Design per l’inclusione. Il progetto PLEINAIR per ripensare gli spazi pubblici tra tecnologia, partecipazione e benessere ambientale_Design for Inclusion. The PLEINAIR Project to Rethink Public Spaces Through Technology, Participation, and Environmental Well-being

Sedentary behaviour, identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the leading risk factors for numerous chronic diseases, is responsible for approximately one million deaths annually across Europe. Promoting active lifestyles has therefore become a global public health priority. Among the WHO’s strategic recommendations, the development of accessible, safe, and stimulating public spaces emerges as a key lever for encouraging physical activity in everyday life. The PLEINAIR project (Free and Inclusive Parks in Network for Intergenerational Recreational and Physical Activity) is a completed research initiative funded by the POR FESR 2014–2020 program of the Emilia-Romagna Region. The project aimed to design inclusive urban environments that facilitate the adoption of healthy and active behaviours, particularly among populations at risk of exclusion. PLEINAIR addressed a broad spectrum of users, with specific attention to the diversity of physical abilities, age, and health conditions, in order to reduce barriers to autonomy and promote social inclusion. The research was conducted by a multidisciplinary consortium involving Italian universities (University of Ferrara, University of Bologna, University of Parma), innovative SMEs and companies (Data River, Ergotek, Sarba, mHT), and thirdsector organisations (AIAS Bologna Onlus). A distinctive feature of the project was the design and implementation of Outdoor Smart Objects (OSOs), a set of intelligent public-space devices embedded within an Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) infrastructure. These devices – such as smart benches, interactive tables, sensorized flooring, and adaptive planters – are equipped with sensors and actuators that enable them to identify users and dynamically adapt to their specific needs. The OSOs are capable of morphofunctional transformations, providing a safe and personalised user experience. The project adopted a Human-Centered Design methodology, integrating participatory processes to engage communities in the co-definition of needs and design solutions. Particular emphasis was placed on involving diverse user groups in the iterative development and testing phases. A key section of this paper will reconstruct the conceptual development of the OSOs – from early ideation to final implementation – highlighting the results of desirability and acceptability tests. These tests underscored the value of an iterative, adaptive design approach, grounded in direct user feedback and contextual analysis. Beyond the physical design of inclusive equipment, PLEINAIR proposes a broader vision of smart, health-oriented public spaces. The project also aims to develop a cloud-based platform for the community-level monitoring of physical activity, enhancing the long-term impact and scalability of the intervention. As such, PLEINAIR constitutes a significant case study in interdisciplinary urban innovation, demonstrating the necessity of collaboration among designers, engineers, and social scientists in addressing the multifaceted challenges of inclusive, technology-supported urban environments. The project contributes to the conceptualisation of the “right to the city” as a shared, inclusive spatial experience – accessible to all and responsive to the full spectrum of human diversity.