New "Il Polis Maker" volume published in Maggioli's Politecnica series

We are pleased to announce the publication of the volume Il Polis Maker per la qualita del vivere e lo sviluppo urbano sostenibile. Azioni per cambiare la citta, published by Maggioli in the Politecnica series and authored by Prof. Santiago Caprio.

The book gathers and reworks the experiences of the workshops developed within the first- and second-level PolisMaker Master's programmes, presenting the case studies not only as design outcomes, but also as a methodological and operational heritage. In the contexts explored, the city becomes a laboratory for improving citizens' wellbeing and testing intelligent and sustainable urban models, while each workshop becomes a replicable method that can be applied in different realities.

The volume spans experiences developed in Europe - Carnago, Locarno, Finalborgo, Altavilla Irpina, Como, Sondrio and Barlassina - and in non-EU contexts such as Bangladesh and El Salvador, showing how the same approach can operate both in historic centres and in fragile territories or rapidly changing scenarios.

At the core of the work is the PolisMaker figure, able to integrate architecture, urban planning, economics and governance into holistic and participatory processes aimed at building strategies, guidelines and feasible projects. It is a perspective that considers the built environment not only from a physical point of view, but as a field of conscious decisions in which even the smallest intervention can activate wellbeing, social cohesion and sustainable development.

The processes described in the volume begin with an in-depth reading of places, involve communities, engage institutions and verify the social, spatial and economic feasibility of proposals. What emerges is an approach to urban transformation that is attentive to the material, relational and strategic dimensions at the same time, with the goal of generating practical actions to change the city starting from quality of living.

In the introduction to the volume, written by Arch. Marco Asciutti and Dr. Sara Clarissa Bonati, it is highlighted that the sequence of case studies represents both a physical journey and a way of approaching the interdisciplinary design and management of urban settlements with a focus on quality of living and intelligent, sustainable urban development. The authors also emphasise the continuity of this publication with the previous editorial volumes of the PolisMaker project.

A special thanks goes to Prof. Marco Asciutti, coordinator of the Master's teaching activities, for the collaboration offered in the making of the volume and for the contribution to this editorial path. His participation testifies to the fruitful dialogue among teaching, research and design practice that accompanies the PolisMaker experience.

The volume is therefore proposed as a useful tool for those who look at the city and territory as spaces to be understood, interpreted and transformed through integrated, participatory processes oriented toward sustainability and quality of living.

For more information: polismaker@polimi.it