POC Off-Campus, Milano- IT
Sharing ideas in a real market
How can we consolidate the need for a proactive community located in one of the most vibrant and emerging neighbourhoods of Milan? “Off-campus”, a project started in 2018 by Polimi DESIS Lab, sets out to define spaces and services for a neighbourhood living-lab. To be launched in 2020, the project is managed by the Politecnico di Milano in the municipal indoor market, a landmark located in Nolo, a multi-ethnic area in the centre of massive social and physical transformations.
Back-to-back with the locals
The lab matches the strategy of Milan’s Municipality to revive its indoor market network, in need of finding an innovative model in order to face competitors, such as mixing commercial and social spaces, cultural and recreational activities addressed to the neighbourhood.
The continuous activity of the Polimi DESIS Lab in the district of Nolo has developed in the last few years a series of virtuous relationships with local realities such as “RadioNolo”, the district’s web-radio now run by a hundred volunteers and hosted in the lab’s space. Or “Nolo Social District”, a Facebook group made up of more than ten thousand neighbours that aims to help each other in everyday life. Or “Mobì”, an informal group of committed citizens that strive to find sustainable solutions for the area.
A neighbourhood living lab
The lab, opening in the post-pandemic era, will be run through “idea containers”, defined by a “situated vocabulary” that was developed together with the citizens before the lockdown, that will be implemented and adapted by including more words to explore. Words such as “public space”, “commons” and “engagement”, and ideas about “distance”, “socialisation” and “safety” will be explored.
“Off-Campus” will develop educational and cultural activities such as public events, open lectures, exhibitions and seminars, which form an articulated educational and cultural offer addressed to both students and teachers, but also accessible to local inhabitants and realities. Academics will promote the development of micro-projects by offering their design support through a co-production and co-design space with the inhabitants and local stakeholders, with a strong focus on the issues inherent to the lockdown experience.
The lab will set up a meeting, confrontation and dialogue space, for the active involvement of local and institutional actors, for the construction of new relationships and the promotion of paths of empowerment of local realities.
- Porteurs de projet:Polimi DESIS Lab, Dipartimento Design – Politecnico di Milano
- Designers :Davide Fassi, Francesco Vergani, Anna Meroni, Laura Galluzzo, VirginiaTassinari,Annalinda De Rosa
- Acteurs : Comune di Milano(AssessoratoPolitiche dellavoro, Attività produttive, Commercio e Risorse umane), Radio Nolo APS
- Crédits photo / photo credits : Polimi DESIS Lab, Dipartimento Design – Politecnico di Milano