The PolisMaker

Learning paths

We do not just design square metres: we design Quality of Living. Two university Masters putting people at the centre, from the Genius Loci of small villages to the complexity of People Smart Sustainable Cities.

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Two Masters, one interdisciplinary learning ecosystem

Why an interdisciplinary Master?

Because cities are complex, and no single discipline is enough to govern them. The PolisMaker method trains “bridge” professionals, capable of making architects talk to sociologists, investors to public administrators. Whatever your background – technical, economic or humanistic – here you learn to read the Genius Loci and to turn it into sustainable, inclusive projects oriented to community wellbeing.

The PolisMaker as evaluator of choices

The PolisMaker is first and foremost an evaluator of choices: a professional able to interpret territories, understand their dynamics and identities, and orient strategic decisions based on value, impacts and sustainability. Not only designing, therefore, but choosing, assessing and guiding urban and territorial transformation processes.

From physical space to existential space

The PolisMaker method starts from a simple premise: physical space is not enough. Every intervention modifies people’s lives, their perception of places, their social and cultural ties. This is why we train professionals able to read existential space – from small villages to large metropolitan areas – and to translate collective needs into measurable, sustainable and shared strategies, projects and decisions.

Urban regeneration, Quality of Living and Value Management

The first- and second-level PolisMaker Masters integrate human, social and territorial sciences – essential to understand places – with technical, economic, legal and design competences, which are necessary to build solutions that create value. They are postgraduate paths dedicated to urban regeneration, sustainable urban development, Quality of Living and Value Analysis & Value Management. They are designed for those who are looking for a Master in urban regeneration or a programme on sustainable project and real estate investment management, and who want to move beyond a narrow “smart city” idea towards a true “care city”.

Two paths, two levels of responsibility

Both Masters share the same vision: Quality of Living as the outcome of urban and territorial transformations. What changes is the level of responsibility, the professional role and the position within decision-making processes.

Feature	First-level Master – Polis-Making	Second-level Master – PolisMaker
Guiding idea	Doing (Making): operational tools and practical application in urban and territorial contexts.	Being (Maker): strategic vision, leadership and governance of complex transformations.
UNI 11915 profile	Specialist Value Manager — EQF level 6.	Advanced Value Manager — EQF level 7.
Main focus	Managing everyday urban transformation, reading territories and operating within decision-making processes.	Directing, validating and evaluating complex strategies for urban, territorial and real estate valorisation.
Target participants	Bachelor’s graduates, young professionals, operational technicians.	Master’s graduates, public administration officers, managers and senior professionals.
Approach	Interdisciplinary method oriented to action and practice.	Interdisciplinary method oriented to strategic decision-making and Value Management.

A scale-free vision: from micro to macro

The PolisMaker method is universal because it is grounded in human needs. The same sustainability metrics – economic, environmental, social and cultural – are applied to the regeneration of a small village or a mountain community, as well as to the planning of a People Smart Sustainable City. PolisMakers learn to move seamlessly between neighbourhoods, cities, inner areas and metropolitan systems.

From smart city to care city

An advanced city is not only “smart”: it is a city that takes care of its inhabitants, of vulnerabilities, of daily life rhythms and of the needs of children, elderly people, workers and local communities. The care city is the cultural horizon of the PolisMaker Masters: policies, projects and investments oriented to caring for people and places.

Why choose a PolisMaker Master

Over 90% employment rate within 6 months after graduation, with significant career progressions for working professionals.
15th edition: over 20 years of experience in training City Makers and urban transformation professionals.
A programme of excellence by Politecnico di Milano and the CISE University Consortium.
Alignment with UNI 11915:2023 on the Value Manager profile, developing both Specialist and Advanced roles.
Access to the PolisMaker International Association: an international network of experts, lecturers and Alumni.
Workshops and project works on real cases in Italy and abroad: villages, cities, mountain communities, real estate projects and public–private partnerships.

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PolisMaker learning paths

First-level University Master

POLIS-MAKING: Sustainable Urban Transformation Management Tools for Quality of Living

The first-level Master provides an interdisciplinary foundation to analyse and manage urban and territorial transformation processes: sustainable urban development, regeneration of cities and small villages, and the multiple dimensions of Quality of Living. It offers operational tools to read contexts, evaluate alternative scenarios and collaborate with local authorities and real estate players, integrating technical, economic, legal and socio-cultural perspectives.

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Second-level University Master

POLISMAKER: Value Manager for Sustainable Urban Development

The second-level Master is designed for professionals aiming at strategic roles in territorial transformation, real estate asset management and urban investment decisions. It deepens Value Analysis & Value Management according to UNI 11915:2023, financial evaluation of complex projects, real estate finance, public–private partnerships and multi-stakeholder decision-making processes, in connection with smart city, care city and sustainable urban development topics.

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Each Master is a complete and autonomous path. The first-level Master is oriented to those entering the field of urban regeneration and sustainable projects, while the second-level Master targets professionals who want to work as Value Managers and take strategic roles in decisions on investments, urban transformations and Quality of Living.

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Master programmes at a glance

Common data for both programmes

Edition: XV (founded in 2002).
ECTS: 60.
Duration: 12 months (October 2024 – October 2025).
Workload: 1,500 total hours (lectures, individual study, thesis and workshops) for 60 ECTS.
Formula: Weekend schedule (Friday and Saturday), compatible with full-time work.
Delivery mode: In-presence teaching at Politecnico di Milano (Leonardo Campus) and online (Live streaming + On demand).
Platform: all lectures are recorded and available to students in the Master reserved area.

First-level University Master “Polis-Making”

Admission requirements: Bachelor’s degree.
Awarded degree: First-level University Master diploma issued by Politecnico di Milano.

Second-level University Master “PolisMaker”

Admission requirements: Master’s degree (Laurea Magistrale/Specialistica or equivalent).
Awarded degree: Second-level University Master diploma issued by Politecnico di Milano.

Credits, recognition and network

The PolisMaker Masters provide university and professional credits and are embedded in a network of national and international recognitions related to the Value Manager profile and Quality of Living.

Shared credits and recognition

University credits (ECTS): both PolisMaker and Polis-Making Masters award 60 ECTS each.
Professional credits (CFP) for engineers: 30 CFP for attendance in presence and online (according to current regulations and accreditation procedures).
Professional credits (CFP) for architects: 20 CFP for attendance in presence and online (according to current regulations and accreditation procedures).
International recognition: eligibility to obtain the title of “qualified technician” in Canton Ticino (Switzerland) under the Cantonal Law on Territorial Development (LST).

National recognition – First-level Master

The Polis-Making Master integrates the competences required by UNI 11915:2023 for the Specialist Value Manager profile, ensuring a complete education recognised at national level. The Specialist Value Manager operates mainly at an operational and tactical–managerial level – EQF level 6.

National recognition – Second-level Master

The second-level PolisMaker Master integrates the competences required by UNI 11915:2023 for the Advanced Value Manager profile, ensuring a complete education recognised at national level. The Advanced Value Manager operates mainly at a strategic–managerial level, guiding policies and high-level decisions – EQF level 7.

CISE Consortium and PolisMaker network

The CISE University Consortium, participated by Politecnico di Milano, is a centre of excellence for innovation in the construction sector and sustainable engineering. It provides advanced resources and an extensive network of collaborations with academia and industry, within which the PolisMaker Masters, research projects, workshops and institutional partnerships are developed.

Interdisciplinary areas

PolisMaker learning areas

The Master curriculum is not a list of separate subjects, but an interconnected ecosystem. Imagine a circle – or a hexagon – with people and existential space at the centre, and six areas serving them all around. Territorial development & urban regeneration, Economy & strategy, Law & governance, Human Sciences & Quality of Living, Art, Design & Innovation, Communication & data-driven city: they are not studied in isolation, but in an integrated way, through real cases, workshops and project works continuously linking different competences.

Territorial development & urban regeneration — Beyond traditional planning: resilience and regeneration of cities, small towns and inner areas.
Economy & strategy — Economic sustainability and project financing to make projects feasible.
Law & governance — Regulations not as constraints, but as tools to govern complex and sustainable processes.
Human Sciences & Quality of Living — Sociology and psychology to understand who inhabits places and to build a true care city.
Art, Design & Innovation — Aesthetics, creativity and innovation as drivers of social and territorial value.
Communication & data-driven city — Stakeholder engagement and Big Data to support transparent and monitorable decisions.

Territorial development & urban regeneration

Area coordinator: Prof. Benedetto Antonini, Prof. Santiago Caprio

Tools, methods and case studies to analyse and transform cities, small towns and inner areas. From the systemic reading of environmental, settlement and infrastructural components to the design of urban regeneration and territorial enhancement projects, with a focus on existential space, Genius Loci and Quality of Living.

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Economy & strategy

Area coordinators: Prof. Angelo Caruso di Spaccaforno, Prof. Giampiero Bambagioni.

Economic and financial evaluation of projects, Value Analysis & Value Management, real estate finance, decision economics and tools to build sustainable urban development strategies. The aim is to combine economic, social and environmental sustainability, transparently supporting decisions on investments and urban transformations.

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Law & governance

Area coordinator: Avv. Elisabetta Cicigoi.

Legal frameworks for spatial and urban planning, administrative and environmental law, tools for landscape and cultural heritage protection, sustainability and circular economy models. Law is addressed as a key infrastructure to govern complex processes, smart and care city policies and shared decision-making.

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Human Sciences & Quality of Living

Area coordinators: Prof. Sara Schieppati, Prof. Paolo Martini.

Territorial and environmental sociology, anthropology, environmental psychology and ethics. Human sciences provide the lenses to understand needs, perceptions, conflicts and forms of belonging, placing the human dimension of Quality of Living at the core of decisions.

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Art, Design & Innovation

Area coordinator: Prof. Santiago Caprio.

Urban design, public space aesthetics, expressive and creative languages applied to the city, design cultures and experimentation. Art and design are leveraged as drivers for social and territorial innovation, strengthening identity, attractiveness and the quality of urban experience in both small villages and metropolitan contexts.

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Communication & data-driven city

Area coordinator: Prof. Alessandra De Seneen.

Tools for communication, participation and civic engagement, and the integration of data (GIS, indicators, digital platforms) into decision-making processes. From smart city to data-driven city and beyond, towards a care city: understandable, shared, monitorable and care-oriented urban policies.

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PolisMaking framework

Quality of Living

In the PolisMaking framework, Quality of Living is the integrated outcome of urban transformations: not only in functional or spatial terms, but in their ability to create value for people, communities and territories. It marks the shift from the sole idea of smart city to a care city perspective, where cities and territories place care, equity and widespread wellbeing at the centre. PolisMakers work on five interconnected and measurable dimensions of wellbeing.

Physical Wellbeing

Quality of spaces and built environment: mobility, universal accessibility, urban safety, environmental comfort, air quality, walkability and everyday usability of public and private spaces.

Social Wellbeing

The ability of places to generate positive interactions, inclusion, sense of belonging and cohesion. It is reflected in community networks, proximity services, equity and equal opportunities of use for different social groups.

Emotional Wellbeing

Perception of beauty, identity, Genius Loci, perceived safety, serenity and the quality of urban experience. Emotions are recognised as a key component of place value and project evaluation.

Development

Opportunities for personal and collective growth generated by urban transformations: culture, education, innovation, training and new skills. It expresses the capacity of a territory to foster people’s development and attract talents.

Material Wellbeing

Economic resources, access to services, housing conditions, quality and sustainability of the built stock. It links development, equity and the capacity of places to generate value over time, also in terms of responsible real estate and investment decisions.

Professional benefits and application fields

The PolisMaker Masters stand at the crossroads between urban regeneration, sustainable urban development, real estate and Value Analysis & Value Management. Some distinctive elements:

Teaching that alternates lectures, laboratories and interdisciplinary workshops on real cases in Italy and abroad.
Access to a faculty made up of Politecnico di Milano professors, international experts and professionals from public and private sectors.
Networking opportunities with public administrations, companies, professional firms and international organisations involved in the Masters’ project works.
Possibility to connect professional experience with thesis and project works developed on real urban and territorial contexts.
A transversal profile integrating technical, economic, legal and human-science competences, useful for coordination roles in urban, territorial and real estate fields.

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Two paths, one shared vision

Whether you choose the first-level “Polis-Making” Master or the second-level “PolisMaker: Value Manager” Master, the core remains the same: promoting Quality of Living through urban projects, policies and investments that generate economic, social and environmental value for people, territories and professionals working within them.

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