Spazio Comune

Duration: March 2023 – ongoing

Scientific Coordinator: Cristian Campagnaro

Project Type: Philanthropy

PoliTO Role: Scientific partner of the project

Spazio Comune is an initiative promoted by UNHCR in collaboration with the Foreigners Service of the City of Turin, aimed at bringing together in one location various public and private organizations that offer essential services to asylum seekers, refugees, and foreign nationals.

The Turin headquarters of Spazio Comune is located within the premises of the Foreigners Service of the City. In March 2023, the Social Design Lab (Department of Architecture and Design - DAD) was commissioned by the partner organizations of Spazio Comune to launch a participatory refunctionalization process of the facility’s spaces to better meet the emerging needs. This process was led by the research group at the Social Design Lab of the Politecnico di Torino, with the goal of improving the quality of the experience for both beneficiaries and operators by fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment.

The project was co-funded with support from the Giuseppe and Pericle Lavazza Foundation.

The design approach was rooted in participatory methodologies, involving staff, beneficiaries, and representatives of the Spazio Comune partner organizations through focus groups and interviews. In the initial phase, the areas of intervention and key goals were defined, including:

• improving access to and understanding of spaces and services,
• enhancing external and neighborhood-level communication,
• creating welcoming and functional environments.
  
   

These goals were translated into concrete design proposals through collaborative sessions and feedback meetings with project partners. The resulting interventions focused on three main areas:

• Developing a visual identity aligned with the values of Spazio Comune, including coordinated wall decorations, graphic elements, and furnishings to promote a cared-for, inclusive environment;
• Creating an internal and external wayfinding system, along with clear informational graphics;
• Enhancing the functionality of reception and workspaces by introducing appropriate furnishings to facilitate interactions between service providers and beneficiaries.
  
   

The implementation phase also followed a participatory approach through self-building and co-crafting activities.

The co-crafting process involved:

• Students from the Design and Communication course at the Politecnico di Torino (interns and thesis students);
• Tutors and trainees from the Costruire Bellezza lab (coordinated by: Social Design Lab, Adults in Difficulty Service of the City of Turin, and Cooperativa Animazione Valdocco);
• Operators, trainees, and beneficiaries from the Mosaico – Actions for Refugees association and other Spazio Comune partners (including UNHCR and the Foreigners Service itself);
• Volunteer citizens.
  
   

This participatory design experience served as an opportunity to improve the accessibility and visibility of public services for foreign nationals in Turin. It delivered design solutions that supported inter-agency collaboration and the integration of new services. Furthermore, through workshops, inclusive internships, and public events, the participatory dimension contributed not only to the project’s core objectives but also to a broader strategy of territorial engagement and openness.

Involved Structure

• DAD – Department of Architecture and Design

Partner

• Municipality of Turin – Foreigners Service
• UNHCR – UN Refugee Agency
• Mosaico – Actions for Refugees Association
• Giuseppe and Pericle Lavazza Foundation
• Politecnico di Torino – Design for Social Impact course (Bachelor in Design and Visual Communication)

Location

• Foreigners Service, City of Turin – Via Bologna 49a, Turin (TO), Italy

Team di progetto

• Cristian Campagnaro (DAD) – Full Professor and Scientific Coordinator, Social Design Lab
• Nicolò Di Prima (DAD) – Postdoctoral Researcher, Senior Designer, Project Coordinator
• Maria Paola Isoppo (DAD) – Junior Designer
• Chiara Marovino (DAD) – Junior Designer
• Yara Da Silva Sousa, Giulia Galli, Francesco Perron – Thesis students in the Design and Visual Communication program
• 1 Intern from Mosaico – Actions for Refugees
• 10 Interns from the Adults in Difficulty Service (City of Turin) working at the Costruire Bellezza lab (coordinated by: Social Design Lab, Adults in Difficulty Service, Cooperativa Animazione Valdocco)
• Bruna Piccolo, Marco D’Urzo, Francesco Boccato Rorato, Lorenzo Cerri – Designers and tutors at Costruire Bellezza
• 5 Interns from the Bachelor’s program in Design and Visual Communication, Politecnico di Torino, working with the Social Design Lab

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

10. Reduced inequalities

17. Partnership for the goals