POLITECNICO DI MILANO, LECCO CAMPUS

MASTER OF SCIENCE in BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/22

Urban Design Course | prof. Angela Colucci

The Cross-cutting Path Task

Name Nikolai
Surname Abramov
UDT UMP Team number Group 1
Motto of UMP Reap what city sows

Urban Challenge / Topic Community engagement

A | framing of the challenge / topic of investigation

During the course of Urban Design I found the topic of community engagement really interesting
and important. Participatory and inclusive urban planning processes require a clear management
and governance framework carefully set from the early stages of the project. A community
engagement strategy ensures active citizens’ participation, where stakeholders are not only
informed but are adequately empowered to substantially contribute to the planning process. [1]

Role in urban transformation

Participation in planning processes reduces conflicts between the local government and
stakeholders with different interests, strengthens public-private partnerships, and facilitates the
public approval of the plan, active citizenship and knowledge exchange. Community involvement in
planning is part of people’s right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Involvement can
allow proposals to be tested and refined before adoption, resulting in the use of resources in a way
that is in tune with what is needed and wanted. [2]

Global and local scale

Community engagement issue is widely addressed at all levels starting from the worldwide scale of
UN Habitat's Programme which published a great number of related documents, articles, and
guidelines such as 'Our City Plans' - a global toolbox to support local governments and urban
actors in small and intermediate cities to implement and customise inclusive urban planning
processes and ending with national planning policies for example Urban Design Toolkit from New
Zealand's Ministry of Environment.

Strategies for addressing the challenge

A well-constructed community participation process contributes to a quality design outcome and a
smoother design process. True community participation enables people to influence, and be part
of, urban design decision-making processes. This involvement strengthens their ownership of the
places they have had a hand in designing. These tools are a means of identifying community
concerns and issues, providing useful information on user needs, values and expectations, creating
opportunities for community involvement in the design process and incorporating community
concerns in decision-making. [3]
- Community meeting
- Design, planning and briefing workshops
- Focus and reference groups
- Interactive display
- Participatory appraisal

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POLITECNICO DI MILANO, LECCO CAMPUS
MASTER OF SCIENCE in BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/22

Urban Design Course | prof. Angela Colucci

- Scenario building
- Urban design games (board games)
- Ideas competition

Neighbourhood planning workshop as a challenge in urban development and

transformation processes
In this section, I would like to investigate more about the neighbourhood planning workshop
concept and specifically UN-Habitat’s approach to using Minecraft videogame as an enabler to
encourage community participation in urban design and governance. ICT can be a catalyst to
improve governance in towns and cities and help increase levels of participation, efficiency and
accountability in public urban policies. Through the partnership with Mojang, Block by Block,
UN-Habitat uses Minecraft to involve youth in the design of urban public spaces. In participatory
design workshops, young people are brought together to visualize their ideas in a videogame, and
present these to city authorities and local government officials. UN-Habitat and local implementing
partners then work with local governments to implement the ideas generated through the Minecraft
process in real life. [4] Central to 'Block by Block' approach is the notion that in order to make
urban planning and design processes more participatory, people without design or architectural
skills need easy ways to use tools to effectively describe their ideas and desires to professionals.
The methodology gives voice to those who are not usually heard, but who are most impacted by
the planning decisions. [5]

Relationship with the UD course

During the seminar given by Matteo Pedaso and Karoline Fischer, we were introduced to the
'meanwhile uses' concept in the Milano innovation district project. There was a special event in
MIND - the pre opening of the site which allowed people to say something about the site as a way
to involve the community to design and realise new space for the city. It is important to work not
only with the place but with time, so public space could be activated and to let people experience
the place before it will be finished.

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POLITECNICO DI MILANO, LECCO CAMPUS
MASTER OF SCIENCE in BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/22

Urban Design Course | prof. Angela Colucci

B | Re-tracing the comparison of cases

Our case studies comparison task was focused on agricultural research centres with one of the
selection criteria being a strong relationship with the local community. Even though community
participation was not the main issue during our investigation there are some related points that we
could learn from the case study of OpenAgri Milano.

The project created an "Open Innovation Hub on Peri-Urban Agriculture" in Cascina Nosedo, an
ancient farmhouse located in Porto di Mare, an area defined as “urban fringe”, representing the
transition zone between the consolidated part of the city and the agricultural lands. At the social
level, community-led initiatives for inclusion, urban regeneration, social, and territorial cohesion
projects are implemented, aiming to change the “Porto di Mare Area” from what is currently a
problematic suburb into a great experience of collaboration and sharing of new knowledge and
opportunities, targeted, in particular, at young people, disadvantaged groups and migrants.
OpenAgri, by establishing a strong bond with its surrounding local dimension, is activating
processes of social inclusion, urban regeneration and cultural innovation. [6] The landscape of the
site is directly influenced by participating local agri-businesses and start-ups adjusting to their
needs. For Open-Agri, facing integration as a strategy not as a challenge means inherent design
flexibility, coupled with an evolving policy and planning agenda, to be shaped through community
involvement.
- #MilanoUpsideDownLabs were organised, where everyone (Local/citywide project
Stakeholders; SMEs, entrepreneurs; Students and near-graduates; NEETs and young
people; Local and national media; Citizens; scientific community involved in agri-food
research and urban planning; EU project networks on peri urban agriculture) from every part
of Milan were invited to present a project related to the values attached to the overall Tag
and Claim. [7]
- "Urban Activations" events: a series of artistic actions and activities involving the
surrounding territory, the neighbourhood, the project area and the whole city caught up in a
continuous dialogue of mutual inspiration. [7]
- The 18X30 Lab is the heart of OpenAgri project, in which infrastructures and services are
jointly and dynamically stimulating open communities of farmers, advisors, researchers,
businesses, and others, building new collaborations and networks so cities can understand
innovation, innovators can understand cities, citizens can become effectively engaged and
users can become content providers, service producers and deliverers. The lab defined
how 30 hectares of agricultural land will be shaped. [8]
- OpenAgri launched an open call with the purpose to select a project in the scope of
contemporary artistic languages (such as performance, public and participatory art) for a
nine-week long residency, interacting creatively with UIA Openagri’s partnership and
activities. The Artist-in-Residence activity brought the attention of the City of Milan and its
community about the beauty of the suburban landscape and the challenges it poses.The
call has worked as a flywheel to engage new stakeholders by the means of producing a
participatory artwork. The local stakeholders have got further insights on relevant issues
concerning the future of the area, even controversial, through a conversation with key actors
not previously included, such as the Roma Community living in Vaiano Valle, bordering the
agricultural lands. [9]
- Set of OpenAgri Talks with members of the project community that shared in first-hand their
opinions and feelings about the project.

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POLITECNICO DI MILANO, LECCO CAMPUS
MASTER OF SCIENCE in BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/22

Urban Design Course | prof. Angela Colucci

Lessons that can be captured:

The communication strategy is based on the assumption that OpenAgri needs a permanent and
inclusive approach to avoid irrelevance and the top down feeling. Public Labs, workshops, activities
provide the perfect conditions to create open communities of farmers, advisors, researchers,
businesses, and others, building new collaborations and networks so cities can understand
innovation, innovators can understand cities, citizens can become effectively engaged and users
can become content providers, service producers and deliverers.

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POLITECNICO DI MILANO, LECCO CAMPUS
MASTER OF SCIENCE in BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/22

Urban Design Course | prof. Angela Colucci

C | Re-tracing the Urban Master Plan

Context and project questions of the Urban Master Plan in relation to community
engagement issue
Our proposal for Vaiolo Lime Quarry regeneration will be presented in July for the LeccoLAB22
student competition, where a jury composed of experts and local actors will evaluate and award the
best projects proposals. In my opinion this interaction with the local community could be
considered as a part of community participation, however quite limited because there were no
activities involving real people, local residents in the project such as participatory workshops, public
labs, meetings. But if we look from another angle I can say we as students also represent the local
population of Lecco even if we live here temporarily we spend our most eventful and vibrant parts of
our life in this city. Since the opening of the PoliMi campus students have represented a significant
portion of Lecco’s population and therefore influence the city life. Allowing us to make a contribution
to the municipality’s urban development and propose our projects is a true community engagement
process which is equivalent to ‘Ideas competition’ strategy stated in section A of this submission.

Phases of the urban project which were addressing the community aspect
Knowledge/synthesis: during the knowledge phase our classmates independently organised Q&A
session with the Lecco eco-activists from ‘Salviamo il Magnodeno’ organisation. This event helped
us to get some insights from local people concerned with the environmental impact of the quarry
activities. Some of the points like degradation of natural drainage patterns were transferred to our
SWOT-analysis.
Urban envisioning: one of our strategies was linked to community involvement in the process. Goal
1, Strategy 4: activate circular/green economy and social innovation integrating local communities
and business with regional/international policies and organisations. It includes workshops and
public events which will be carried out gradually over the project implementation phases.
Master plan: in our master plan proposal we considered public space for holding events with the
community as well as a coworking area for organising workshops in building 5. This building hosts
our main function - agricultural research centre and business hub with auditorium.

Possible strategies and solutions

Unfortunately, we did not succeed in adequately addressing this issue. However, looking back to
our work there are several points I would have added to our proposal regarding the community
engagement issue.
As per the concept of ‘meanwhile uses’ it is important to take into account not only the place but
also the time. The whole project could be divided into following phases:
- Phase 1 - Focus on the driver function. Execution of the project starts with the renovation of
Building 5 into a research centre and business hub as a main driver function of the
regeneration. First open event will be held in the Auditorium of Building 5 introducing the
project to the local community resulting in a collection of feedback which will be taken into
consideration for the next phases. Meetings are organised with the vital local actors such as
Cascina don Guanella social agriculture project determining the direction of the project
which is closely discussed with the representatives. Business hub starts working and open
calls for the innovative agri-businesses and start-ups are made. Involved entrepreneurs will
directly influence and participate in the design process e.g. for designated farm areas in
Zone C. These lands could be provided by the municipality within a special agreement.
- Phase 2 - Focus on the educational centre. Renovation of the Building 1 into agricultural
educational centre for youth gives a possibility to organise urban design games and

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POLITECNICO DI MILANO, LECCO CAMPUS
MASTER OF SCIENCE in BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/22

Urban Design Course | prof. Angela Colucci

interactive workshops regarding the future of Zone B and C involving local people and
especially children as a future primary users because of the long term timeline of the project.
- Phase 3 - Focus on Zone B and C of Cava Vaiolo area. Open-air concert is held in a former
quarry, introducing a unique opportunity for people to experience pre-regenerated
wasteland and show people industrial heritage which is usually hidden from the public eye.
- Phase 4 - Opening of additional functions such as restaurant, cable car, food market,
agricultural museum.

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POLITECNICO DI MILANO, LECCO CAMPUS
MASTER OF SCIENCE in BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/22

Urban Design Course | prof. Angela Colucci

C | Bibliography

1. “Our City Plans: An Incremental and Participatory Toolbox for Urban Planning.” UN Habitat,
2021.
https://unhabitat.org/our-city-plans-an-incremental-and-participatory-toolbox-for-urban-pla
nning.
2. Delivering Quality Places: Urban Design Compendium 2. London: Roger Evans Associates,
2007.
3. Urban Design Toolkit: NZ Urban Design Protocol. Wellington: Ministry for the Environment,
2007.
4. “Using Minecraft for Youth Participation in Urban Design and Governance: UN-Habitat.” UN,
2015.
https://unhabitat.org/using-minecraft-for-youth-participation-in-urban-design-and-governan
ce.
5. “The Block by Block Playbook: Using Minecraft as a Participatory Design Tool in Urban
Design and Governance: UN-Habitat.” UN, 2021.
https://unhabitat.org/the-block-by-block-playbook-using-minecraft-as-a-participatory-desig
n-tool-in-urban-design-and.
6. Sala, Giuseppe. “OpenAgri - New Skills for new Jobs in Peri-urban Agriculture”. Urban
Innovative Actions, 2022. https://www.uia-initiative.eu/en/uia-cities/milan.
7. Miguel Sousa. “The OpenAgri project Journal N°2”. Urban Innovative Actions, 2018.
https://www.uia-initiative.eu/en/uia-cities/milan.
8. Miguel Sousa. “The OpenAgri project Journal N°4”. Urban Innovative Actions, 2019.
https://www.uia-initiative.eu/en/uia-cities/milan.
9. Miguel Sousa. “The OpenAgri project Journal N°5”. Urban Innovative Actions, 2020.
https://www.uia-initiative.eu/en/uia-cities/milan.