From social housing to a sustainable community, ATI Project, a-fact architecture factory, Weber Architects and Parcnouveau sign the winning proposal for the new Ecodistrict Bertalia-Lazzaretto in Bologna.
The enhancement of natural assets, sustainable mobility and a new concept of urban courtyards as strategic drivers to revitalize the New Ecodistrict Bertalia-Lazzaretto area in Bologna form the foundation of an iconic project aimed at serving as a social accelerator and a catalyst for the regenerating of the Navile district network.
Winner of the international competition organized by the Municipality of Bologna for the development of a social housing district in the Bertalia-Lazzaretto neighborhood, the team composed by ATI Project, a-fact architecture factory (Parallel Collective), Weber Architects, and Parcnouveau unveils the design for the New Ecodistrict. This initiative not only addresses the city’s housing needs but also serves as an example of an eco-sustainable, connected, and resilient community.
The project stood out for its ability to integrate into the surrounding context, enhancing landscape elements such as the green systems of Reno Park and Ghisiliera canal. Starting with the revitalization of these natural elements, the intervention aims to strengthen the social network and trigger a process of regeneration, transforming the area into a vibrant urban hub.
The proposal offers a clear vision of the central role that the new development can play in a more balanced and connected Bologna, focusing on the untapped potential of the area. This is not just a residential project, but an urban ecosystem that supports socio-community vibrancy, with multifunctional public spaces designed to serve both new residents and the local community. Sustainability is supported by innovative solutions, with shared spaces for well-being and socialization, strengthening identity and a sense of belonging.
The New Ecodistrict is conceived from a multi-scalar approach that enhances the north-south landscape axis defined by the Ghisiliera Canal, transforming it into a greenway for pedestrians and cyclists. This green infrastructure connects the Pescarola neighborhood to the north, the new residential area to the west of the University of Bologna, and, by bike, the city center, within a 15-minute walk. This green infrastructure serves as a central axis that runs through the city, connecting existing and new urban spaces, promoting sustainable mobility, and integrating the district into the urban fabric.
The heart of the project is the urban courtyard, a catalyst for the new Ecodistricts’ life, free from traffic and designed as a space for meeting and socializing, where the community can interact with residents from nearby areas in a collaborative and shared environment. The courtyard offers an immediate and multifaceted experience, with a series of open-air “rooms” immersed in an environment where nature and light take center stage: an ideal setting for activities that support the creation of a new community identity. Through bioclimatic design and biophilic principles, new residents will enjoy spaces that promote physical and mental well-being and enhance their quality of life.
This innovative vision of collective habitat blends the sensory richness of historic cities with contemporary principles of sustainability. It is not simply an urban expansion, but a true process of regeneration that returns vital public spaces to the community, fostering social interaction and creating an active neighborhood experience. The new architectural volumes, characterized by a variety of heights and colours inspired by Bologna’s historic centre, frame the new urban courtyard, reinforcing the “sense of place” crucial for the new residents’ feeling of belonging.
The design of the new district stands out for its approach that transforms common spaces into places of aggregation and well-being. This system is conceived as a network that connects the urban scale to the residential scale, offering opportunities to share spaces and services with neighbors, thus facilitating day-to-day activities. The residential blocks, equipped with rooftop terraces and community greenhouses, are not just simple dwellings, but also spaces dedicated to urban agriculture and microclimate regulation, encouraging an active and participatory community life.
The volumetric configuration and the diversification of the block heights foster an accessible and welcoming architectural language, while bioclimatic design optimizes access to daylight and natural ventilation, energy efficiency, and supports the physical and mental well-being of the residents. The external gallery, designed as more than just a passage, becomes a true social space, creating opportunities for interaction among residents. On the ground floor, recreational areas and courtyards push community life outward, while the rooftop terraces elevate the concept of vertical productive landscapes, integrating nature with living spaces.
The new Ecodistrict, seamlessly integrated into the city, reduces dependence on polluting private vehicles through sustainable mobility solutions. The flexibility of the housing mix and the strategic layout of the apartments along the external gallery allow for long-term adaptability, promoting socialization and completing a sustainable and dynamic living ecosystem capable of responding to contemporary challenges.
