorandum of Understanding).
Systemic design is an approach that combines the principles of systems thinking with design methodologies to address complex problems through holistic, integrated, and adaptive solutions. Rather than focusing on isolated elements, this methodology examines the relationships, interdependencies, and dynamics between various components of a system—be they social, environmental, economic, or institutional.
Systemic design is articulated through several phases and principles that guide the design process toward solutions that are sustainable, inclusive, and adaptable:
- Understanding the system and mapping relationships_ Ex. in 'Restart Begato': Mapping helped identify residents' needs, institutional dynamics, and available territorial resources.
- Co-design and stakeholder engagement_ Ex. in 'Restart Begato': The 'Begato Roundtable' served as a platform for dialogue between institutions and the community, translating residents' desires into concrete design solutions.
- Development of integrated and flexible solutions_ Ex. in 'Restart Begato': Public spaces such as the square and the House of Culture were designed flexibly, evolving based on feedback from mobile workshops.
- Implementation and continuous monitoring_Ex. in 'Restart Begato': The introduction of the iso-cost variant ensured that co-designed solutions were implemented without additional costs, with ongoing community oversight.
- Generation of new socio-territorial ecologies_Ex. in 'Restart Begato': The activation of local social energies led to spontaneous care for the neighborhood’s green spaces.
In the Restart Begato project, systemic design enabled: Bridging the gap between administrative processes and community desires; Mapping and activating local social energies; Translating co-design results into high-quality urban spaces; Incorporating solutions into institutional mechanisms (Memorandum of Understanding).
The Restart Begato project is a scalable, adaptable, and practical model for inclusive urban regeneration. By focusing on systemic design, participatory methods, and institutional-community collaboration, it offers replicable solutions that can be transferred to various contexts, benefiting diverse groups and addressing complex urban challenges. It offers numerous elements that are replicable and transferable to other places, groups of beneficiaries, and contexts, particularly those facing urban regeneration challenges, social vulnerability, and environmental degradation.
Whether in dense metropolitan areas, post-industrial neighborhoods, or rural communities seeking revitalization, the methodologies, tools, and learnings from Restart Begato can inspire and inform future projects striving for inclusive, sustainable, and community-driven change.
In particular:
1. Methodology and Processes: Systemic Design Approach, Participatory and Co-Design Processes, Begato Roundtable Model
2. Tools and Techniques: Communication and Interaction Tools, Iso-Cost Variant in Public Tenders,
3. Products and Solutions: High-Quality Public Spaces Co-Designed with Residents, Socio-Natural Assemblages and Green Space Stewardship
4. Learnings and Insights: Building Trust and Community Ownership, Adaptive and Flexible Planning.
5. Added Value of Transferability: Versatile Across Scales, Cross-Cultural Adaptabili, Participatory and Co-Design Processes, Begato Roundtable Model
Whether in dense metropolitan areas, post-industrial neighborhoods, or rural communities seeking revitalization, the methodologies, tools, and learnings from Restart Begato can inspire and inform future projects striving for inclusive, sustainable, and community-driven change.
In particular:
1. Methodology and Processes: Systemic Design Approach, Participatory and Co-Design Processes, Begato Roundtable Model
2. Tools and Techniques: Communication and Interaction Tools, Iso-Cost Variant in Public Tenders,
3. Products and Solutions: High-Quality Public Spaces Co-Designed with Residents, Socio-Natural Assemblages and Green Space Stewardship
4. Learnings and Insights: Building Trust and Community Ownership, Adaptive and Flexible Planning.
5. Added Value of Transferability: Versatile Across Scales, Cross-Cultural Adaptabili, Participatory and Co-Design Processes, Begato Roundtable Model
The Restart Begato project addresses several global challenges through context-specific, locally-driven solutions, demonstrating how community-centered urban regeneration can tackle complex issues that resonate far beyond the boundaries of a single neighborhood. By adopting a systemic design approach, the project responds to global concerns related to urbanization, social inequality, climate change, and governance, offering a replicable model for creating sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities.
In particular:
- Urban Inequality and Social Exclusion. How? Inclusive participatory processes ensured that marginalized and vulnerable residents—often excluded from decision-making—had an active voice in shaping their environment. The project tailored urban design solutions to reflect the everyday realities and aspirations of the local population. By creating aesthetic, functional, and accessible public spaces (e.g., a central square, an open-air theater, a House of Culture), the project improved social cohesion and reduced exclusion.
- Lack of Participatory Governance and Civic Engagement. How? The establishment of the Begato Roundtable acted as a bridge between institutional decision-makers and the community, fostering transparent, two-way communication. Tools like in-depth interviews, Planning for Real sessions, and event-based construction sites enabled active resident involvement throughout the entire process. The introduction of an iso-cost variant clause in public tenders ensured that community-designed solutions were implemented without additional costs
- Environmental Degradation and Unsustainable Urban Development. How? Focused on creating socio-natural assemblages, where human activities and ecological systems coexist harmoniously.Developed green public spaces designed for collaborative stewardship, encouraging residents to engage in the spontaneous care of their environment.
In particular:
- Urban Inequality and Social Exclusion. How? Inclusive participatory processes ensured that marginalized and vulnerable residents—often excluded from decision-making—had an active voice in shaping their environment. The project tailored urban design solutions to reflect the everyday realities and aspirations of the local population. By creating aesthetic, functional, and accessible public spaces (e.g., a central square, an open-air theater, a House of Culture), the project improved social cohesion and reduced exclusion.
- Lack of Participatory Governance and Civic Engagement. How? The establishment of the Begato Roundtable acted as a bridge between institutional decision-makers and the community, fostering transparent, two-way communication. Tools like in-depth interviews, Planning for Real sessions, and event-based construction sites enabled active resident involvement throughout the entire process. The introduction of an iso-cost variant clause in public tenders ensured that community-designed solutions were implemented without additional costs
- Environmental Degradation and Unsustainable Urban Development. How? Focused on creating socio-natural assemblages, where human activities and ecological systems coexist harmoniously.Developed green public spaces designed for collaborative stewardship, encouraging residents to engage in the spontaneous care of their environment.
The 'Restart Begato' project delivered tangible some improvements in community well-being, environmental sustainability, and institutional responsiveness.
By centering residents in the decision-making process, the project not only transformed physical spaces but also redefined social relationships, governance practices, and local identity.
In paricular:
1) Real change in the Masterplan Project and in its application whit Iso-costo variant tool [Introduced the iso-cost variant clause in public procurement, guaranteeing the implementation of community-designed spaces without additional financial burden. In particular: it developed three key public spaces: A central square that reestablishes the neighborhood’s core and promotes social interaction.; An open-air theater serving as a venue for community events and cultural activities; A House of Culture fostering education, dialogue, and cultural exchange.
2) New modalities of collaboration whit stakeholders and local community whit 'Begato Roundtable' [Established the Begato Roundtable, a multi-stakeholder platform ensuring continuous dialogue between the community, institutions, and technical experts]. Strengthened social cohesion and trust in local institutions. In particular: ; Developed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize community-driven priorities in the urban regeneration Master Plan.
By centering residents in the decision-making process, the project not only transformed physical spaces but also redefined social relationships, governance practices, and local identity.
In paricular:
1) Real change in the Masterplan Project and in its application whit Iso-costo variant tool [Introduced the iso-cost variant clause in public procurement, guaranteeing the implementation of community-designed spaces without additional financial burden. In particular: it developed three key public spaces: A central square that reestablishes the neighborhood’s core and promotes social interaction.; An open-air theater serving as a venue for community events and cultural activities; A House of Culture fostering education, dialogue, and cultural exchange.
2) New modalities of collaboration whit stakeholders and local community whit 'Begato Roundtable' [Established the Begato Roundtable, a multi-stakeholder platform ensuring continuous dialogue between the community, institutions, and technical experts]. Strengthened social cohesion and trust in local institutions. In particular: ; Developed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize community-driven priorities in the urban regeneration Master Plan.
