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4.0 Conclusion
The disquisition is realised with a circular approach, sought to demonstrate a path in which the pandemic is taken as a starting point. This methodology creates a route in which all the investigated topics are inter-connected and interrelated. In this way, a link between the different themes was detected, which brought us back to the debate pre-sented at the beginning of the thesis. This debate created different doubts and ques-tions that lead to the following hypothesis:
Elderly in the post-pandemic city: a critical understanding towards a multigenerational housing strategy. The analysis of the hypo-thesis encompassed different arguments that are strongly linked with the COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse effects. In the in-vestigation of these adverse effects, topics such as the phenomenon of loneliness and the multigenerational approach were revea-led, which are very strongly connected. The point of view and methodology of the circu-lar approach allowed us to have a clear data collection before the problem posed. To complement and support our thesis, the de-cision to carry out an intervention with case studies in order to have a notion and prac-tical reason apart from the theoreprac-tical one was taken. The analysis of the case studies helped us to complete the path of the circu-lar approach, understanding how multigene-rational architecture can be the solution to our starting point: the pandemic. It becomes evident how these two features are connec-ted and respond to the doubts raised during the investigation. The objective of the re-search has always been to try to understand if architecture can be used as a tool in mo-ments of crisis. In this way it is possible to close this circular approach by returning to the beginning of what was proposed.
The investigation revealed that the pande-mic’s effects were not uniform across diffe-rent age groups, but instead have deepened the already existing inequalities that specifi-cally affected the elderly. An analysis on the
ageing phenomena was performed, which sought to demonstrate that European coun-tries are suffering an increase in old people population, and will continue doing so in the following 30 to 50 years. These findings de-monstrated that this phenomenon found itself strictly connected to the loneliness is-sue during the pandemic. After the analysis and study of the provided data, a possible solution already experimented in various cities was put in evidence: the multigene-rational approach. This is not seen as the only solution, but as one possibility to face this concern. Thus, the role that architecture plays in influencing people both in a spatial and mental manner was investigated, stud-ying the possibility of combining different age groups under the same roof.
The thesis supports this last claim, with the exhibition of examples collected in the so-called “catalogue” that function as an investigation of existing buildings and pro-jects that experimented a multigenerational approach to housing issues, demonstra-ting the effectiveness of them. Through the making of a horizontal analysis, a trend of shared construction pattern and typology was identified, mainly focused on the use of common spaces, services and connection between the interior and the exterior. From the year 2007 until the present day the mul-tigenerational approach is recognized as a movement of the architecture of today and that of the future.
Finally, a deeper analysis of two case stu-dies was performed to better explore the possibility and the unexpected limits of the multigenerational approach. These case studies were selected for specific reasons.
In Turin the main reason was the proximity to the place, which allowed us to visit the exact location and to be in contact with the people that were involved in the project. By choosing this case, we were able to achieve a deeper approach through interviews and site surveys. This project is not only a good example of architecture but also exposes features that connect itself with an urban
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scale. It caught our attention since it is a pro-ject that was born from the social and from a request of the families that suffer inequa-lities, which was a perfect case for the de-bate presented. There is an existing social intention from the beginning of the project, in which the affected actors show a need for this kind of architecture. The results eviden-ced that this typology is capable of tackling inequalities, not only in the older generation, but also on disabled people and their respec-tives families. On the other hand, in the case of the project in Alicante, the main reason was that we share the same language with the people involved in it. In this way, a deep investigation work has been performed, which allowed us to feel empathy and emo-tions on a different level. Also, this project manifests the effectiveness of a multigene-rational project that has been in function for more than 10 years, focused on the relation between the older and younger generations as a possibility to fight loneliness.
The thesis was enriched through the making of different interviews to the main actors of the projects in Torino and Alicante, who were capable of transmitting a new and different point of view. To begin with, the architects communicated an intention of using archi-tecture as a way of solving a latent problem in society. Unfortunately, the fieldwork analy-sis could not occur due to pandemic issues in Spain, but the possibility of speaking with the people living in the project was presen-ted and they transmitpresen-ted lots of happiness and empathy with this new way of living.
Moreover, the agents of the social program showed their significant values towards the creation and integration of communities.
The findings have taught that the relation be-tween different generations is possible and not only depends on a user, but on the will of two or more people who want to create relationships, in this case old and young.
The more relationships are created, a grea-ter sense of community will be formed. This sense of community that old people can feel during their living on multigenerational
pro-jects has shown to stop the feeling of loneli-ness that most of them had before entering the community. Loneliness is strictly related to a person’s quality of life and its context.
It is here when the role of architecture and the social, which are unified and interrelated, generate and provide spaces that can chan-ge lifestyles and even be helpful in times of crisis.
As future architects, this makes us reflect and at the same time confirm our hypothe-sis that architecture can be displayed as a tool for the creation of spaces and feelings.
It is in moments of crisis when architectu-re plays a huge and important role in ma-king the changes that society needs. This is where evidence is put on how strong the city’s infrastructure is and its weaknesses.
During this investigation, the presented in-equalities showed that there is a demand for a new type of architecture in which the multigenerational approach appears as a possibility. Under this context, doubts and questions emerge to question in which ways these factors are interrelated. The existence of inequalities that are very latent in today’s society and that have intensified with the pandemic is exposed. Arriving at the end of this circular approach, architecture can then be understood as an element capable of ba-ttling these existing inequalities. But if this is the case, is the existence of inequalities the responsibility of society or of architecture?