Future Urban Legacy Lab

Daniela Sandler, professor at University of Minnesota, presents her theory on Counterpreservation. Sandler is the author of the book "Counterpreservation: Architectural Decay in Berlin Since 1989."

Cristina Bianchetti and Mirko Zardini discuss their last book Leggendo Corpi tra Spazio e Progetto (Mimesis, 2020).

Elena Guidetti and Marianna Nigra, both researchers at FULL, discuss a recent paper on the Re-use of buildings in a critical perspective.

Margot Pellegrino, researcher at  Lab’Urba and professor at the Ecole d’Urbanisme de Paris, presents her recent research on energy renovations on the French public housing stock.

Alberto Valz Gris, PhD candidate at FULL, presents his research on the lithium commodity chain starting from the mines in the Atacama desert in Chile to the controversial zero-emission city relying on lithium batteries. Seminar chaired by Chiara Iacovone. [00:00] Introduction by Chiara Iacovone [01:18] Presentation by Alberto Valz Gris [18:56] Intervention by Andrea Pollio [21:37] Intervention by Francesca Governa [26:45] Reply by Alberto Valz Gris [32:51] Intervention by Matteo Gianotti [35:16] Intervention by Valerio Palma [45:15] Intervention by Luigi Buzzacchi [48:14] Intervention by Karl Kramer [51:35] Intervention by Francesca Frassoldati [1:02:51] Intervention by Simone Maglio [1:14:14] Intervention by Matteo Robiglio [1:18:20] Intervention by Luigi Buzzacchi [1:21:04] Intervention by Francesca Governa

Alex Vasudevan, Professor in Human Geography at the University of Oxford, discusses the history of urban squatting and its contemporary legacy in cities. Discussant Laura Martini. [00:00] Alex Vasudevan presentation [27:47] Discussion starts with Laura Martini [54:12] Intervention by Francesco Chiodelli [59:59] Intervention by Ammar Azzouz [1:02:34] Intervention by Andrea Pollio [1:06:57] Intervention by Emanuele Protti [1:16:00] Intervention by Chiara Iacovone [1:17:52] Intervention by Alberto Valz Gris.

Discussion moderated by Alberto Valz Gris.

Federico Coricelli, PhD candidate at FULL, presents the first chapter of his PhD research stressing the issues of affordability and individualisation related to the private rental market. Seminar chaired by Chiara Iacovone. [00:00] Introduction by Chiara Iacovone [00:25] Federico Coricelli presentation [09:10] Comments by Chiara Iacovone [11:59] Intervention by Elena Guidetti [14:49] Intervention by Matteo Gianotti [16:33] Intervention by Giulio Zotteri [30:15] Interventions by Francesca Frassoldati and Andrea Pollio [39:17] Interventions by Matteo Robiglio and Alberto Vals Griz [49:56] Intervention by Lucia Baima [56:29] Intervention by Matteo Robiglio [1:01:41] Intervention by Elena Vigliocco

Vladimiro Zagrebelsky, magistrate and former judge at the European Court of Human Rights, discusses the relationship between fundamental rights and design in the contemporary political context.

"René Cassin, Nobel Peace Prize winner and one of the main authors of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, has pointed the “immense part of science in the conception, content, development and practice of human rights”. Practical inventions. The development of scientific medicine, the liberation of rational research, and research freedom have powerfully contributed to soften the burdens on man and society. This is a recognition that should be remembered by referring to engineers, architects, and urban planners, who research, invent, and carry practical innovations that are the core of discoveries.

However, J. Robert Oppenheimer – a scientist who had to reflect on the consequences of what he had helped to accomplish – noted that “when you see something that is technically valid, go ahead and do it and discuss what to do with it after you have had your technical success. This is what happened with the atomic bomb”.

The awareness of powerful and positive effects of scientific research and the implementation of its innovative results risk leaving the field open to disaster. This happens when the only technical success is pursued without thinking about (every) potential consequence.

Thinking about consequences implies a cultural attitude open to human and social values. This is usually considered a field of action and study of disciplines other than engineering and architecture. Yet, this is a mistake.

Human rights and fundamental freedom are pervasive. They – either – appear demanding on every occasion of human activity. Knowing the nature, the content, and the way of working is essential. This generates respect without waiting for them to be discussed when the political, social or judicial controversy has already arisen.

The universality of methods and results of scientific research corresponds to the universality to which fundamental human rights tend. On both sides, national borders have no effect. This is a reason for understanding between the scientist and the jurist of human rights."

The Urban Legacy Seminar Series were recorded at Politecnico di Torino during 2018.

Matteo Gianotti, PhD candidate at FULL, presents his research on infrastructure and modernity in Africa, focusing on the history of the railroad connecting Addis Ababa and Djibuti.

Seminar chaired by Andrea Pollio.

[00:00] Introduction by Andrea Pollio

[00:35] Matteo Gianotti presentation

[06:39] Discussion starts with Francesca Governa

[16:54] Intervention by Chiara Iacovone 

[18:39] Intervention by Alberto Valz Gris

[24:42] Intervention by Matteo Robiglio

[31:22] Intervention by Valerio Palma

[36:14] Intervention by Francesca Governa

[41:21] Intervention by Andrea Pollio

[42:16] Intervention by Daniele Campobenedetto

[46:12] Intervention by Caterina Barioglio

[48:12] Intervention by Matteo Robiglio

[52:02] Intervention by Francesca Frassoldati

Carlo Olmo, architectural critic and historian, introduces the Urban Legacy Seminar Series focusing on the contradictions and issues gravitating around contemporary urban challenges as heritage, preservation, culture and technology.

"The common places of the twentieth century no longer exist, and the narratives linked to these places are no longer sufficient to describe what remains of them. At the end of the last century we went from keywords based on the history of industry to keywords of urban nature founded on ‘absence’. Emptiness becomes heritage, and buildings or fragments of buildings come fully into the process of becoming legacy, highlighting the problem of the continuous reconstruction of a repressed memory. The challenge is to reconstruct a common-basis vocabulary with the necessary historical depth to redefine the legacy of industrial city. Today, this city needs the foundations of its own legitimacy, its own borders, and its actors and rhetoric."

Carlo Olmo is professor Emeritus at Politecnico di Torino. He was the dean of the Architecture Faculty of Politecnico di Torino from 2000 to 2007. He taught at Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Parigi, at Mit Boston and numerous other institutions. He is the author of: Architettura e Novecento (Donzelli 2012), La Villa Savoye. Icona, rovina, restauro (Donzelli 2016), Città e democrazia. Per una critica delle parole e delle cose (Donzelli 2018) e Urbanistica e società civile (Edizioni di comunità 2018).

The Urban Legacy Seminar Series were recorded at Politecnico di Torino during 2018.

Niccolò Cuppini, a researcher at SUPSI, presents an overview of his ongoing horizon 2020 project on digital platforms and urban space. 

Seminar chaired by Chiara Iacovone, discussant Alberto Valz Gris. 

[00:00] Introduction by Chiara Iacovone 

[01:00] Niccolò Cuppini presentation

[45:24] Discussion moderated by Alberto Valz Gris

Project manager Matteo Robiglio explains the mission and fundamentals of FULL.