Improving the quality of urban life and promoting innovative processes to make the city more welcoming and sustainable: this is the mission of the Foundation for Urban Innovation in Bologna. The Foundation was established in 2018 from the transformation of the Urban Centre Bologna, previously founded by the University and the Municipality to develop engagement, information, and prototyping actions in the face of the challenges of the contemporary city. In 2024, it merged with two other municipal organisations to become 'Fondazione IU Rusconi Ghigi', extending its mission to encompass environmental education and the administration of green spaces. To delve deeper into the role of the Foundation and the approaches developed in the field, Infra Journal interviewed the director, Giovanni Ginocchini.
What specific challenges are you trying to address?
"Our cities are confronted with a multitude of challenges. Our attention is directed towards issues linked to the climate crisis and the transformation of urban living environments, as well as those associated with demographic and social change. Often, these challenges are interconnected, but sometimes they present unique and independent aspects. The Foundation operates both in terms of study and analysis, developing possible solutions to these critical issues, and in terms of involvement, whether it involves listening or co-designing responses together with active participants in the city, such as citizens' associations and the third sector. Added to this is the interaction with the world of research and companies. As an institution, our idea is to collaborate with this 'quintuple helix' of actors who can collectively develop solutions".
Urban transformation often creates division: some citizens prefer to maintain the status quo, while others advocate for even radical change. How can truly inclusive and participatory change be promoted?
"I think the first rule to observe is that of transparency. When starting a dialog, it is crucial to establish the rules and delineate which topics are open to discussion and which are already set. This approach may lead some actors, who do not share the initial premises, to choose not to participate, but it is a necessary price to ensure transparency. Then, it is crucial to define a common language, and thus favour the progressive enlargement of interlocutors in order to intercept voices that are not usually involved".
Can you give an example?
"We have recently explored two tools that align more with the deliberative dimension than the participatory one. Participatory budgeting is one such tool, where local communities directly propose projects that are co-designed and validated with the administration's technicians before being put to a vote by citizens aged 16 and over. Even though these changes are often minor, they significantly impact the people living in the affected areas, improving the quality of life and fostering a stronger sense of belonging to the community. On a broader scale, I would like to mention the process related to the 'Climate Neutrality 2030' mission to which the city of Bologna is committed. In this journey, we experienced the first Citizens' Climate Assembly. The aim was to overcome polarisation by selecting one hundred citizens through a representative statistical sample that included metropolitan residents and university students. In eight meetings over approximately nine months of work, this group developed a series of proposals voted on by the participants, which were then presented to and approved by the City Council".
Having adopted the 'City 30' policy over a year ago, Bologna stands as Italy's first such city. What are your thoughts on the outcomes so far?
"The administration's figures speak of a very positive balance with regard to the decrease in serious accidents and road deaths. Within this process, the Foundation did not play a participatory or deliberative facilitation role, but made a significant contribution by distributing a questionnaire that received more than 10,000 responses. Our research has consistently highlighted the strong demand to reduce speed limits in city streets as a means to improve livability. This measure serves as a response to these long-standing needs and requirements that we have noted".
Fostering civic imagination is among the initiatives supported by Fondazione IU. What factors might prompt the activation of imagination within urban practices?
"What is needed is the development of robust relationships that allow for the emergence of ideas in unexpected areas, thereby converting them into tangible solutions for the local context. I firmly believe that, in addressing needs, both citizens and the third sector can make a vital contribution, bringing skills, perspectives, and insights that are equally as valid as those of experts. For instance, many cities have developed participatory budgeting simply by launching an online survey, inviting citizens to propose projects and then vote on the ones received. We, on the other hand, have built a path that develops over a year. Although the creative visions stemming from these proposals might initially appear naïve or challenging to implement, the co-design process effectively transforms these concepts into tangible projects, which are well-prepared for realization".
Which scenarios within the urban environment do you find to be the most intriguing and innovative?
"I wish to underscore two areas of work which, though seemingly opposing, actually complement the challenges of today's urban landscape. The first concerns the digital sphere, specifically the development of predictive tools known as the city's Digital Twin, enriched by hot data from citizens and the urban fabric. We are working on an urban Digital Twin project to integrate our philosophy of listening to and enhancing the expressions of the city. The other focus is on paying attention to nature in the city, with natural materials and solutions for urban transformation. With the 'Bologna Verde' programme, we have launched 12 pilot projects that promote nature-based solutions. In the first case, inspiration comes from cities like Shanghai or Helsinki, which are shaping the urban future with advanced technologies; in the second, from Paris or South American cities, which are focusing on increasing urban greenery for climate adaptation".
How important are international examples, and how fundamental is the local context?
"Fondazione IU is undoubtedly a fairly unique tool, crafted with a strong alignment to the city's characteristics. I think it's essential for cities to implement such tools, but each one should tailor them to their own needs, maintaining a strong alignment with the needs expressed by each local reality".