Working on infrastructures and giving them back to citizens: the twelfth edition of the NABA Design Marathon tackles one of the most important issues for cities, the redevelopment of public spaces. From May 6 to 8, students answered the call of NABA and Gruppo CAP. They have worked on urban design projects for the regeneration of Largo Tazio Nuvolari in the southern area of Milan.
The focus on urban regeneration and the winning projects
Ten teams of students have designed feasible urban regeneration concepts. Their projects aim to enhance a border junction between the city centre and the southern suburbs of Milan. Thanks to mentors Gregorio Poggetti and Maurizio Scalzi (both NABA Lecturers), they reinterpreted the signage and visual communication, the urban furniture, and the services and functions in the square. The purpose: to transform Largo Tazio Nuvolari from a desolate "non-place" into a meaningful space for the area and the people. This NABA Design Marathon is thus part of a process of opening up to the citizens and involving the area that Gruppo CAP chose for its new headquarter.
The best project was "Largo" by the ZEROLAMPO STUDIO. team, made up of the students of the BA in Design and of the MA in Visual Design and Integrated Marketing Communication Vittoria Annoè, Bianca Atzori, Lorenzo Costantini, Sophia Di Nicola and Ottavia Ferraris. "Largo" bets on art as a means for urban regeneration. The ambition is to transform the area into an independent cultural centre: an incubator activating citizens and capturing the interest of artists and designers from all over the world.
There were two special mentions: "Vuoto a rendere" by the A Parte team of Arianna Cannone, Anna Bonomi, Anna Andres Serpi, Andrea Labanca, Erika Montanaro (students of BA Programmes in Design and in Graphic Design and Art Direction; "Il faro di Romolo" by the Prossima Fermata team of Aldo Mucciarone, Allegra Scavone, Camilla Pagnin, Martina Petiti, Miriam Rossi (students of the BA in Design and of the MA in Social Design. The first project wants to involve citizens and social gatherings associations through "empty" elements that can be filled with social initiatives. The set-up is a customizable "basic kit" activating territory appropriation and care mechanisms. "Il faro di Romolo" is based on a series of elements. Here, the square becomes a meeting point for events and services changing according to the time of day. The project core is the "lighthouse" characterising the area and becoming a safety feature at night thanks to its lighting system.
In addition to the mentors themselves, the jury included: Luciana Dambra (Board of Directors Gruppo CAP), Federica Verona (Super festival of suburbs), Gisella Borioli (founder and CEO of Super Studio Group), Santo Minniti (President of Municipio 6), Eleonora Manto (External Relations and Customer Engagement Senior Manager NABA), Giorgio Laboratore (NABA Lecturer and Design Marathon Team Member).
