Studi e ricerche finalizzati agli approfondimenti di Progettazione Ambientale, partecipazione e inclusione sociale nell’ambito del progetto di riqualificazione del sistema del verde urbano / Studies and research aimed at in-depth studies of Environmental Design, participation and social inclusion in the context of the urban green system redevelopment project

This paper illustrates the research and design exper- imentation activities carried out as part of a research agreement between the ABC Department at Politecnico di Milano, and the Municipality of Novara1. This activi- ty involved a complex process of redeveloping the system of urban green spaces and public spaces, with a partic- ular focus on the Children’s Park, originally developed in the early 1930s. Specifically, for the redevelopment of the park, a design method was adopted that included the direct involvement of the end users - namely, the children - during the conceptual and planning phases, through dedicated creative design workshops. The project was ex- ecuted through a system of integrated actions, involving targeted design initiatives aimed at redeveloping the park, improving the landscape, securing and safeguarding tree species and historical trees, as well as the Spanish walls. Additionally, a cross-cutting governance process (Schiaf- fonati et al., 2011) was established, featuring a special- ised steering committee with mixed participation.