Spazi fisici e digitali per l’inclusione sociale nell’area metropolitana milanese.
As part of the “MUSA, Multi-layered Urban Sustainability Action” research program, financed by the PNRR, and carried out by four Milanese universities: University of Milan-Bicocca, State University, Bocconi University and Polytechnic of Milan, a line of research concerns the social sustainability and territorial welfare.
In this framework, the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies and the Department of Design of the Polytechnic of Milan develop – with a multidisciplinary working group that includes urban planners, sociologists and designers – a research action to explore the implications of the process of digitalization when this invests access to welfare provision.
The research intends to investigate which modes of (re)intermediation can counteract the negative implications of digitalization and the impacts of digital divides. More specifically, the research aims to explore the possible role that physical space can play, in relation to other factors, in building conditions for (re)intermediation. That is, we ask ourselves if, how and in what combination with which other factors the physical space can contribute to countering the inequalities resulting from digitalization processes.
The research focuses on the two ends of the life cycle, that have very different combinations of resources/needs (different degrees of digital literacy, awareness, etc.), which require specific responses, but also express potential for joint, multi- or inter-generational interventions, with an attention for migratory-background profiles.
The research carries out the following research actions:
- literature review on the impact of the digitalization process on access to welfare resources;
- a mapping of hybrid spaces bridging physical and digital access to welfare in Milan;
- the selection of a local context in the metropolitan area of Milan as a case study, and its analysis in terms of urban and social development, demographic and socio-economic trends, local policy features;
- a co-designed pilot project for the implementation of a hybrid space tackling different but complementary objectives, which include the prevention and fight against digital divides; facilitating access to welfare, in particular – but not only – for the elderly; the fight against and prevention of educational poverty and school dropout among young people.
Duration
September 2022 – December 2025
Team LPS
Stefania Sabatinelli, Carlotta Caciagli, Marta Cordini, Andrea Parma
Consortium
Department of Architecture and Urban Studies (Paola Savoldi, Paola Piscitelli, Simona Chiodo, Francesca Cognetti), Department of Design (Laura Galluzzo, Claudia Mastrantoni)
Funding Body
Ministry of University and Research, through NextGenEU funds
Website
https://musascarl.it/