Pietralata Social Housing (2011)
Bachelor Degree Thesis, supervisors Prof. Arch. C. Clemente, Prof. Arch. L. V. Ferretti
“Sapienza” University of Rome, “Valle Giulia” Architecture Faculty
Thesis published on "Hortus", "Sapienza" University of Rome Architecture and Project Department on-line review
"Pietralata Social Housing" is the answer to a public competition promoted by the Municipality of Rome for the design of a social housing district in an area of the city where the town planning scheme previews substantial requalification interventions. Some critical situations are evident: 1) fragmentation of the built fabric, of a very low architectural level; 2) lack of relationship with nearby buildings and extended green areas in a strong deterioration condition; 3) lack of both road and environment networks hierarchy; 4) inadequacy of the acceses to the area.
After some attempts the key points of the projects were drawn: a primary road axis is the spine of the district, the six-floor buildings to its sides highlight its importance through compact facades, while at the exterior the aim was to have a detailed reconnection with the existing urban fabric, through the use of thin four-storey buildings that make the built environment porous and create a series of public and semi-private spaces that point to social cohesion. The green wasn't concentrated in just one quadrant, but fragmented and extended to the whole district, to make the citizens enjoy it in a more immediate and natural way; a green corridor equipped with pedestrian and cycle lanes guarantees the connection with the new directional hub.
Aiming to a highly sustainable project, it has been decided to use natural materials as much as possible. Prefabricated wooden X-lam panels were chosen as the main construction system, technology that brings many advantages, among which extreme speed and ease of assembly, high fire and seism resistance, total sustainability and possibility of recycling, low thermal conductivity and high thermal inertia. Highly performing envelops, placing the buildings in the "A" energetic class, were obtained. Every building is equipped, in its roofing, with amorphous silicon photovoltaic panels and vacuum-sealed tubes solar panels that, together with condensing boilers, play a fundamental role in the evaluation of the energetic requirements of the complex. Every apartment can moreover avail of an air refreshing system thanks to metal chimneys that guarantee servo-controlled ventilation. In conclusion, every building has been provided with rainwater recycling systems.
