L’articolo espone il progetto contenuto nella tesi di laurea magistrale di Design del prodotto del co-autore e descrive una soluzione prodotto-servizio di carattere sistemico finalizzata a creare un servizio collettivo autogestito da comunità locali, che permetta ai cittadini di coltivare ortaggi freschi a chilometro zero per mezzo di dispositivi idroponici energeticamente autosufficienti. La soluzione è infatti motivata dal diffondersi della problematica dei “deserti alimentari” e vuole favorire il riappropriarsi di spazi pubblici, in particolare quelli che necessitano di riqualificazione, da parte delle comunità urbane combinando la funzione della produzione agricola a basso impatto con quella di attivazione di legami sociali tra cittadini. Pensata come un vero e proprio servizio pubblico, il progetto ha l’obiettivo di mitigare le situazioni di disagio, sia sociale, sia urbano, nei contesti in cui la popolazione è maggiormente vulnerabile a causa di fattori socioeconomici, culturali o ambientali. Abstract: The contemporary world faces interconnected global crises spanning economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Modern cities are playing an increasingly central role, as complex organisms where different issues intertwine creating new challenges for the near future (1). Population growth and the urban development model have exacerbated issues such as the lack of green spaces and reduced opportunities for socialization, affecting physical and psychological well-being of the population (2). These factors deeply affect the quality of urban life, both in terms of social cohesion and the livability of public spaces. The agri-food system is one of the sectors most affected by the impacts of these issues, becoming increasingly ineffective in ensuring fair and sustainable access to food (3), causing the spread of so-called "food deserts", urban areas where the availability of fresh and quality food is significantly limited (4). In this scenario, urban regeneration policies and projects take on great importance in the development of innovative solutions aimed at inclusiveness (5). MYCO is a project that addresses these issues leveraging Service Design methodology and ICTs to reduce food insecurity and, at the same time, the shortage of green spaces. Additionally, it seeks to rebalance the urban model, which has centralized essential services and civic spaces making citizens more passive and reducing opportunities for social interaction. MYCO is conceived as a product-service involving the installation of automated hydroponic devices – MYCO-pods – in public spaces, which allow communities to grow fresh, zero-mile food in a sustainable and shared way. The solution is also based on the combination of these devices with urban furniture that reshapes public spaces, transforming them into gathering hubs that foster social interaction. In this way, the MYCO system enables modular, flexible, and adaptive service tailored to different social and urban contexts, and to generate micro-urban landscapes where humans, nature, and technology symbiotically coexist, improving social interactions and allowing people to reclaim public spaces. MYCO-pods are energy self-sufficient and capable of regulating food production based on local needs and allowing year-round cultivation through an automated environmental management system. The related service should be provided by the local administration, but directly managed by citizens through a special association, in a way that makes it accessible to all citizens and to distribute management and maintenance costs. MYCO is a scalable and replicable model, adaptable to different urban scenarios, that contributes to the transition towards more sustainable and inclusive cities. By integrating smart city and social innovation approaches, this project demonstrates how ICT-based urban agriculture can become a driver of public space regeneration, promoting collective well-being and strengthening community bonds. 1) Claudel M., Ratti C. (2017). La città di domani. Come le reti stanno cambiando il futuro urbano, Torino, Einaudi editore. 2) Manzini E. (2021). Abitare la prossimità. Idee per la città dei 15 minuti, Milano, Egea editore. 3) FAO. (2023). World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook 2023. Rome, https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8166en 4) Cruz-Piedrahita, C.; MartinezCarranza, F.-J.; Delgado-Serrano, M.M. (2024). A Multidimensional Approach to Understanding Food Deserts in Vulnerable Contexts. Sustainability, 16, 1136. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031136 5) SPACE10. (2021). The Ideal City: Exploring Urban Futures, Berlino, Die Gestalten Verlag.
Rethinking Public Spaces: Hydroponic Solutions for Food Security and Social Cohesion
Borga Giovanni
;Davide Todde
In corso di stampa
Abstract
L’articolo espone il progetto contenuto nella tesi di laurea magistrale di Design del prodotto del co-autore e descrive una soluzione prodotto-servizio di carattere sistemico finalizzata a creare un servizio collettivo autogestito da comunità locali, che permetta ai cittadini di coltivare ortaggi freschi a chilometro zero per mezzo di dispositivi idroponici energeticamente autosufficienti. La soluzione è infatti motivata dal diffondersi della problematica dei “deserti alimentari” e vuole favorire il riappropriarsi di spazi pubblici, in particolare quelli che necessitano di riqualificazione, da parte delle comunità urbane combinando la funzione della produzione agricola a basso impatto con quella di attivazione di legami sociali tra cittadini. Pensata come un vero e proprio servizio pubblico, il progetto ha l’obiettivo di mitigare le situazioni di disagio, sia sociale, sia urbano, nei contesti in cui la popolazione è maggiormente vulnerabile a causa di fattori socioeconomici, culturali o ambientali. Abstract: The contemporary world faces interconnected global crises spanning economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Modern cities are playing an increasingly central role, as complex organisms where different issues intertwine creating new challenges for the near future (1). Population growth and the urban development model have exacerbated issues such as the lack of green spaces and reduced opportunities for socialization, affecting physical and psychological well-being of the population (2). These factors deeply affect the quality of urban life, both in terms of social cohesion and the livability of public spaces. The agri-food system is one of the sectors most affected by the impacts of these issues, becoming increasingly ineffective in ensuring fair and sustainable access to food (3), causing the spread of so-called "food deserts", urban areas where the availability of fresh and quality food is significantly limited (4). In this scenario, urban regeneration policies and projects take on great importance in the development of innovative solutions aimed at inclusiveness (5). MYCO is a project that addresses these issues leveraging Service Design methodology and ICTs to reduce food insecurity and, at the same time, the shortage of green spaces. Additionally, it seeks to rebalance the urban model, which has centralized essential services and civic spaces making citizens more passive and reducing opportunities for social interaction. MYCO is conceived as a product-service involving the installation of automated hydroponic devices – MYCO-pods – in public spaces, which allow communities to grow fresh, zero-mile food in a sustainable and shared way. The solution is also based on the combination of these devices with urban furniture that reshapes public spaces, transforming them into gathering hubs that foster social interaction. In this way, the MYCO system enables modular, flexible, and adaptive service tailored to different social and urban contexts, and to generate micro-urban landscapes where humans, nature, and technology symbiotically coexist, improving social interactions and allowing people to reclaim public spaces. MYCO-pods are energy self-sufficient and capable of regulating food production based on local needs and allowing year-round cultivation through an automated environmental management system. The related service should be provided by the local administration, but directly managed by citizens through a special association, in a way that makes it accessible to all citizens and to distribute management and maintenance costs. MYCO is a scalable and replicable model, adaptable to different urban scenarios, that contributes to the transition towards more sustainable and inclusive cities. By integrating smart city and social innovation approaches, this project demonstrates how ICT-based urban agriculture can become a driver of public space regeneration, promoting collective well-being and strengthening community bonds. 1) Claudel M., Ratti C. (2017). La città di domani. Come le reti stanno cambiando il futuro urbano, Torino, Einaudi editore. 2) Manzini E. (2021). Abitare la prossimità. Idee per la città dei 15 minuti, Milano, Egea editore. 3) FAO. (2023). World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook 2023. Rome, https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8166en 4) Cruz-Piedrahita, C.; MartinezCarranza, F.-J.; Delgado-Serrano, M.M. (2024). A Multidimensional Approach to Understanding Food Deserts in Vulnerable Contexts. Sustainability, 16, 1136. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031136 5) SPACE10. (2021). The Ideal City: Exploring Urban Futures, Berlino, Die Gestalten Verlag.
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