Inclusion: Looking for a new design approach for the development of the city for all

An interesting definition given to sustainability is “for everybody, forever”. Unfortunately, if we consider Italian cities, although many of them are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, they can not fit in this definition. First of all, in a world with aging population and where disability is no longer the exception, cities still present too many physical barriers that prevent people from using public space. Secondly cities have not been able to respond to the dynamism of migration flows and the progress of multiculturalism, causing episodes of inequality and social decay. Although these issues have always been at the center of the attention and the assumption underlying any design process is the identification and satisfaction of users’ needs, there are numerous project interventions that in recent years are not able to provide appropriate responses to these needs. For this reason, in particular for the city as the place of daily activities and social relations, it’s necessary a transition to a new design approach which ensures a fully inclusive view of the project and the effective well-being of people. Through the research it has been possible to define this new inclusive approach, which is primarily based on a cognitive phase to know users, their real needs and expectations. Then it’s necessary to define the tools for the development of a city for all, to be achieved through integrated design solutions, fitting to the different users’ skills. It’s also important to recognize the need for management actions to work alongside the architectural solutions to ensure their real effectiveness. In conclusion, this new design approach allows to obtain many benefits, from social to economic ones, but above all to rediscover the role of the city on the quality of people’s lives, especially in the Italian contest.