Social Housing Pavese #2

Location: Casorate Primo (PV)
Client: Rho Luigi Vittorio Foundation
Project time: 2012

The project, developed within the competition organised by the “Fondazione RHO Luigi Vittorio”, explores the theme of social housing with strong attention to the interaction between public and private space. True to the term “social”, the design integrates not only outdoor gathering areas but also shared spaces within the residential units themselves—common areas where residents, by meeting and interacting, build a sense of belonging and cooperation.
The proposal envisaged the creation of two asymmetric buildings facing one another, defining—perceptually rather than physically—the boundaries of a new surrounding “park”. The green areas are conceived as a dynamic space, organised into extensive zones that allow varied uses, distinguishing more intimate areas related to the residences from more extroverted, neighbourhood-oriented spaces. Two buffer strips planted with tall, broad-canopied trees shield the new buildings from the surrounding constructions, while the remaining two sides are left open to interact with the adjacent undeveloped green areas.
Moving gradually away from the buildings, the green surfaces become larger and more flexible, able to accommodate the needs of the wider context. A first zone is dedicated to children and leisure activities, including a small open-air amphitheatre, while a more peripheral area hosts sports facilities such as a five-a-side football pitch and a street basketball court.

Also in this outer area is a block containing sanitary facilities and linking to the underground car park. The car park, sized beyond standard requirements, includes a dedicated car-sharing area—a service intended to reduce private car ownership among future residents.
A cycling loop surrounds the entire plot, and a network of pedestrian and cycle paths ensures full accessibility to all green areas and services on site.

Considering the socially diverse and fluid composition of the future inhabitants, the design includes different types of “open” dwellings—layouts that can evolve over time according to changing needs, ensuring great flexibility within each unit.
These spaces can expand or contract, shifting from simplex to duplex layouts, or from studio flats to one- or two-bedroom apartments, all without altering the building structure or external form.

The choice of a “tower” aggregation minimises circulation space, freeing up larger, more concentrated communal areas and encouraging interaction among residents. Functions traditionally considered private are shifted into shared spaces, increasing social relationships and economic efficiency within a sustainable community framework.

On the ground floor, a large communal area incorporates shared laundry/dryer facilities and meeting and waiting spaces within a single open-plan environment—encouraging interaction and reinforcing the sense of belonging.
This is where a young couple may help an elderly neighbour, while the latter entertains their child.

Each landing, thanks to its size, becomes a “free” room—a lounge, a playroom, a dining area, a TV corner. The project considers the inhabitant in all their complexity, acknowledging the diverse needs associated with age, physical condition and lifestyle.

A further crucial factor in social housing design is environmental sustainability and energy efficiency—not only during the design phase but above all in everyday use and in the production of construction materials. The project incorporates renewable energy sources, assesses material life cycles, evaluates energy costs and carefully considers the configuration of the building envelope. The external envelope and passive systems guided the design process, resulting in a functional and active architectural organism. For energy efficiency, the project relies heavily on a high-performance building envelope. The building shape and orientation prevent mutual overshadowing between the two blocks and maximise the use of natural summer and winter air currents. Glazed surfaces are sized according to orientation to optimise passive solar gain. Rainwater from the roofs is collected in tanks located on the outer sides of each block and used for irrigation and toilet flushing.
At system level, measures were adopted to reduce energy consumption, including district heating, geothermal heat pumps, radiant heating and cooling panels, and controlled mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.