03 | “Case Bianche” in Milan: a peripheral location and its reputation

A MARGINAL CONDITION The case of ‘Case Bianche’

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Index Introduction The controversy A marginal context The structure The problematics through time The actors and their interaction The Image of Case Bianche What about the future?

The city can be considered a node of a global scale network. The city, however, is itself a great network; in particular Milan is composed of numerous larger nodes ("multi-centre cities") which obscure the attention on the same number of small and marginalized knots. The Salomone district is one of these.

Introduction This analysis studies and focuses on the case of “Case Bianche� and tries to understand its evolution during the time and questions its future, considering the dramatic situation of this peripheral residential area of the city of Milan.

In particular, we wanted to understand the main problematic existing in this area that developed during the time and to pay a particular attention on the topic of marginality. Focusing in particular on the controversy that involves the building and its inhabitants, but also the public space that surrounds it.

In order to understand it, we introduced the main controversy that we discovered by studying at first the localization and the physical problems of the buildings. Later on we deepened and tried to understand the actor dynamics and their interaction. It was also really relevant to see how Case Bianche is perceived by the population resident in Case Bianche and how the media report about it.

The controversy 1.

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A marginal context „ € �

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Case Bianche is a residential building located in the east-periphery of Milan, in particular in the District 4 of the city. It was realized by the Lombard Construction Company “Aler� that was in charge of the construction and maintenance of the low-income housing of Case Bianche. This area was at first developed during a prolific period of new house realization.

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Nowadays this area presents many different types of elements located on the marginal area of the city.

This physical marginality is represented for example by the presence of various structural elements: the railway tracks represent a strong sign that excludes this area from the consolidated city. This characteristic is also underlined by the presence of a big industrial area and also by the location of activity that can be considered as the “marginal functions� that an urban centre needs. These involve a structuring of the degraded urban environment but necessary for the functions of industrial production such as the ‘Ortomercato’ or the Fish Market that create the traffic of heavy vehicles. There is also a scarcity of services that the population needs.

Building Conditions 150 people with precedents 1200 people 10 floors 5 people under house arrest 479 apartments 536 families 60% italian habitants 2 supervised people

The structure In this case a controversy is strictly connected to the condition and maintenance of the building. At first Aler designed this building to host residents that couldn’t afford a normal rent in the city of Milan. The financial resources of the construction company were limited and this influenced on the materials used and the quality of the design. In fact, there is a lack of services and shops needed by the residents.

The absence of maintenance led to a progressive process of degradation and moreover to an abandonment of the spaces themselves. The building in question is the result of the repetition of a single distribution system that provides access to the stairwells and cellars on the ground floor. The 10 floors host 1200 peoples, of which 60% are Italian and the rest are from different nationalities.

The needs of the neighbourhood to cope with are two substantial orders: building and technological redevelopment and splitting of housing units.

These conditions, in which inhabitants are forced to live, created a general malcontent and loss of hope during the years in the Municipality and in the Aler, who promised to accomplish their maintenance duty.

Main issues

No maintenance of the building Not working elevators Water infiltration Overpopulation Abusivism Illegal activities

The problematics through time

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1200 people 536 families 60% Italian habitants

The actors and their interaction AZIENDA LOMBARDA EDILIZIA RESIDENZIALE

MILANO

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The image of Case Bianche

What about the future?

From the analysis of this particular site it’s quite clear that there are problematics and issues that involve not only Case Bianche but many peripheral areas in Milan and also in many other Italian cities.

This means that it’s necessary to find concrete solutions that will improve not only the physical space but also the quality of life of the inhabitants.

From the physical point of view it is necessary to activate regeneration and requalification projects that will improve the conditions or find a new home for the inhabitants that can’t afford the rent in order to provide the necessary needs.

In order to obtain this result the mutual cooperation of the main actors involved that have to take in account their interests but also the one of the inhabitants is necessary.

Otherwise the feeling of neglect and unsafety will remain. The marginality and the bad conditions will also create situations of criminals’ activities and Case Bianche is a testimony case.

As a conclusion, social housing is a necessity for a city and its inhabitants, so it needs to be in good conditions and to offer good services. Consequently, it can have two different outcomes from the project.

First it can be the deconstruction of the building and the moving of the inhabitant or the second one can be the regeneration of the building in means of physical and social aspects for the existing inhabitant. Both solutions have opposite outcomes, but the result of both cases would be to have a safe and inclusive social area and to offer a better quality of life.

Sources Sitography http://fondazionefeltrinelli.it/trecca-milano-dal-carcre-di-bollate-alle-case-bianche-un-mondo-intero/ http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/milano/case-bianche-degrado-ausivi-e-illegalit-anno-papa-francesco-1509035.html https://www.ilgiorno.it/milano/cronaca/case-bianche-riscatto-1.4252084 https://blog.urbanfile.org/2019/01/23/milano-taliedo-al-via-la-riqualifica-per-le-case-bianche-di-via-salomone/ http://forlanini.milanotoday.it/case-bianche-salomone-lavori.html http://www.riformaremilano.polimi.it/?p=100

Bibliography M. Baldini, La casa degli Italiani, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2010 M. Bronzini, Nuove forme dell’abiare, Carrocci, Roma, 2014 P. Savoldi, Milano downtown. Azione pubblica e luoghi dell’abotare, et al edizioni, Milano, 2010