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The Land of Vorarlberg is Austria’s second smallest but most densely populated province after Vienna. Known for its innovative timber architecture, Vorarlberg’s approach integrates ecological, economic, functional, and aesthetic considerations, as championed by Wolfgang Ritsch of the Vorarlberger Architektur Institut (VAI). The region’s timber industry has faced challenges, including local provincialism and modernist material preferences, but gained prominence in the 1990s with the establishment of the Baukünstler group and the Vorarlberger Bauschule, recognised for their contributions to timber construction. Key to this development is Vorarlberg’s significant woodland, covering one-third of its area, and its commitment to sustainable forest management. Regional timber architecture aligns with the principles of appropriate technology, emphasizing eco-responsible, community-driven innovations. Vorarlberg’s timber architecture exemplifies a collaborative effort between designers and craftsmen, focusing on the use of local resources and high construction quality. The essay represents the introduction of notable projects including multifunctional public buildings, schools, offices, and residential complexes, reflecting the region’s commitment to sustainable development and architectural excellence. This ongoing innovation in wood-integrated solutions reinforces Vorarlberg as a hub for eco-friendly and culturally resonant architectural practices.

The Quartiere Cogne was erected at the beginning of the last century to house workers and managers employed at the new steel works. The whole neighbourhood is now affected by a wide-ranging transformation project which combines the features of aspects which really pertain to architectural building refurbishment within a broader framework of urban regeneration. Part of this project is financed by the National Programme for the Quality of Living. The design develops dwelling models aimed at strengthening the social structure at various levels (family, block, community, neighbourhood, local associations), making the most of local features. It includes initiatives to foster inclusion based on a broad network of infrastructures and services. An important feature is transition spaces, semi-private and semi-public, in which the idea and the quality of community is challenged. The aim is to give more natural and sustainable responses to instances of sharing and common use for collective housing in the Alpine area.

Il paper si focalizza sullo studio delle possibilità di intervento sugli spazi pubblici e privati all’interno del tessuto urbano, considerati come un tutt’uno interconnesso, impiegando la leva di finanziamenti volti all’efficientamento energetico. A oggi, la maggior parte del tessuto costruito in Europa e negli USA non è mai stato soggetto di processi di riqualificazione energetica, presentando quindi caratteristiche inadeguate. Per affrontare questo tema attraverso la riqualificazione energetica sono stati sviluppati diversi strumenti finanziari basati sul principio di recuperare il capitale investito tramite i risparmi sulle bollette dell’energia; il paper analizzerà alcuni di questi strumenti considerati emergenti nell’attuale contesto. Verranno inoltre considerate le ricedute che l’insieme di questi interventi può generare nel tessuto della città nel suo insieme alimentando lo sviluppo urbano, valorizzando specifiche culture delle comunità e dei luoghi, intrecciando e ibridando urbanità e aspetti naturali.