Preservation Themes in Mass Housing's Retrofit. Climate and Energy in Tor Bella Monaca, Rome

Nowadays, urban climate change and energy efficiency of the built environment are major challenges worldwide. Mitigating the main anthropogenic factors at the base of climate change and adapting to the inevitable consequences become urgent. From a climate-responsive and energy retrofit perspective, we focus on contemporary debates, best practices and design strategies regarding the preservation of Italian postwar mass-housing complexes. Specifically, we discuss the case of Tor Bella Monaca (TBM) in Rome, a vast self-sufficient public-housing complex completed at the beginning of the 1980s. Today, TBM is subject to a series of public debates, pilot projects, and research proposals by public and private institutions focused on retrofit as an alternative to demolition. We approach the issue through an interdisciplinary perspective, addressing the contribution of climate-responsive and energy-efficient design strategies for the preservation of modern mass housing complexes. In addition, we propose a critical framework on cross-scale approach useful both for building and open space quality and comfort. Finally, we present the most discussed design strategies in literature and practice in the case of TBM and how they intend to support social, historical, and urban values of the neighborhood.