How we need to rethink the “meanwhile use”
The paradox of urban regeneration is often evident in our cityscapes and the multiple scars witnessed by unfinished neighbourhoods, brand-new buildings standing empty, soulless districts and dynamics of displacement often labelled as ‘gentrification’.
- 30 Jan 2023
- by
- Lendlease Author Better Places
The way we make cities must be rethought deeply. The paradox of urban regeneration is often evident in our cityscapes and the multiple scars witnessed by unfinished neighbourhoods, brand-new buildings standing empty, soulless districts and dynamics of displacement often labelled as ‘gentrification’. At the time of multiple crises and uncertainties, the paradox of urban regeneration risks becoming the more tangible evidence of structural failures in the ways we equip cities for the future. We need new urban regeneration models and tools to keep pace with complexity, rapid change, and emerging needs in our neighbourhoods and communities. Urban regeneration is not only about cities’ hardware such as buildings and infrastructure; it is a fundamental reboot of the urban software - the social, economic and cultural fabric that makes cities thrive, persist and mitigate against present and future shared risks.
T-Factor (TF) is a European research project Horizon 2020 whose mission is to promote new approaches to urban regeneration, focusing on the key role that temporary uses (“meanwhile”) can play in shaping urban areas more inclusive and sustainable.
MIND, our Milan Innovation District project, is one of the 6 early stage initiatives (the so-called pilot project) that were chosen to host the development of place-based programmes of temporary uses, harnessing culture and creative collaboration to prototype urban hubs of innovation, inclusion and entrepreneurship.
The overall objectives of the pilot in Milan are:
- INCLUSION: Initiating meanwhile activities and events targeting the needs of the community (internal and external to MIND);
- WELLBEING: measuring the impact of meanwhile activities on territory and people
- SANDBOX: Boost a normative update in the present “meanwhile” regulation at the municipal level
Several events have taken place in the past year in MIND, from seeding activity with students in our fields, or talks on the value of interdisciplinarity in innovation or exploration of human anatomy in three dimensions thanks to the use of new technologies developed by the University of Milan, partner of the milanese pilot.
Our partners in this project are PlusValue, LAND, Politecnico di Milano, Università degli Studi di Milano.
For an update on the project or on the events being organized, please take a look at the project website https://mind.t-factor.eu/.