THE SPACES OF A CHANGING SOCIETY Chen Yunshih | Magdalini Papadam
FROM OPITERGIUM TO ODERZO
Oderzo, cittĂ archeologica; where the traces of time are evident in both the social and spatial systems. Oderzo is a middle size Italian town in the region of Veneto, 30km northeast of Treviso and 66km from Venice. Its foundation dates back to Iron age, at about the 10th century B.C. and since then, it has known a continuous historical evolution through various periods. During the Roman period, Oderzo was consolidated as a Municipium and granted the equivalent privileges. The city has undergone changes that are reflected in its contemporary character. Its location has been of strategic importance for commercial trading, agricultural production and cultural development.
1
1870s
Traces can be found in all the possible layers such as the landscape, the urban tissue and the mobility and connection axes. Roman villas, vineyards, rivers, medieval churches and rennaissance Venetian villas, modern infrastructure and industrial platforms give the pace of continuity from the ancient times to today. The three photos on the right featuring Oderzo's Piazza Grande over the past 150 years are representative of how different systems of space overlap in the long-lasting process of the town's transformation.
2
1955
3
2016
Sources: 1. http://www.ristoranteragazzon.it/ | Accessed on 09 January 2017 2. http://picclick.it/Oderzo-Piazza-Del-Popolo-Treviso-1955-381275176922.html | Accessed on 11 January 2017 3. Photo by Sylvie Chen
THE CHANGING SOCIETY, THE CHANGING WORLD
“… The European Union is facing unprecedented demographic changes (an aging population, low birth rates, changing family structures and migration)”
— EMPL, European Commission
aging society
increased needs for social care and appropriate spaces
low fertility rates
lack of population renewal
rising average age
high pressure for young people to support
immigration as an asset
increasing demand for housing and jobs social conflicts
Forcast of senior population (65+ years old) in Europe
Social change constructs the background for new spaces or alternative use of the existing to emerge.
Starting from a social studying approach, we address issues that can become the link between the space and its users in the context of changing society. Overall, the transformations of society are more qualitative than quantitative; the demographics show clearly that it’s not the population growth but the change of the social structures in terms of proportions as well as relationships that we should be concerned about. Our goal is to explore how space can adapt to the crucial, accelerating and inevitable social changes. And how can we introduce the adaptability of space to the new lifestyles as a key to investigate possible scenarios on energy, housing and facets of collective life. We concentrate in three social groups undergoing vast alterations: the aging population, in need for high(er) living standards for a prolonged period; the teenagers who gradually turn away from the countryside life; and the new population resulting from migration. A very important first step was to understand the idiorythms of the everyday life, including not only people’s activities but also the place itself. Oderzo is the biggest municipality among IPA and provides a substantial amount and variety of facilities. Collective life is driven by various associations and related to events which, however, lack diversification in terms of themes and addressed target groups. At the same time, we have observed that the patterns of the use of space, especially within the housing typology and its dispersed configuration, allow us to perceive the existing spatial structures as the cornerstone for developing modules able to adapt to the coming changes. Hence, our scenario takes social change as the driving force for spatial change, and through this statement we want to project possible future transformations of energy, housing, and public space networks.
Sources: 1. Graphic by authors based on data from: ec.europa.eu/social/ 2. Graphic by authors based on data from: tuttitalia.it and istat.it 3. Frontex; The Economist
1
Demographic structure of age groups in Oderzo, Treviso, and Italy Oderzo
Treviso
Italy average
19.2%
19.5%
18.5%
22.1%
21.1%
22.0%
0-19 years old 20-64 years old 65+ years old
2
Migration issues in Italy and Europe
3
LIFE IN ODERZO
2
1
Driving daily for groceries, services or leisure is common practice in both the city center and towards the big commercial and recreation areas around it.
Seasonal events are one of the basic drivers of collective life in public spaces.
4
3
Interaction through the garden's fence. The route to daily services creates chances to meet on the edge of private and public space.
Sources: 1. Photo by Sylvie Chen 2. http://www.operainpiazza.it/page/2 | Accessed on 11 January 2017 3. Photo by Magda Papadam 4. Photo by Magda Papadam
The porticoes as spaces of interaction. Encountering friends on Saturday morning, in the central plaza.
PROXIMITY OF RESIDENTIAL SPACES TO DAILY-LIFE SERVICES km0
Commercial and administrative services commercial for daily necessities such as grocery stores, tobacco, supermarket, etc. commercial for general needs such as clothing, utensils, etc. administrative services such as municipality, police, etc. banks and post offices.
Cultural and religious services catholic churches and basilicas. cultural facilities
Railway River +
-
Well-covered by services Residential buildings not within 10 minutes walking distance to the services
1
2
Sports and leisure services sport facilities operated by private entrepreneurship sport facilities annexed to schools or institutions parks, playgrounds, and plazas
Health and education services educational facilities health-care facilities social-care facilities
3
4
PLACES WHERE PEOPLE MEET IN ODERZO AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS (IPA MUNICIPALITIES) km 0
5
10
15
Map of public spaces in Oderzo, IPA, and the vicinity areas The map shows the main public spaces of Oderzo municipality, IPA areas, and the north-eastern parts of Treviso Province. The public spaces indicates the concentration of living spaces and activities in the territory.
20
25
30
administrative border of Oderzo Main rivers Parks and squares Parkings Public buildings Villas Churches & cemetries
35
40
EVENTS AND FESTIVALS IN NORTH-EASTERN VENETTO km0
16
Events and festivals in spring
Events and festivals in summer
Feast of frogs International Wine Festival Prosecco Festival ProLoco Corbanese
San Bartolomeo celebration Mongolfiere Balloon Festival The Living Draughts Game
Events and festivals in autumn
Events and festivals in winter
Il Mondo del Bambino Piazza del Baratto (2nd hand market) Sagra del Folpo (agricultural) Hortis Music Festival Season’s Products Festival(s) Sagra del Peperone Roast chestnuts Festival(s) Mushrooms Festival(s)
Beer Fest Pumpkin Festival Luna Park Fair di San Luca Local specialties and handicrafts Conegliano Wine Festival Festa della montagna Le Fiere del Teatro
Rivers Events and festivals in spring / summer/ autumn/ winter
Marriage Fair Christmas markets Through-seasonal Antique Markets
32
Craftsmenship Festival Home Music Festival Independence Sonora
48
64
MICROSTORIES: PLACES WHERE WE MEET
I live in city centre; most of us know each other. I go walking in the city centre to meet my friends and chat casually.
[Man]
People also go to Piazza Grande, but mainly to the restaurants and bars around; unless there are events or markets. On sunday they go to the church. I run along the river Monticano; it is beautiful and quiet, there is a pedestrian path without any cars. [Woman]
When the weather is good, many parents take their children to the playground. Today it's cold, that's why there is nobody in the park.
4
In the recent years, more and more immigrants gather in some corners of the park; so people began to avoid these corners. Some teenagers, they have some indiscreet interactions with them, and this is causing some social conflicts.
3
A
B
A 1 B 2 C
D
We love our city so we volunteerily do the gardening for the park. We wanted to include some immigrants in the work, to help them integrate in the society. However, this plan was stopped because of burocracy.
C
Oderzo has a lot of public spaces, but not places for the people. There is a season of events, and a season for nothing. There is no connection, and absence of programs to deal with the changing situations. Every year there are some traditional events along the river, but only old people are interested.
D
1
2
Piazza Grande, on Saturday morning.
3
Citizens gardening in the Parco Ca' Diedo.
4
Neighborhood park; although it is easily accessible, it is also "hidden" behind residential buildings and the entrance is unvisible.
Sources: 1. Photo by Sylvie Chen 2. Photo by Magda Papadam 3. Photo by Magda Papadam 4. Photo by Sylvie Chen
River Lia; a pathway along the river is frequently used by people for jogging.
MICROSTORIES: PLACES WHERE WE LIVE
We live out of Oderzo [in the fractions] with our parents, but we work in Oderzo.
[Man]
Mobility and leisure are serious problems. You need a car and there is no diversity of happenings.
[Woman]
There should be more events for children and younger generations. Art, culture, alternative sports...
A
My sons used to live with me in the house where I live now only with my wife. All three of them have their families now, one lives in Oderzo and two in neighboor municipalities.
B
B 4
3 2
D C
A
1
My friends have difficulties finding a house; they are more expensive and sometimes even smaller than before. The new houses tend to be smaller but for the same amount of people. For my parents is nice to live here, they still stay in our family house, although without us. I personally live abroad, my sister in Oderzo.
C
Yound families want more space in housing but it costs so they move to the outskirts. At the same time, older people [might] move in the citycenter to have daily services closer, without needing a car. Anyway, there is constant demand for small and medium houses but also a lot of empty offices.
D
1
2
Typical single-family house in the area of Magera
3
4
Newly built multi-family resifdential building in the center of Oderzo.
Sources: 1. Photo by Sylvie Chen 2. Photo by Magda Papadam 3. Photo by Magda Papadam 4. Photo by Sylvie Chen
Multi-family residential building in the center of Oderzo, built around the 1980s.
Abandoned building in the city center of Oderzo, close to the hospital.
65.4%
27%
OF THE RESIDENTS FIND
OF THE QUESTIONED
SUGGESTED THE
BETTERMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE YOUNG
INSUFFICIENT THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
1 5
53.8%
OUT OF
PUT PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION
RESIDENTS IS
UNSATISFIED CURRENT ECONOMY STATE BY THE
IN THE THREE
LEAST PREFERED
COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THE APPROACH OF THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION IN RESPECT TO THE REFUGEES
WHY?
OF THE RESIDENTS THINK
POLLUTION AND WASTE ARE PRIMARY PROBLEMS
26.9% + 25% TOURISM
IS
DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
FEATURES OF ODERZO
46.2% OF THE RESIDENTS
30.8%
34.6% EDUCATION SERVICES
THIRD PREFERED
ARE THE
FEATURE WITH GREAT RATE OF APPROVAL
44.2% HEALTH SERVICES ARE THE
SECOND PREFERED
FEATURE SOCIAL CARE & RECREATION ARE SEEN AS
ADEQUATE
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES
Overall, the alterations in the percentages reveal fundamental transformations in the contemporary, and therefore future, social structures. The demographic changes are quite homogeneous in the IPA territory and follow the provincial and national trends.
The youth and teenagers' population that tends not only to become a minority but also to be more and more uninterested in the area and possibly relocate as young adults. And last but not least, the new population due to immigration, bearing great and often unexplored dynamics.
Three social groups seem to undergo immense structural transformations and suggest an ever growing diversification and complexity of society:
These three can then function as trigger and drivers of the spatial transformations, both in the space where we live and the space where we meet.
The ageing population that is expected to live longer than the past decades' average.
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN POPULATION DENSITY 1991
2001
2011
Population density in IPA area
Population density in Oderzo municipality
km0
10
20
30
40
km0
5
10
15
20
Population density by statistic unit (aree censite) 0
5
15
50 100 200 2000+ people/hectare
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN AGE-GROUPS STRUCTURE IN IPA AREA 1991
2001
2011
Seniors | over 65 years old The increasing proportions of senior population show a steady tendency of growing ageing population and imply the lack of demographic renewal.
Working-age population | 31-65 years old The working-age population comprises the majority of residents and concentrates across the axes defined by the principal industrial areas, the railway and the motorways.
Youth | 21-30 years old Youth population start with similar proportions as the senior in 1991 but follows a decreasing tendency. Hence, the future "working-age" (productiveage) population might experience a corresponding shrinking.
Teenagers | 11-20 years old Similarly with the youth population, teenagers represent an even smaller percentage of the overall population in the IPA municipalities every decade.
Children | up to 10 years old The phenomenon of decreasing underaged population implies not only lower birthrates than previously, but most importantly the changes in reproduction decisions (age of commitmen and first childbirth, number of kids per parent) and the vast extension of life expectancy.
Population density by statistic unit (aree censite) 0 10 20 30 50 75 100% km0
* data presents the percentage of age group over total population in each statistic unit. Source: maps edited by authors based on data from ISTAT.
10
20
30
40
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN AGE-GROUPS STRUCTURE IN ODERZO MUNICIPALITY 1991
2001
2011
Seniors | over 65 years old We observe a quite stable concentration of elderly population in the city center as well as a gradual densification in the citta diffusa surrounding the historical core. Surprisingly, some extremes show up in industrial areas suggesting ownership and residential use by people over 65 years old.
Working-age population | 31-65 years old This particular age group is the one whose choice of residence relates to job positions and occupational opportunities in a more direct way. The main concentrations are seen either around the city center where there is high accessibility to services and amenities and along the primary mobility axes towards north and southeast.
Youth | 21-30 years old Following the general trend as mentioned before, youth population decreases. In the following sets of maps -concernig young population- it is clearly indicated that the spatial distribution of the younger age groups is oriented towards the outskirts of Oderzo. From that point on, there are several issues to be commented.
Teenagers | 11-20 years old The younger generation seems to be spread in the fractions rather than living in the city center. That brings up the issue of decentralized facilities and leisure spaces as well as increased need for mobility. That mobility often depends on parents or other adults with a car.
Children | up to 10 years old The existing distribution of underaged population could be an additional indicator to forecast trends of future residential choices for families with kids. This process should be complemented with the spatial analysis of relevant services and facilities.
Population density by statistic unit (aree censite) 0 10 20 30 50 75 100% km0
* data presents the percentage of age group over total population in each statistic unit.
5
10
15
20
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN DENSITY OF PEOPLE WITH HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREE 1991
2001
2011
The general tendency follows the international standards with more people entering the sectors of higher education. IPA area
Oderzo and Motta di Livenza appear as important nodes through the decades while other IPA municipalities' centers obtain a growing part of population that gets a university degree or higher.
10
20
30
40
Oderzo municipality
km0
Cornerstones of this fundamental change have been the entrance of women in the labor force and the outbreak of the economic crisis in 2008. The latter resulted in a great amount of people willing to follow higher education in order to be competitive in the labor sector.
* data presents the population density (number of people per hectare) in each statistic unit. km0
Population density in each statistic unit 0
6
8
12
20
5
10
15
20
45 600+ people/hectare
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN UNEMPLOYED POPULATION 1991
2001
2011
IPA area
From 1991 to 2001, unemployment rates declined; this event coincides with the development and economic growth of small and medium size family farms and industries.
10
20
30
40
Oderzo municipality
km0
Nevertheless, in 2011 we see higher rates of unemployment, even than 1991. We could assume firstly the problems generated by the economic crisis of 2008 in the primary and secondary sector (agricultural and industrial production). Yet, there has been a sudden decline in demand of services and therefore in specialized personnel.
* data presents the percentage of umployed population over total population in each statistic unit. Population proportion in each statistic unit 0
2
5
10
30
50 100%
km0
5
10
15
20
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN IMMIGRATION POPULATION 1991
2001
2011
IPA area
Overall, municipality centers are the nodes of attractions for the new population arriving from neighbor municipalities, other parts of Italy, Europe or across the world. In the case of Oderzo, the historical city center represents a quite diversified image of residents. Especially if we take into account the mapping of different age groups, it is evident that the city center maintains its importance as the convergent point for the social mixite. 10
20
30
40
Oderzo municipality
km0
* data presents the population density (number of people per hectare) in each statistic unit. km0
Population density in each statistic unit 0
3
6
10
15
22
5
10
15
20
35+ people/hectare
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN THE NECESSITY OF PEOPLE TO COMMUTE DAILY FOR WORK 2001
2011
IPA area
Mobility issues were already refered as part of the consequences of immense decentralization. Commuting has of course increased the past years and transportation has been extremely facilitated with heavy infrastructure of mainly roads and highways complementing the railway system.
NO DATA AVAILABLE 10
20
30
40
Oderzo municipality
km0
It is characteristic that in the maps of 2011, the differences between areas (patches) are stronger while the areas with low commuting are either mainly non residential or close to daily need amenities.
* data presents the percentage of people communiting daily for work over total population in each statistic unit.
NO DATA AVAILABLE
Population proportion in each statistic unit 0
10
20
30 40
50 60+ %
km0
5
10
15
20
HOUSEHOLD STRUCTURE CHANGES
At the same time, it gets less common for -potential- parents to have more than two children while the wealther people become, the more space for living they require.
Household composition changes comprise one of the most urgent matters occupying contemporary sociological and economic researches. The household is the core of everyday energy and products' consumption as well as the incubator of future generations.
Getting to the demographic mappings, in IPA scale there is an analogous increase in singlemember households from 1991 to 2001 but a rather disruptive decrease of 4+ members households. In Oderzo scale the changes can be better observed. Firstly, single-member households increase in the city center with an equivalent decrease in the 4+ members households. Secondly, the 2-3 members households seem to concentrate towards the outskirts of Oderzo and the surrounding fractions or in the areas with more green and open space (towards north, before the industrial area. And of course the whole central axis of the city is deprived of bigger households.
Through the 20th century the concept and configuration of the household has been linked with the idea of the "family"; The latter stands for the so called "nuclear family" or "extended family", comprised by married parents & kids and occasionally other relatives like grandparents, uncles, cousins etc. Nowadays though the concept of the family and further on the one of the household undergo major transformations. To start with, the role of marriage as the decisive and defining element of a household becomes day by day less important. In other words, a growing number of young men and women choose to leave the family home for reasons absolutely unrelated to marriage. In addition, coahibation for economic or social reasons alters the structure of the modern household; sharing a house(hold) is consolidated as a perfectly acceptable way of living for couples, friends or students.
Interpreting these mappings, we can say that the general international trends are reflected in our area, even if not with the same intensity. More importantly though, there is more space available; vacant, underused or misused and often excessive for just one person or two. The ongoing demographic fracture creates conditions for the space where we live to evolve and adapt to the inevitable social changes.
On the other side, we observe an increase of single-member household because of widowhood in combination with extended life expentancy.
Families living in rented houses from the data of 2011 IPA area | Oderzo municipality
km0
Density of families that live in rented houses in each statistic unit 0
1
2
5
8
20 30 families / hectare
10
20
30
40
km0
5
10
15
* data presents the number of families living in rented houses per hectare in each statistic unit.
20
HOUSEHOLD STRUCTURE CHANGES IN FAMILY SIZES IN THE PAST 20 YEARS IPA area
Oderzo municipality
Families consisting of 4 or more members
1991
2001
2011
km0
Proportion of family size in each statistic unit 0 10 20 30 50 75 100%
10
20
30
40
km0
5
10
15
* data presents the percentage of the number of families of each size over total number of families in each statistic unit.
20
HOUSEHOLD STRUCTURE CHANGES IN FAMILY SIZES IN THE PAST 20 YEARS IPA area
Oderzo municipality
Families consisting of 2-3 or more members
1991
2001
2011
km0
Proportion of family size in each statistic unit 0 10 20 30 50 75 100%
10
20
30
40
km0
5
10
15
* data presents the percentage of the number of families of each size over total number of families in each statistic unit.
20
HOUSEHOLD STRUCTURE CHANGES IN FAMILY SIZES IN THE PAST 20 YEARS IPA area
Oderzo municipality
Families consisting of only 1 member
1991
2001
2011
km0
Proportion of family size in each statistic unit 0 10 20 30 50 75 100%
10
20
30
40
km0
5
10
15
* data presents the percentage of the number of families of each size over total number of families in each statistic unit.
20
POROSITY: THE READING OF CITY SPACES
Definition of porosity [Porosity] is the quality of being porous, or full of tiny holes. Liquids go right through things that have porosity. [...] porosity stems from the Greek word poros for "pore," which means “passage.� 1
voids in spaces
Metaphorically, the term porosity refers to the porous feature of space configuration. Whenever there comes some substances that are dynamic, fluid, or unstable, these voids in the spaces has the capacity to absorb and hold them. In city scapes, porosity means the capability of spaces in the city to accommodate diversity of users or issues, change of actors or necessities, as well as transformation of systems. In other words, we can assume that the city scape has higher tolerance when it is more porous.
city scape CHANGES, DIFFERENCES OR TRANSFORMATIONS
the voids absorb and hold new substances
spaces adapt to new conditions
Porosity of materials Porosity of materials means the ability to absorb other substances of the material itself. It is directly related to the configuration of the material, or the physical texture that compose the object or space with many voids. Talking about cities, the gradual development through time has formed the city scapes as they are. The overlapped networks, axises, structures, etc., has generated voids where the intertwining of different systems outlined areas that awaits definition. These voids allows multiple uses according to the dynamic episodes and the diverse needs of the society. The different typologies of buildings, either public or private, also contains different levels of capability to adapted themselves to the changing world.
systems of different times
the porous character of the material
overlapped onto current city-scapes, the void areas has been outlined
Porosity of fractures [Fracture], a term in geology, means any kind of separation or break in a rock formation. Examples are joints or faults. These divides the rock into two or more pieces. A fracture can sometimes form a deep, wide crack in the rock. They are usually caused when the rock is not strong enough to hold up under too much stress. 2 Referring to urban scapes, fracture means the society changes that gives pressure to the original way spaces are used. This could be spaces not anymore suitable for the changed conditions, implicit boundaries emerging from the inserting of new elements, or mismatching of the original configuration of spaces for different purposes. Thus more cracks, or voids, will appear in the city scape, the city then become even more "porous". The society changes in the case of this project can be observed in demographic structure changes, household composition changes, or other exterior impacts such as immigration, economic crisis, as well as climate change. The social changes also brought about voids where where the spaces are not suitable to meet current requirements or unable to be adapt to the various kinds of changes.
Source: 1. Vocabulary.com 2. Wikipedia
The fracture of the rocks due to exterior pressure, resulting in cracks and fissures.
more holes appear from fractures, the volume become more porous
original configuration of a space
intangible boundaries appear due to newly inserted objects or users
A MORE AND MORE POROUS CITY 2001
2011
Maps of empty dwellings in 2001 and 2011 From these two maps it can be seen that the city has becoming significantly more porous in the past 10 years.
One empty dwelling, which can be dwelling that is vacant, being non-registered secondary houses, or underused. They can be: 1.
Vacant building, possibly abandoned
2.
Vacant apartment or underused part of a house
3.
Dwellings that belong to residents not officially registered in Oderzo km0
5
10
15
20
* the data dwelling refers to every individual unit able to accommodate an individual use. (data description in Italian: Abitazioni vuote e abitazioni occupate solo da persone non residenti)
Voids in the city spaces and densification of opportunities
Visualizing the increasing empty dwellings, there will be more voids in the residential spaces that has the potential to be put with new uses regarding housing, community, green and leisure, energy educational spaces and so on.
green/leisure: relaxing
housing: new dining room
The toolboxes can be accumulated among local communities in cooperation with public, private, and professional sectors.
green/leisure: gardening and social
housing: room rent-out educational: lectures
community: meeting rooms
energy: new technology lab
Examples of new use of voids to densify opportunities
Voids in spaces where we live Voids in spaces where we meet
POROSITY IN PLACES WHERE WE LIVE POROSITY OF MATERIAL
embedded ability to absorb diversity
Multi- family housing
Dwellings with shared entrance and part of common spaces in both horizontal and vertical configuration.
large family small family
single resident core family couple
diverse types of households
Mixed-use housing
Commerce and services in the groundfloor, housing on top.
POROSITY OF FRACTURE ability to adapt and enhance diversity
family shrinking new use of space rent-out energy-sharing urban agriculture storage ...
family expanding
re-fabrication of interior spaces
adapting to changes of houshold structures
family expanding (similar as above)
large family single resident
diverse types of commercial activities
couple
diverse types of households
Single-family housing
Dwellings with individual (seperate) entrance that leads directly into the house, destined for one family, considered as one household.
family shrinking new use of space rent-out energy-sharing urban agriculture storage ...
integration of commercial activities and household structure changes
family expanding rent-out to students family shrinking
(1) individual structures in horizontal configuration
new use of space rent-out
limited diverse types of households
energy-sharing urban agriculture storage ...
(2) individual dwellings in vertical configuration
adapting to changes of houshold structures family expanding
(3) with secondary structures, often productive
limited diverse types of households
adapting to changes by expanding spaces for living
family shrinking new use of space
(4) individual structure house with garden
Vacant buildings
Unused or underused spaces
rent-out energy-sharing urban agriculture storage ...
Non-residential dwellings:
(1) public buildings, sport (2) educational and commercial facilities (3) industry and warehouses
* The taxonomy of residential housing types functions as legend and detailed explanation of the related map. It is not only a structural analysis of the existing typologies but a reflection on their porosity as well.
flexible in making change of space size
km 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Map of residential housing types In relation to the spaces where we (people) live, the porosity of material means the embedded ability of the housing buildings to contain diverse household compositions. The porosity of fracture, on the other hand, concerns -as observed from the statistics of the significant changes on the household types- the spaces' ability to adapt to or influence the changing patterns of the household structure in relation to the use of spaces.
Railway River Multi-family housings Mixed-use housings Single-family housings Vacant/ abandoned housings
8
POROSITY IN PLACES WHERE WE MEET
High potential
Porticoes, churches, parks, internal plazas, and landscape/natural spaces in the urban context, etc.
Park - with parking
Park - different types of housing around
Medium potential
Inner plazas
Church + annexed plazas
Churches, cultural facilities, school facilities, shopping malls, parking with pedestrianized pavement, villas, etc.
Villas
Cultural facilities
Parkings with pedestrianized pavements
Cemetry with parking
Limited potential
Undefined green areas
Social care and health facilities, parking with alsphalt pavements, fenced or fragmented green spaces, etc.
Roadside parkings
Low potentials
Porticoes
Unaccessible greens
Private properties such as residential buildings, and private-owned gardens with fences, etc
Large parkings with asphalt
km 0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
Map of public spaces’ porosity potential The open spaces or public functions in the city with their possiblity to adapt themselves to the changing social structures.
Porosity potentials for fractions high
low
4
POROSITY IN PLACES WHERE WE LIVE
1
2
Two single-family houses as one building. In the case of empty voids, re-configuration and even unification of the whole structure could be consider.
3
Renovated house in the city center.
4
Although in an obviously bad condition, traces of inhabitation are visible in the featured building. These kind of structures could be used as driveres of densification.
Sources: 1. Photo by Magda Papadam 2. Photo by Magda Papadam 3. Photo by Sylvie Chen 4. Photo by Sylvie Chen
Abandoned building at the outskirts of Oderzo, but still in an urbanized area.
POROSITY IN PLACES WHERE WE MEET
1
2
The porticoes are places to interact apart from moving along or through.
3
Playground in the park; a handful of toys are places in urban parks all around the area, without any special design for a space for children to experience more than just a typical playground.
4
Extensive parking area between mixed uses, multistore residential buildings. A space with great potential to become a place for the local community.
Sources: 1. Photo by Magda Papadam 2. Photo by Sylvie Chen 3. Photo by Sylvie Chen 4. Photo by Magda Papadam
Parking area in front of the train station. Without denying the practical need for car spaces, we argue that there are various possibilities for the place to become a new centrality, a vital node for the city's public life.
SCENARIOS
What will happen if the voids keep growing in the cities? As the city gets more and more porous in both places where we live and places where we meet, will the voids become too many that the city cannot maintain a basic frame to sustain the daily life? Or, considering the unstoppable and inevitable demographic changes, economic crisis, as well as climate changes, will a too-hollowed city-scape become an obstacle towards a more sustainable and resilient lifestyle?
01 | TRENDS SCENARIO
What if the trends of social changes continue?
In this scenario, we use the official estimation of UN to estimate the possible future population structure, as well as the further fragmentation of land-use and constructions needed by the future populations.
Phenomena of the trend scenario
The demographic fracture creates a decline of the attractivity of Oderzo and increase of the degradation of public and private building stock and open spaces.
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Expantion or additional hospital due to increasing health-care needs
Extensive urbanization
Underused spaces in residential buildings
New-build and gated sport facilities
Housing price rise and become unaffordable for young population
New-build gated cultural facilities
Unsustainable use of resources
- unaffordable housings will result in losing more young population - senior population with car-based mobility environment - connection with family members will become more difficult
Open spaces occupied by car parking or a certain group of users
More senior housing required, possible densifying residential areas
Deterioration of large family houses
- aging population with degradation of the housing condition, more spaces will be underused.
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New buildings for service functions
Pollution of the river
02 | COUNTERACTING SCENARIO
What if we lessen the social pressures brought by the demographic trend?
A strategy of retrofitting regarding the housing stock with progressive densification of the compact tissues & at the same time, the creation of new voids, filled by new kind of public spaces, in place of buildings whose retrofitting is not economically feasible.
Toolbox of the conteracting scenario
- provide more sustainable lifestyle & activities to attract young people - in the meantime sustain and even improve the living quality - hybrid spaces to include different groups of people without restrictions Develop a toolbox for densifying opportunities in the voids of the cityscape.
Integrating empty voids into collective space network
Green vegetation
Pedestrianized spaces Release empty voids for improving living environment with nature or as passages Activities to attract young population Incentivize new use of spaces More performative public transport stops.
Integrating reuse of empty voids with landscape or local production quality
Hybrid spaces freely accessible for all groups of people
Reuse of buildings into mix-used housings, interaction of indoor and outdoor spaces is to be maintained. Reuse of buildings into sports or culture functions, interaction of indoor and outdoor spaces is to be maintained.
01 | TREND SCENARIO
HOSPITAL
PARCO CA' DIEDO
SENIOR HOUSING
MUNICIPALITY
TRAIN STATION
EX CASERMA ZANUSSO AREA
02 | COUNTERACTING SCENARIO
HOSPITAL
PARCO CA' DIEDO
SENIOR HOUSING
MUNICIPALITY
TRAIN STATION
EX CASERMA ZANUSSO AREA
POTENTIAL INTERVENTION AREAS IN DIFFERENT LIVING ENVIRONMENT CONTEXT km 0
0.7
1.4
2.1
2.8
3.5
4.2
4.9
CITY CENTRE Piazzle della Vittoria
SEMI-PERIPHERY Caserma Zanusso
PERIPHERY Village Piavon
Neighborhoods with significant demographic changes
Maps of intervention concept with suggest project areas The proposed intervention areas integrate areas which has the potential to introduce densification of opportunities in the places where we meet, and places where we live.
Proposed intervention projects areas Connections or axis that will be enhanced with interventions Intervened or main referenced buildings Movement and flows of people and activities Proposed project areas with examples
Proposed potential project areas
5.6
AREAS WITH SIGNIFICANT DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN THE PAST 20 YEARS AND THE SERVICES THEY LACK km0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
CITY CENTRE - THE “RAMBLA OPITERGINA� AT PIAZZALE VITTORIA Plan of the proposed intervention at Piazzale della Vittoria. The linear parking area transforms into a pedestrian axis connecting major places of public interest. It can be an alternative for patients and senior citizens to have leisure time but also a safe and car free connection of the southwest neighborhoods to the city center.
Activities & attraction elements Abandonned buildings (empty) Housing buildings with potential voids Voids in existing buildings [conceptual assumption] Social & health care facilities Cultural functions Pedestrian access Flows & movements
Parking space Parking space transformed into community space Greenery and vegetation Existing and introduced public space
SEMI-PERIPHERY - THE “HYBRID SPORT, CULTURE & LIVING SPACES� AT EX CASERMA ZANUSSO Plan of the proposed intervention at the former military area Caserma Zanusso. Instead of another segregated sports facility, we suggest a system of alternative microspaces.
Activities & attraction elements Housing buildings with potential voids Voids in existing buildings [conceptual assumption] Sport facilities
Parking space Parking space transformed into community space Greenery and vegetation
Cultural functions
Existing and introduced public space
Mixed uses residential buildings
Energy labs and hubs
Pedestrian access
Extensive agricultural lands transformed into experimental fields for green energy
Flows & movements
PERIPHERY - SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN COMBINITION WITH LOCAL INDUSTRY AND FACILITIES Plan of the proposed intervention at the industrial area of Piavon where we deal with the border between the urban and industrial area.
Activities & attraction elements Housing buildings with potential voids Voids in existing buildings [conceptual assumption] Mixed uses residential buildings
Parking space Parking space transformed into community space Greenery and vegetation
Daily-need commercial functions
Existing and introduced public space
Educational facilties
Energy labs and hubs
Industrial functions
Extensive agricultural lands transformed into experimental fields for green energy
Pedestrian access Flows & movements
IMAGINE IF...
Rambla Opitergina at Piazzle della Vittoria, view near Via Giuseppe Mazzini
The incremental diminishing of parking necessity generates voids at the long parking areas of Piazzle della Vittoria. Integrating this released open spaces, the proposal of “Rambla Opitergina” aims to gradually transform Piazzle della Vittoria into a casual, comfortable and pedestrian-friendly axis which facilitates various kinds of activities, as well as connects to the existing public spaces in the city such as Piazza Grande and Parco Ca’Diedo. Moreover, the neighboring “voids” such as empty dwellings, will be provided with more incentives to recycle the underused spaces into new uses that can provide the city with more collective social life.
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Oderzo historical centre Train statio Caserma Zanusso Village Piavon
Localisation
Rambla Opitergina at Piazzle della Vittoria, view at Via Montegrappa looking southward
The axis of Piazzle della Vittoria leads to the main hospital and social-care facilities, which is important to be have with good pedestrian-friendly connections with other public spaces in the city. Furthermore, along the axis there are underused monumental squares and buildings, fences of the park, as well as the “voids� of the neighboring houses. Filling these spaces with new opportunities, the axis has the potential to become a normal, casual and hybrid setting so that more options of collective life are offered to the society.
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Oderzo historical centre Train statio Caserma Zanusso
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Village Piavon
PLAZA BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
CULTURAL MULTISPACE
OPEN AIR CINEMA
PLAZA BETWEEN SPORT FACILITIES & CULTURAL BUILDINGS
INDOOR SKATING PARK
Ex. Caserma Zanusso
The transformation of former military area into a new centrality consists part of a broader vision to create a hybrid space where functions that are usually seperated can coexist. The configuration of the barracks itself gives us the opportunity to reuse some buildings and develop a multi-purpose urban park. The goal is to facilitate the emergence of new uses and functions that cannot find their way through the current state of the urbanized tissue, yet foster the interaction of various social groups in a “normal setting”. The process of redevelopment itself should be one of social inclusion and participation of the local society.
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Oderzo historical centre Train statio Caserma Zanusso
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Village Piavon
PAINTBALL FIELD
GREEN SPACE FOR LEISURE AND OTHER DAILY ACTIVITIES
MIXED USE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
Border of village Piavon, more performative everyday-life functions
The border of periphery, along the main streets, concentration of functions for everyday-life services can be found, but usually displaying monofunctional, car-based, and dull atmosphere with fences impeding opportunities of integration with neighboring resources. With the mobility setting of dimishing car-use in the future, public transportation becomes more important and needs to be rethink. Therefore, the shopping (for daily grocery) and waiting (for buses) that will show more occurence in the future daily lives, their interacting has high potentials to show better performances. Here at the hypermarket MEGA, gradual requalifying of the surrounding spaces will be seen, which also make the waiting spaces more performative. The grocery shopping will become not just a weekly routine, but a hybrid venue for leisure and social.
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Oderzo historical centre Train statio Caserma Zanusso Village Piavon
Localisation
Current energy model
Proposed energy model
Industrial space emission of hot air
indoor heating
waste of heat
soil heating
discharge of hot water thermal pollution
public space warming-up
The excess heat generated by factories’ cooling system. The frozen-food industry here especially has high necessity of maintaining low temperature in large spaces.
The nearby different industries has the potential to cooperate in energy sharing with the help of knowledge-educational or technical actors in the vicinity.
HEATING CONTRACTOR
Agriculture land During winter, the farmers spread some chemical particles to prevent the soil from frozen.
Public spaces
FROZEN FOOD INDUSTRY
CLOSED FACTORY
HYPERMARKET
In winter days, many public spaces remain empty.
PROPOSED DENSIFICATION
Residential housings The heating-up of residential spaces requires heating facilities which consumes a lot of gas.
TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
Border of village Piavon, specialized opportunities with existing functions
In the periphery areas the use of spaces tend to be monofunctional which is able to work autonomously. However, observing the individual functions, there are chances to find special chances to cooperate in some certain aspects, such as energy sharing. In the border or Piavon village where residential, industry, education, and agricultural areas meet, we propose densification to make use of the released lands of current parkings, as well as the hinterland of a closed factory. The housing project will not only bring needs of new public spaces, further more, it will be a sustainable model of energy sharing, linking new opportunities to void spaces.
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Oderzo historical centre Train statio Caserma Zanusso Village Piavon
Localisation