Learning from Bologna: The role of Public Space for Quality of Life, Sense of Place, and Wellbeing  

On 22-29 May 2023 Museo Spazio Pubblico hosted a workshop co-organized by City Space Architecture and the School of Architecture of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Students explored several key urban areas in the city centre of Bologna and investigated the role of public space to foster quality of life, sense of place, and wellbeing. However the main design activity was developed in the Porto-Saragozza neighbourhood, for the regeneration of several underused green spots, the square in front of the Dall’Ara Stadium (Piazza della Pace) and the two main parks and public villas (Villa Spada and Villa delle Rose) along the Saragozza portico leading to the Arco del Meloncello. City Space Architecture shared with the students the contents of the proposal related to all these sites that they have prepared and previously submitted for the Participatory Budget promoted by the Municipality of Bologna, under the name “Uniamo i Giardini!”.

Students discussed about innovative public space initiatives and strategies with several stakeholders, such as: Federico Bastiani, the founder of the first Social Street in via Fondazza in Bologna, Elisabetta Caruso, the coordinator of the Participatory Budget, managed by Fondazione Innovazione Urbana, Simone Gheduzzi, principal architect at diverserighestudio, and Marcello Tedesco, artist and curator, founder of Museo Temporaneo Navile.