Parchi giochi e CAM: strumenti di progettazione partecipata per la sostenibilità e l’inclusione / Playgrounds and CAMs: Participatory Design Tools for Sustainability and Inclusion

Growing environmental risks have progressively oriented the design of public spaces by privileging the environmental component of sustainability and often putting in the background the social aspects that, together with the cultural and economic ones, complete the pillars of sustainable urban development. The United Nations Agenda 2030 (2015), in particular with Objective 11, calls for inclusive planning, capable of responding to the needs of the most vulnerable segments of the population (elderly, children, people with specific needs). This approach requires the adoption of incremental project evaluation criteria: accessibility, equity, cultural identity, to be combined with the reduction of environmental impacts. In Italy a significant step toward integrating environmental and social aspects of sustainability is represented by Ministerial Decree No. 7 of February 7, 2023, which introduced Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) for urban furniture. This decree establishes specific requirements for the design of playgrounds, the supply and installation of urban furniture products and outdoor furnishings, and their maintenance. In addition to promote the use of sustainable materials, one of the CAM’s innovative features is the inclusion of participatory design practices that guarantee the accessibility and inclusiveness of public spaces, emphasizing the active involvement of local communities and stakeholders. However, this indication remains primarily a general principle, unsupported by operational tools or methodological guidelines capable of directing its concrete implementation and ensuring its effective application. Long before the introduction of the CAM, there were participatory design experiences in Italy aimed at creating inclusive playgrounds. These initiatives, promoted by associations representing people with disabilities and grounded in the principles of Universal Design and inclusive practices, were tested on technical, relational, and cultural levels. In this context, the present paper first intends to showcase good practices of environmental sustainability and social inclusion by analysing interventions carried out under the “Giochiamo tutti!” initiative of FISH in Genoa (2010), Milan (2012), and L’Aquila (2015). Building on these case studies, this paper also proposes a reflection on the value attributed to participation within the CAM, highlighting the absence of methodologies and operational tools capable of concretely guiding such processes. In particular, there are no indications on how to structure, implement, and evaluate participatory processes in terms of design effectiveness and the quality of generated inputs. In light of these gaps, the paper will explore the potential contributions of certain technical regulations on accessibility, with the aim of envisioning their possible use as operational instruments for conducting participatory processes.