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AltaScuolaPolitecnicaPolitecnicodiMilanoTutor:MarcoFacchinettiPolitecnicodiMilanoDepartmentofArchitectureandUrbanStudiesDASTUViaBonardi3-Milano

MINDProjectFrom industrial local areas towards innovation districts: implementing, attracting anddevelopinganewterritorialstructureforneweconomyandproductioninMilanregionJune,9th2016Students:JacoForrerDorsaKafiliCraigMcLennaghanEmanueleMoroEnricoVitoSciannameoLauraSimonettiCarlottaTestaDilettaTrinari

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PresentationoftheprojectObjectivesStudentswillworkontheparticularstructureofexistinglocalindustrialareasintheeasternsectionofMilan region, proposing a way to change their rigid territorial structure (articulated in old, separateclusters)intoamoreflexiblecombinationofclustersinformofhotspotsabletoattractthecontemporaryindustrialandmanufacturingeconomy,aimingatcreatinginnovationdistricts.Studentsshouldproposeaninnovativeterritorialmodel,understandinghowinnovationdistrictsareabletochangetheterritorialandeconomicorganization,tocatchtheproductiveattitudeoftheregionandtotransformtherigidityoftheexistingdistricts,proposingamodelabletocreatenewsupplychain,newsmarterinformation,lessimpactontheenvironmentreducingtravels,newusesandnewrelationswiththeexistingurbanareas,andnewvisibilityfosteringtheexcellenceoftheeconomyandtheexcellenceoftheterritories.DescriptionTheprojectaimsatunderstandingtherigidandoldterritorialorganizationofMilanregion,asmanyothersinItaly,focusingontheeasternsectionofit.Whileresidentialofferandenvironmentorganizationhavebeenabletoupdatetheirterritorialproposal,despitethehighnewleveloftransportofferintheregion,industrialareasarestillsmall,separated,oldandbarelyinfrastructured,evenifatanational/globallevellocaleconomyisabletoproduceexcellenceandopenproductivedialogswithmanymarketsaroundtheworld.Togetherwiththeactiveparticipationofmunicipalities,co-opbanks,industrialist’sassociations,territorialorganizations,studentsshouldstudythe layoutof theareas, findawaytoreorganizetheirmovements (employees and goods) and propose a different territorial structure able to catch theinnovationoftheproductiveprocesses,theglobalsizeofthepotentialmarketsandtheneedtosupporttherelevantregionalvocations.Aboveall,studentsshouldunderstandtheexceptionalmixofuses,ideas,research and practice, urban and suburban that lay behind the idea of Innovation District, as a newterritorial revolution able to consider productive areas as hub of innovation, ideas, cooperation,technologyandnewurbanity.Theprojectwilltakeintoconsiderationthecontrastbetweendistrictsandindustrialprocesses,andgenerallyspeakingbetweenterritory,economyandinformation.Theywillworkfollowingsomeroutes,andaboveall:-studentswillfocusontheeasternsectorofMilanregion,fulloflocal,smallandolddistricts,withold,rigidandnomorefunctionalfactories;simultaneouslytheywillworkonaspecificregenerationdistrict,ontheAddariver,asformerindustrialarealinkedtothewatersystemofAddaanditsartificialchannels-studentswillunderstandthepotentialitiesofaterritoryfullofurbanspots,whereeverythingisnearbyandindustrialusesareanaturalvocationofthearea;- students should study thewaydistricts are combined, in their separationand fragmentationon theterritory and in their location that does not take into consideration the combination of vocation andinfrastructure-studentswillfocusonaproposaltoreconsiderdistrictsthroughtheoccasionoftheregenerationoftheAddariverformerindustrialsites,proposinganewterritorialandeconomicmodel,abletoattractnewactivities, smart production processed, start up, co working places. It will be important to connectvocationsandplaces,asonceuponatimeactivitiesclusteredaroundAddariveranditsartificialchannelscombininginfrastructures(water),resources(energy)andproducts(textile,manufactures);- at the end of the project, students should be able to propose a new territorial model and a newmanagementsystemtokeepactivitiesintoinformationandphysicalnetworks,shareinformationaboutthe territorial offers, combine different actors help (such as co-op banks, associations, professionaleducationschools,shoppingdistrictsandthematicevents)inamoreorganizedandflexiblemodel.-themodelshouldshowtobeabletoreconsidertheoldmodel,madeby industrialareasandtownstowardsanintegrated,contemporaryinnovationsdistricts,whereinnovationchangesthewayinwhich

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districtsrelatetothecities,bringingbackproductiontourbanity,andusingcreativityandtechnologyasthenewlinkbetweendifferentterritoriesTheextraordinaryparticipationofStateUniversityofNewYork,DepartmentofGeographyandplanningwillgivestudentsthechancetobesupportedbyexpertiseableinthepasttoinventanewfuturefortheNY Capital Region investing in nanotechnologies and showing the output on the local, depressedterritories.Nowadays,thewesternsectionofthecityofAlbanyisaninnovationhubfornewstartups,incubators,andinnovationchangedeverythingExpectedresultsStudentswillproposeanewterritorialandmanagementmodelforaregionalterritoryabletoconsideritasahotspot,combiningasmartterritorialmanagementmodel (includingdistributionofactivities,connectionwith infrastructures,proximitytoservices,efficientmanagementofwaste,goods,sources,connection among local institutions and between different levels’ authorities) with a strong,contemporarymodelofsharinginformation(abouttheattractivenessoftheorganizedterritory),findingfinancialsources (withanewrole forco-opbanks),openingto internationalmarkets throughsharedlogistic platform and feeding employees clusters involving professional education schools. The resultshould be a strategic integrated plan able to attract the participation ofmany institutional and noninstitutionalactors,tocrossbordersandcompetencesandaboveallabletoreinventaproductionsystembasingitonvocation,innovation,urbanityandwhereproximityandconnectionsareeverything.ResultswillbetestedontheterritoryoftheAddavalleyintheeasternsectionofMilanRegion,rearrangingtheagendaofasiteandrethinkingtotheideaoftechnologicalandindustrialclusterinamorecontemporary,and even less physical way. Students should find the chance to convince local managers and publicauthoritiestofinancetheirproject,seeingtheopportunitytoputbackagainmanufacturingatthecenteroftheattentionoftheirterritoriesinamorepermeatingway.Studentsshouldfostertheirabilityinreadingaterritorialgeography,understandinghowmanufacturingworkaccordingtotheusesandthevocationaterritoryshouldshow,learninghowinstitutionalterritorialmanagement work and above all understanding the degree of connection between industries, localcommunities, regional and national transport networks, environment and international markets,proposing through their models themselves as contemporary managers of regional territorial reorganizationprocesses.

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FIRSTPHASE

CalendarFirstphase–endingonJuly22nd2016 Firstreviewoftheproject.Feedback/firstreportpresentation Workingat: Recognitionofthetopic,placesandpractices–creatingthefirstknowledgetostartthe projectandpreparingthefirstanalysis Recognitionofthestakeholders–Howandwhoshouldbeinvolvedintheproject Preparationoftheworkplanandpreparationofstudents’budget Preparing: Report#1 Students’budget Meetings: MTG1 June,23rd9:00am–PolitecnicodiMilano–DASTU–Secondfloormeeting’s room.MarcoFacchinettilecture#1andlecture#2,addressingtheissuesandthefirst phase’sactivities MTG2 June,28th2:00pm–PolitecnicodiMilano–DASTU–Secondfloormeeting’s room.–CotutorAlessandraMazzei’slecture MTG3 June,30th9:00am–PolitecnicodiTorino–DIST–CotutorPatriziaLombardi’s lecture(allactivitiesfromsecondtofifthphasesshouldbescheduledanddecided.Thiscalendarjusttakesintoconsiderationsnowtheofficialdeadlines)Secondphase–endingonNovember2016 Secondreviewoftheproject.Feedback/secondreportpresentation Workingat: Strategicplan.Firstdraft. Preparing: Report#2 Meetings: Tripto..EndofSeptember TobescheduledThirdphase–endingonJanuary2016 Thirdreviewoftheproject.PresentationtothejurymembersofASP Workingat: Strategicplan.Seconddraft.

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Preparing: Report#3 Meetings: TobescheduledFourthphase-endingonMarch2016 Winterschool–Finalreviewoftheprojects Workingat: Strategicplan.Thirddraft. Preparing: Report#4 Meetings: TobescheduledFifthphase–June2016 Preparationofthefinalexamination Meetings: Tobescheduled1.Finalresultshouldbealwaysinourminds…(firstphase)The MIND project works at the idea of innovating manufacturing to transform its physicalpresence on the territories, shifting from a model based on a “clusters and zoned areas”organizationtowardsamoreintegrated,urban,innovativedistrictslayout.Toachievethisgoalstudents’finalresultwillbethedevelopmentofastrategicplan,abletofosterinnovationinthemanufacturingprocessestobringthembacktourbanenvironmentsand,ontheotherside,toreinventanewformofsustainableurbanity,abletohostonceagainindustrialareasandindustrialmanufacturing processes. The strategic approach refers to the development of a plan as acomplex and articulated systemofprojects, policies and strategies, and above all itmeans aselectiveprocessabletoincludeintheplanonlyideasandtoolsthatcanreallyactivateinnovativeprocesses.Inthemeantime,theuseoftheword“plan”meansthenecessitytoprepareanurbanplanning,multi scalar,perspective,abletomakethingshappen, involvingdifferent levelsandmanagingthecoordinationbetweendifferentactors.Forthepast50years,thelandscapeofinnovationhasbeendominatedbyregionslikeSiliconValley—suburbancorridorsofspatiallyisolatedcorporatecampuses,accessibleonlybycar,withlittle emphasis on the quality of life or on integrating work, housing, and recreation. Acomplementary new urban model is now emerging, in the form of what many are calling“innovationdistricts.” Thesedistricts, bymydefinition, are “geographic areaswhere leading-edgeanchorinstitutionsandcompaniesclusterandconnectwithstart-ups,businessincubators,

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andaccelerators.Compact,transit-accessible,andtechnically-wired,innovationdistrictsfosteropencollaboration,growtalent,andoffermixed-usedhousing,office,andretail.”Innovationdistrictsarealreadyattractinganeclecticmixoffirmsintheappeconomyandhightechsectoraswellasinhigh-value,research-orientedsectorssuchaslifeandmaterialsciences,cleanenergy,anddatacomputing.Theyarealsohometocompaniesinhighlycreativefieldslikearchitecture,design,theaterproduction,advertising,andmarketing.Thereisareturntocitiesofsmall-scaleandcustomizedmanufacturing,madepossibleby3Dprinting, robotics,andotheradvanced techniques. Much of this activity reflects a fundamental rethinking by corporatemanagement about how and where innovation happens. In turn, it is making the case thatdiscreteurbangeographiescanbeinstrumentalinstrengtheningthecompetitiveadvantagesofspecificfirmsandclusters.2.ActivitiesRecognitionoftopic(firstphase)Thefinalresultthattheprojectrequirestostudentsfocusesonthewayinwhichmanufacturingprocessesandgenerallyspeakingindustrialorproductionactivitiesarenowadaysstayingonthenew,postmetropolitanorganizationof someof themost advanced regionsof the (western)world. Above all, it is important to understand how the term “industrial” or the word“production” are now able to identify different categories of goods, such as information ortechnologicalproducts.Thesenewmanufacturingprocesses, togetherwithadifferentwayofinterpretingandtransformingtheproductionofmoretraditionalgoods,aresupposedtobeabletochangethewayinwhichindustrialareasareconnectedtocities.Studentsshouldinvestigateinthefirstphasetheseaspects,showing,withtheuseofcasestudies,howterritorialorganizationisproposingnewelementsandnewcombinationof industrial areas,production clusters andurbanareas.Atleast,consideringthefirstdeadline,studentsshouldprepareafirstinvestigationoftopicsandelementsabletobedevelopedinfullreportduringthesecondphase.Lecture#1willaddresstheissue,anditwillhelpstudentsunderstandingthetopic.Lecture#1willbegivenduringMTG1.Recognitionofplacesandstakeholders(firstphase)TheprojectworksonaspecificsectionoftheMilan’sregion,historicallyidentifiedasMartesanaAdda,takingitsnamefromtheartificialcanalcalledNaviglioMartesana,runningfromthecityofMilanotowardstheAddariver,onawest–eastdirectionandfromtheAddariver,runningfromNorth to south andhistorically drawing a lineof separationbetween twoprovinces and twodifferentwaysof interpreting industrialmanufacturing.Manyofthesmalltownsthatdottheterritory have been building their own industrial districts. The majority of them have beenplanned zoning them out of the residential areas andmore or less connected to roads andhighways,someofthemconnectedtotherailways.Formanyreasons,thisorganizationcreatesimpactsandunsustainablebehaviors,forthemovementofgoodsandforthewayinwhichusers,

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employeesorclientsshouldmovearoundaccordingtothisterritoriallayout.Onthesamearea,thereare chances toorganizenew innovativemanufacturing clusters setonadifferent idea.StudentsshouldstartworkingattheanalysisofCassanod’AddaformerLinificio’sarea,whosetransformation’s plan has been recently approved by the Municipality. The area will beconsideredasaplaygroundtotesttheplanstudentsarecalledtoprepareandasatestingplacetoseeifinnovationcanreallycreateurbanandproductiveplaces.This phase should include the recognition of the stakeholders that could be involved in theproject.Lecture#2will introduceallthedetailsaboutCassanod’Adda’splaceanditwillhelpwiththeidentificationofthestakeholders..Lecture#2willbegivenduringMTG1.Recognitionofpractices(firstphase)Thewayinwhichinnovationhasbeenable,insomeplacesofthewesternworld,toreformtherelationsbetweencities/urbanareasandmanufacturingshouldbeinvestigatedwithain-depthanalysis.Newformsofproductionandnewoutputsaremaybemoreconvenientlylocatingonmoreurbanclusters,orontheothersidesomeplacesareabletoexpressadifferent ideaofurbanity, taking shape thanks to relations between knowledge, urban behaviors, creativity,proximity and leisure. Students should start understanding thanks to which practices thesechangesareoccurringandwhere.Atthesametime,manufacturingischangingthewayinwhichproductsaredone,maybeitisalsochanging products themselves and theway inwhich they are dispatched and distributed allaroundtheworld.Theoldorganizationhaschangedandstudentsshouldbeabletounderstandhowinnovationisnowpositivelyaffectingmanufacturingtochangeitintosomethinglighterandwithlessimpacts.Innovationisalsoaffectingthecommunicationstrategieswithwhichmanufacturingpresenttheirproducts and their decisions. Students, together with the help of co tutor Prof. AlessandraMazzei, should understand in the first phase the importance of communication in industrialprocesses and how communication can keep together industrial strategies and aims withconsumers, clients and users’ desires. Students should also understand how territorialcommunication is used to promote and sustain the innovative way of bringing backmanufacturing to urban areas and how/if innovation is considered a key word in thesecommunication’sstrategiesinvolvingterritories.Lecture#3byAlessandraMazzeiwillhelpstudentsworkontheseaspects. .Lecture#3willbegivenduringMTG2.3.MaterialsandsourcesStudentscandownloadallthematerialstheyneedfromBeeporDropboxfolders.Directionswillbegiven,onhowtooperateanddownload,assoonaspossible.Mapsandpictureswillbegiven,andduringlecture#1tutorwilldirectstudentsonhowtodevelopfirstphasereports.

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4.Student’sbudgetDuringMTG1, students and tutorwillwork together at thepreparationof thebudget, tobesubmittedonJuly,22thtotheSchool.Simultaneously,tutorandstudentswilldecidehowtoallocateavailablefunds.MarcoFacchinettiJune,9th2016marco.facchinetti@polimi.it