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intervention strategies for renovation of social housing estates

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The research set up Chapter 1<br />

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potential, there is a lack <strong>of</strong> approaches integrating the range <strong>of</strong> possible envelope-related<br />

physical solutions.<br />

In Italy, <strong>renovation</strong> in general is far from being implemented in the life-cycle <strong>of</strong> dwellings.<br />

With a few exceptions, the most common approach focuses on maintenance at the minimum<br />

acceptable quality, i.e. the original quality when newly constructed.. In case <strong>of</strong> Rome,<br />

<strong>intervention</strong>s tend to be driven by the “emergency approach”: temporary and superficial<br />

physical measures to solve severe and extended problems. The technical and functional<br />

qualities <strong>of</strong> the <strong>social</strong> <strong>housing</strong> stock worsen over the years, especially <strong>of</strong> those <strong>estates</strong><br />

realized between the ‘60s and the ‘70s <strong>of</strong> the <strong>for</strong>mer century. The <strong>housing</strong> institute is at the<br />

same time in severe financial and managerial conditions. There is a need <strong>for</strong> a more strategic<br />

<strong>renovation</strong> approach and <strong>for</strong> tools to improve effectiveness <strong>of</strong> decision-making. Such issues<br />

are particular important given the current <strong>housing</strong> shortage in Rome.<br />

Dutch <strong>housing</strong> associations have been developing <strong>strategies</strong> to deal with <strong>renovation</strong> on<br />

neighborhood and building level. They developed effective processes to manage such<br />

projects. A number <strong>of</strong> <strong>housing</strong> <strong>estates</strong> from the 1960s and the 1970s have already been<br />

subjected to <strong>renovation</strong>. Some <strong>of</strong> these initiatives, although far from being envelope directed<br />

approaches, are considered good examples <strong>of</strong> <strong>renovation</strong>. This is extensively shown in the<br />

site <strong>of</strong> the National Renovation Prize (NRP), as stated a well-known prize awarding successful<br />

<strong>renovation</strong>s in the Netherlands, just having awarded the 11the edition <strong>of</strong> the biannual prize.<br />

Insight into the Dutch context could be necessary to understand ‘why’ and ‘how’ such<br />

<strong>renovation</strong> projects are being implemented to end up with recommendations on possible<br />

<strong>intervention</strong> <strong>strategies</strong> <strong>for</strong> ATER Roma in particular, and to the Italy in general.<br />

Summarizing the described situation, the problem definition might be described as follows:<br />

The <strong>housing</strong> shortage and decaying condition <strong>of</strong> the post-war <strong>social</strong> <strong>housing</strong> stock owned by<br />

ATER Roma stem <strong>for</strong> poor and ad-hoc maintenance and investment decisions and this<br />

situation might be improved by an innovative <strong>intervention</strong> strategy that might be developed<br />

after the framework <strong>of</strong> the Dutch <strong>renovation</strong> <strong>strategies</strong>.<br />

1.2.2) AIM OF THE RESEARCH and CENTRAL RESEARCH<br />

QUESTIONS<br />

This research refers to a broader concept <strong>of</strong> <strong>renovation</strong> that according to Thomsen is a<br />

“trans<strong>for</strong>mation (process) <strong>of</strong> the physical, functional, financial, architectural and ecological<br />

characteristics <strong>of</strong> a building product or project (product) to realize a comprehensive and<br />

useful extension <strong>of</strong> the life span” (Thomsen, 2001).<br />

The aim <strong>of</strong> this study is to recommend on directions <strong>for</strong> the improvement <strong>of</strong> the<br />

<strong>intervention</strong> strategy <strong>of</strong> ATER Roma <strong>for</strong> its post-war <strong>housing</strong> stock.<br />

In particular, the objective is to provide a framework <strong>of</strong> physical measures <strong>for</strong> <strong>renovation</strong><br />

directed to the building envelope to support decision making <strong>of</strong> the <strong>housing</strong> association and<br />

other parties. This will be achieved by structuring a matrix addressing strengths and<br />

weakness <strong>of</strong> each physical measure.<br />

7. A

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