New developments. The “Progetto Torri” in Trento

The social residential districts of the twentieth century have long been the subject of study and actions aimed at solving the conditions of spatial, structural, energy deficit, connected to social, environmental, and economic aspects. Several European experiences confirm the effectiveness of overall coordinated retraining rather than limited to partial aspects. And in cases of indisputable witness value, it is necessary to make a profound reflection on the memory reactivated beyond maintenance alone, on the non-betrayal of the legacy of the Modern, on the enhancement of the document through new accomplishments. It is within this framework that the “Progetto Torri” studio for the architectural and urban regeneration of the towers of Madonna Bianca and Villazzano Tre in Trento, promoted and coordinated by the Trentino Institute for Social Housing (ITEA) in collaboration with the University of Trento (2012-2016) is located. Forty years after its construction, the district of the towers of Trento preserves its urban value intact and emerges as a salient document of an idea of cities and construction and material techniques coinciding with a historical moment of particular importance for Trentino. Although the constant maintenance and consistent presence of collective services have avoided the phenomena of social, environmental, and economic degradation that have occurred in other contexts, the neighbourhood and its architecture need care. Adopting the “research by design” method, social analysis and participatory design, multi-scale controls and multidisciplinary verifications, the design surveys and the narration of the scenarios draw up an open atlas of reflections for the development of a project-process that seems essential to have to be involved.