In this Studio, the student explores into the topics that characterize and are coherent with the contents of the study course through transdisciplinary experiences. This experience aims at developing knowledge and understanding on how to effectively enhance the building heritage, the landscape and the environment as resources, with specific attention to the problems of the modification and regeneration of the built environment and of consolidated urban and settlement systems.

According to the Dublin Descriptors (DdD), passing the exam certifies the acquisition of the following results:

DdD 2 ability to apply knowledge and understanding

- ability to apply appropriate techniques to transform, operating at different scales, the inhabited space in its multiple configurations: morphological and typological, ecological and environmental, economic and social, anthropological and cultural.

DdD 3 (autonomy of judgment), 4 (communication skills) and 5 (learning ability)

- ability to operate and communicate independently the design choices made (DdD 3, 4 and 5).

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: DOMESTICITY RELODED
Form, Uses, Spaces, Practices and Policy for Contemporary Dwelling
Massimo Bricocoli, Gennaro Postiglione, Stefania Sabatinelli

in collaboration with
the Research team “ForDwell – DASTU Dipartimento d’Eccellenza”: Gaia Caramellino, Stefano Guidarini, Fabio Lepratto, Simona Pierini, Roberto Rizzi;
and with the following AUIC School scholars: Antonio Carvalho, Lorenzo Consalez, Barbara Brollo, Enrico Miglietta, Massimiliano Nastri, Sibil Straüli.
Moreover, there will be also a link with the Double Degree programme set up with TU-Graz: prof Andreas Lichtblau, who will run a Thematic studio, is also part of our Studio.

The profound socio-demographic transformations that have taken place in Europe over the last few decades have led to major changes in household compositions and what constitutes what is typically termed the “family” (Thomson, 2014). These transformations have resulted in increasing numbers of single people, divorced couples with children, single parents, older singles/couples, as well as the spread of the phenomenon of co-habitation not only among students but also among young couples and adult workers. At the same time, changes in the labour market (Rolshoven, 2007), with a significant rise in temporary employment and delocalisation, frequently force people to have access to more than one dwelling (Reuschke, 2012; Hilti, 2013). In addition to these phenomena, worsening employment and economic conditions due to the lasting recession have reduced housing affordability (Aguilar Hendrickson & Sabatinelli, 2014). The situation is compounded by a significant increase in cases of rent and mortgage arrears and evictions (Bricocoli & Sabatinelli, 2018). In a context characterised by economic transformation and changes in family patterns, new lifestyles have emerged, such as couples living apart together (LAT) or long-distance relationships (Van der Klis & Karsten, 2008), made possible by low-cost air travel and, to a certain extent, digital communication, factors which have significantly shortened physical distances and changed our sense and understanding of what constitutes proximity. All together, these phenomena have challenged the performance, and on a certain extent even the idea, of Home as inherited by the Modern Movement, and the social housing programmes implemented under the welfare states of many countries during the twentieth century, imposing the need of a deep revision of both the understanding of the idea of Family and the concept of residence (that is slowly taking over the one of Home).
The central theme of the Studio is a search for new social housing solutions (in terms of typology, articulation of structures and equipment of spaces, forms of management, promoters of interventions, etc.) capable of responding to the profound socio-demographic changes that have occurred in the last ten to fifteen years.

Since a few years, a group of scholars teaching and working at AUIC School explore these themes, with an interdisciplinary approach, starting from real cases and in relation to contexts, with different actors involved (third sector subjects, public Administrations in their various forms, private companies, etc.).
The Final Design Studio "Affordable Housing: Domesticity Reloded" therfore is meant as a place of study, reflection and exchange, but also of research through and by design, on the themes of contemporary housing fragility with the aim of building up a shared work group that sees the collaboration between students and teachers, local actors and public administrations, third sector and private entrepreneurs.

The Studio enable the development of the MSc Final Work and the final seminar consists in a public seminar with a connected exhibition documenting the research work and the initial design investigation of each group on their specific topic.

Proposed working topics for the Studio and the Final Thesis Work:

Housing and the Commons

New Housing Typology

Age Friendly Housing

Productive Environments

Housing regeneration

Forms Follow Norms 

Beside the Design activity, each group individually and collectively, according to the assignment, will develop social/critical/historical research on a selected theme and the working site.

As follow up of the Studio, we envision research by design proposal although, it will be also possible to continue to develop the MSc Final Thesis with a non-projectual work.

Bibliography
A full list of references will be provided by the team at the beginning of the Studio

The Studio enable the development of the MSc Final Work and the exam consists in a public seminar with a connected exhibition documenting the research work and the initial design investigation of each group on their specific topic.