Dall'accessibilità all'accoglienza. Spazio pubblico e fragilità

Why does inclusion and accessibility space have to draw attention to special needs people apparatus and policies? Why does its design risk to neglect beauty, leaning upon well-known technical approaches? We are facing social vulnerabilities, such as the ageing of population and a longer period of dependence and sickness. These challenges require a new concept of public space which, facing and taking charge of these needs, could become one of the backbones of our society. The ability to relate different parts of our city, to organize and to ensure independence in its use in a perspective of care, assumes a shift from the concept of accessibility to the concept of acceptance. Piazza Roversi, in Reggio Emilia, has been regenerated through an important work which is included into a wider project. It has been an experiment upon the public space both in its process and in its unconventional choices. The crossroad has become a space for everybody, where vehicles are considered as “guests”. Thus, accessibility develops into an invisible element, and beauty emerges as a means of education. Beauty can be seen as an opportunity to draw attention; thus, it is strictly connected to the idea of acceptance. The strength of this idea has been strongly influenced by a process of co-creation in the public space from different aspects. First, the project had to respect the historical elements given by the context, and they had to be agreed with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici. On the other hand, it had to respect the direction given by Reggio Emilia Municipality to reconfigure the public space (from a crossroad to a public square). The technical solutions for inclusivity had to facilitate the everyday life of people with disabilities. In this context, the process of co-creation has been characterized as an effective element for an experimental solution and replicable procedures. The design has contributed to embrace the social dynamics of our city, a welcoming space where everyone can find his own place.