Rethinking the (near) future of postwar built environment: a systemic approach through façades-only replacement

Abstract

There is a noticeable portion of the Italian building stock, typically concentrated in suburban areas, whose performance obsolescence and vulnerability are worsening its value and urban image as well. Even though a large-scale construction replacement seems to be apparently the expected way to solve the problem, current global strategies towards the built environment demand different approaches. The paper identifies envelope replacement as a systemic and feasible tactic to extend the service life of such target buildings and to enhance their resilience towards climate change and users’ needs, also with positive fallouts for the environment and urban image.