Living and Learning: A New Identity for Student Housing …
105
In 2017, the authors developed a project to take part in the competition Polisocial,
10 which in that year was dedicated to the theme “Periphery.” The project had the
merit to start a collaboration among departments dedicated to research and technical
bodies—“ATE—Area Tecnico Edilizia,” “Servizio Residenze”—fostering a better
comprehension of the student housing phenomenon in terms of management and
financing, on the basis of which to orient the research phase. The project had the
endorsement of important institutions operating in the sector, such as the University of Milano—Direzione del Patrimonio Immobiliare, Centro Studi TESIS, RUI
Foundation, Legambiente.
The study identifies four areas of intervention, in which social inclusion plays a
fundamental and strategic role: 1 (In) social, including activities of learning, education, social cohesion; 2 (In) environment, with actions related to the environment,
sustainability, circular economy; 3 (In) sport, considering sport activities as a fundamental part of the student housing experience; 4 (In) science, for contributing to the
dissemination of scientific research.
The experimentation is now part of the Off Campus project, a development program financed by Polisocial. The program aims at fostering new forms of field teaching and research, putting into relation the academic organisms and knowledge with
the local community’s needs.
11 Off Campus are physical structures placed in the city,
working as delocalized satellites of the university, able to encourage on-field research
and teaching activities, with a specific attention to the characteristics of places, the
relationships between university and local reality, the way of living and dwelling in
urban territories. The presence of students inside this area represents a big opportunity for the territory, leading to the idea of opening an Off Campus satellite in the
Newton residence (Fig. 4).
for raising awareness and building citizenship within the local population. Among others, we can
mention the network “Non Riservato,” fostering initiatives such as “Gallab” or “Quartiere Aperto.”
10 Polisocial is the Politecnico di Milano’s social responsibility program, a fundamental part of the
university’s Third Mission, to promote new multidisciplinary programs for human and social development, increasing the educational opportunities and the chances for dialogue and confrontation
among students and researchers. The project submitted to the Polisocial Award, entitled “Polimi
(in) Social,” has been developed by the following working group: Oscar E. Bellini (Scientific Coordinator), Luisa Collina (Project Manager), Andrea Tartaglia, Gennaro Postiglione, Roberto Rizzi,
Francesco Vitola, Maria Teresa Gullace, Ivano Ciceri.
11 Off Campus “Il cantiere per le periferie” is promoted by Polisocial, the Politecnico di Milano’s
social responsibility program. The initiative is coordinated by Gabriele Pasqui, Francesca Cognetti,
and Ida Castelnuovo. Through this project, for the first time in Italy, the university tries to investigate the double benefit that follows its presence within the urban context: both in terms of didactic
methods enhancement—due to the closer relationships between teaching activities and local territories—and opportunities for researching and experimenting activities. The continuing legacy of this
activity in the urban contexts represents a starting point for a social and physical requalification of the
urban environment. Off Campus has a duration of 3 years and is going to be concentrated in 4 focus
areas, corresponding to an equal number of actions and thematic areas: (1) Observatory of Dwelling
and Urban Periphery, Abbiati Street—San Siro District; (2) Observatory of Student Housing: Isaac
Newton Residence—Gallaratese District; (3) Observatory of Re-Activation of the Municipal Market in Monza Avenue—Nolo District; (4) Dwelling Urban Periphery, Rizzoli Street—Crescenzago
District.
105
In 2017, the authors developed a project to take part in the competition Polisocial,
10 which in that year was dedicated to the theme “Periphery.” The project had the
merit to start a collaboration among departments dedicated to research and technical
bodies—“ATE—Area Tecnico Edilizia,” “Servizio Residenze”—fostering a better
comprehension of the student housing phenomenon in terms of management and
financing, on the basis of which to orient the research phase. The project had the
endorsement of important institutions operating in the sector, such as the University of Milano—Direzione del Patrimonio Immobiliare, Centro Studi TESIS, RUI
Foundation, Legambiente.
The study identifies four areas of intervention, in which social inclusion plays a
fundamental and strategic role: 1 (In) social, including activities of learning, education, social cohesion; 2 (In) environment, with actions related to the environment,
sustainability, circular economy; 3 (In) sport, considering sport activities as a fundamental part of the student housing experience; 4 (In) science, for contributing to the
dissemination of scientific research.
The experimentation is now part of the Off Campus project, a development program financed by Polisocial. The program aims at fostering new forms of field teaching and research, putting into relation the academic organisms and knowledge with
the local community’s needs.
11 Off Campus are physical structures placed in the city,
working as delocalized satellites of the university, able to encourage on-field research
and teaching activities, with a specific attention to the characteristics of places, the
relationships between university and local reality, the way of living and dwelling in
urban territories. The presence of students inside this area represents a big opportunity for the territory, leading to the idea of opening an Off Campus satellite in the
Newton residence (Fig. 4).
for raising awareness and building citizenship within the local population. Among others, we can
mention the network “Non Riservato,” fostering initiatives such as “Gallab” or “Quartiere Aperto.”
10 Polisocial is the Politecnico di Milano’s social responsibility program, a fundamental part of the
university’s Third Mission, to promote new multidisciplinary programs for human and social development, increasing the educational opportunities and the chances for dialogue and confrontation
among students and researchers. The project submitted to the Polisocial Award, entitled “Polimi
(in) Social,” has been developed by the following working group: Oscar E. Bellini (Scientific Coordinator), Luisa Collina (Project Manager), Andrea Tartaglia, Gennaro Postiglione, Roberto Rizzi,
Francesco Vitola, Maria Teresa Gullace, Ivano Ciceri.
11 Off Campus “Il cantiere per le periferie” is promoted by Polisocial, the Politecnico di Milano’s
social responsibility program. The initiative is coordinated by Gabriele Pasqui, Francesca Cognetti,
and Ida Castelnuovo. Through this project, for the first time in Italy, the university tries to investigate the double benefit that follows its presence within the urban context: both in terms of didactic
methods enhancement—due to the closer relationships between teaching activities and local territories—and opportunities for researching and experimenting activities. The continuing legacy of this
activity in the urban contexts represents a starting point for a social and physical requalification of the
urban environment. Off Campus has a duration of 3 years and is going to be concentrated in 4 focus
areas, corresponding to an equal number of actions and thematic areas: (1) Observatory of Dwelling
and Urban Periphery, Abbiati Street—San Siro District; (2) Observatory of Student Housing: Isaac
Newton Residence—Gallaratese District; (3) Observatory of Re-Activation of the Municipal Market in Monza Avenue—Nolo District; (4) Dwelling Urban Periphery, Rizzoli Street—Crescenzago
District.