Connectivity, resilience, and sustainability are concepts proposed by the project team comprised of ATI Project, a-fact Architecture Factory (Parallel Collective), Weber Architects, and Parcnouveau for the development of a social housing district in the Bertalia-Lazzaretto neighborhood of Bologna, Italy.

The master plan, approximately 6,200 m² in area, stands out for its integration into the immediate surroundings, highlighting landscape elements such as the green spaces of Reno Park and the Ghisiliera Canal. Through a regeneration process, the project aims to transform the area into a dynamic urban center.

The winning proposal for the new Bertalia-Lazzaretto Ecodistrict in Bologna by ATI Project, a-fact architecture factory, Weber Architects, and Parcnouveau is not a residential project, but a new urban ecosystem.

The New Ecodistrict is conceived through a multi-scale approach that enhances the north-south landscape axis defined by the Ghisiliera Canal, transforming it into a green corridor for pedestrians and cyclists. This infrastructure acts as a central axis that runs along the urban layout, connecting existing and new spaces and promoting sustainable mobility.

Masterplan by a-fact architecture factory. The winning proposal for the new Ecodistrict Bertalia-Lazzaretto in Bologna by ATI Project, a-fact architecture factory, Weber Architects and Parcnouveau.
Masterplan by a-fact architecture factory. The winning proposal for the new Ecodistrict Bertalia-Lazzaretto in Bologna by ATI Project, a-fact architecture factory, Weber Architects and Parcnouveau. 

By incorporating open public spaces for well-being, the intervention encourages encounters and socialization among both new residents and the local community. This vision of a collective habitat is inspired by the social richness of historic cities and contemporary principles of sustainability. This is not simply an urban expansion, but a regeneration process that returns vital public spaces to the community, fostering integration and creating an active neighborhood experience.

The volumetric configuration and the varied heights of the building blocks, characterized by a variety of colors, are inspired by Bologna's historic center, reinforcing the sense of belonging, crucial for new residents. Additionally, the outdoor gallery is conceived as something more than a simple passageway and becomes a social catalyst.

The winning proposal for the new Ecodistrict Bertalia-Lazzaretto in Bologna by ATI Project, a-fact architecture factory, Weber Architects and Parcnouveau. Rendering by a-fact architecture factory.
The winning proposal for the new Ecodistrict Bertalia-Lazzaretto in Bologna by ATI Project, a-fact architecture factory, Weber Architects and Parcnouveau. Rendering by a-fact architecture factory.

Complementary to this, the bioclimatic design optimizes access to natural light and ventilation, enhances energy efficiency, and supports the physical and mental well-being of residents.

The flexible housing mix and the strategic arrangement of apartments along these outdoor galleries allow for long-term adaptability, promoting socialization and completing a sustainable and dynamic living ecosystem capable of responding to contemporary challenges.

"We are proud to contribute to such an important urban regeneration initiative for Bologna and its community." With the new Bertalia-Lazzaretto Ecodistrict, we propose a social housing concept that combines technological innovation, environmental sustainability, and collective well-being. By integrating the multidisciplinary expertise of the entire project team, we have envisioned a resilient urban ecosystem capable of meeting current needs while simultaneously addressing and adapting to future challenges."

Luca Serri, Managing Director of the ATI Project.

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Client
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Municipality of Bologna.

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Area
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Aproximately 6,200 sqm.

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Location
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Bologna, Italy.

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Rendering
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a-fact is an architecture practice founded in late 2022 by Andrea Rossi, Giovanni Sanna and Pierluigi Turco which is composed of a multidisciplinary team headquartered in Milan and London.

They are architects, thinkers, engineers and designers. They believe that architecture shapes the future of our communities. They draw energy from contextual data to generate resilient ecosystems where people can live, work and thrive. They join forces with experts from diverse fields, to deliver sustainable projects for forward-thinking clients.

Our culture pushes them to explore the concept of “factual sustainability” that - as Hans Rosling says in Factfulness - allows us to welcome complexity,  warying of slogans and oversimplification of key sustainable-design concepts. Collecting, processing and transforming contextual data into integrated architectural ideas means designing case-by-case, tackling environmental, economic and social challenges towards a more factual paradigm of circularity and a renewed harmony with nature.

They do this conscious of our responsibility – as architects – to imagine and shape flexible cities, buildings and spaces able to house a thriving future and its possible evolutions. They call this the A-FACTOR.
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Founded in 2011 by partners Branko Zrnic and Luca Serri, ATI Project is an international firm specializing in comprehensive architectural and engineering projects. The firm currently employs over 350 professionals across its offices in Italy (Pisa and Milan), Serbia, Denmark, Estonia, Switzerland, and France.

Its projects span a variety of sectors: residential, educational, healthcare, office, hospitality, cultural, and infrastructure. Its activities are complemented by research and development.

The firm adopts an approach focused on technological innovation, sustainability, and a human-centered perspective. In all its activities, ATI Project promotes development and growth policies centered on quality, inclusion, multiculturalism, and positive contributions to the community and the environment.

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Formally founded in early 2022, Weber Architects represents the evolution of a project initiated in 2014 by Filippo Weber, a synthesis of his architectural and research experiences developed at the University of Bologna and the Architectural Association in London.

Based in Florence, the team is comprised of an interdisciplinary team of professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences, currently involved in numerous projects, both private and public.

The studio's design approach is based on the awareness that every construction project leaves a mark on our planet and represents an opportunity to transform environmental challenges into future benefits.

Weber Architects develops projects ranging from architectural details to urban scale, with the aim of creating buildings that consume the least amount of resources possible during their lifecycle and whose functional and aesthetic value remains relevant over time, beyond our generation.

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Parcnouveau is a Milan-based landscape architecture studio founded in 2008 by Margherita Brianza. Luca Manzocchi joined the team in 2012 and Carolina Pelosato in 2022.

Combining a deep understanding of nature and a precise focus on community experiences, Parcnouveau manages each project with great depth and dedication, ensuring quality and expertise at every stage.

The studio currently has a team of 20 professionals and offers a wide range of services covering all aspects of landscape design in its broadest sense. From large-scale strategic planning to urban spaces such as parks and squares, including work environments, logistics centers, hospitality facilities, and hospitals.

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Published on: March 17, 2025
Cite: "Sustainable community. Winning proposal for the new Ecodistrict Bertalia-Lazzaretto " METALOCUS. Accessed
<http://www.metalocus.es/en/news/sustainable-community-winning-proposal-new-ecodistrict-bertalia-lazzaretto> ISSN 1139-6415
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