United Persepolis. Un modello di sviluppo comunitario tra Rigenerazione Urbana e coesione sociale

Social inclusion and Urban Regeneration are crucial challenges in the pursuit of a development model that promotes sustainability, resilience, and a balance between technological innovation and human well-being. Within this framework, the United Persepolis (Unitopolis) project explores new methodological approaches to the transformation of marginalized urban areas into inclusive community hubs. Unitopolis goes beyond the traditional approach to Urban Regeneration, adopting instead a cultural and relational perspective in which the active involvement of local communities becomes central. The project integrates advanced digital tools, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Digital Twins, and Open Data, with participatory Co-design practices, fostering the re-appropriation of public spaces and encouraging active citizenship. The objective is to strengthen the sense of belonging, promote participatory governance models, and pursue a more sustainable and accessible urban environment. Methodologically, the proposal adopts a multidisciplinary approach that combines social urbanism, inclusive design, and Design for All strategies aimed at ensuring the physical, cultural, and digital accessibility of regenerated spaces. The interactive digital platforms envisaged in the project allow citizens to actively contribute to the mapping and design of interventions, building a collective urban memory and reinforcing the social fabric. Although still in its early stages, the first findings highlight the transformative potential of this model. The integration of technology and participation fosters greater resident engagement in decision-making processes, while strengthening local cooperation networks. Preliminary data collected in the initial phase suggest a positive impact on social empowerment, environmental sustainability, and inclusive governance, showing an improvement in the perceived quality of regenerated spaces. The project foresees the involvement of at least 500 citizens in participatory processes, the revitalization of five marginalized urban areas, and the creation of a collaborative digital platform engaging six international partners, providing clear indicators of the model’s potential impact in the pilot case of the city of Florence (Italy). This contribution analyzes the theoretical and methodological framework of Unitopolis, outlining the adopted strategies and future perspectives for integrating this model into wider urban policies. The underlying hypothesis is that an eco-social approach, based on the synergy between technology and participation, can represent a new direction for Urban Regeneration—one that goes beyond mere physical or aesthetic rehabilitation to generate lasting social and cultural impacts.