UN-Habitat: Urban Revitalization of Masshousing - International Competition - Scampia's Sails - 1st National Position | Ra.Ro. Group (Carmelo Radeglia, Alessandro Rosa)

Actually we consider really important the inhabitants point of view, and we agree that right now the Sails do not symbolize at all the best live conditions, but we also consider really interesting the original design of the architect and its social utopia. Furthermore It is true that the Vele can be consider a sort of monument of the 1960-70 architecture and forthis reason should be preserved but It is completely inhuman to force some people to live in a place that can not afford basic live condition just because is a monument of a failure! Everyone can concord that only demolishing the Sails, it is impossible to solve the problems of drug dealing and organized crime, in fact probably it would just move in another place. We believe it would be necessary to give to the population an effective alternative in order to remove workforce from the Camorra and devote it into legal and positive activities that can ensure an income able to support the families. For this reason we propose a social, economical as well as architectural and urban solution It is clear that these architectural and social ideas considerably depend on policy: the political commitment should be much stronger compa ed to what was done with the previous Di Salvo’s project. The idea is to preserve the existing structures giving them a completely new life. The model we want to propose is a mix between the eco-district and the vertical and urban farm.

What we want to do, is to create through agriculture a new micro and why not macro economy able to requalify again the Sails and the all neighborhood. At the same time, the idea of vertical and urban farm is growing a lot. The km 0 products combined with the possibility to grown the own product in the own garden is a policy that is spreading quickly among Italian population. About the buildings, first of all, the shocking walkways in the central hole will be removed in order to permit the sun light to come inside. Light and the more transparent is possible, situated every four houses will be the new vertical connection. The services planned by Di Salvo will be placed in the ground common floor with adding places for social participation and training centers to able local people to work inside the structure, activities for children and spaces for giving help to drug addicted people. The number of dwelling will be reduced, but the amount of people will be the same. This can be possible re using the several abandoned compartments that right now count an incredible number. Facades and the walls will be renovates in order to remove molds and humidity. Furthermore the Sails structures result perfect for passive system integration. Because of the shape can be extremely easy to collect rainy water and re-use it for irrigation. The orientation is well done for ventilation and every house counts on a double front. Can be also possible the integration of solar panels along the huge south side. The large number of terraces and the dimensions pretty big can permit the creation of green roofs possibly used for the agriculture scope. The presence of a local market and a subway line connecting to the centre can guarantee to this economy to grow and develop. People can find a real job and with time specialize the own sector of production. In this way, we are not saying we will remove Camorra and drug dealing but we will give to the people a good choice! With a clever administration and a wise government Scampia could even become an example of renovation and change, and maybe we will see the Sails sailing again.

http://www.masshousingcompetition.org/results/entry/607