The thesis investigates the possibility of community agriculture as a way to achieve compactness in spatial morphology and a more humane sustainable suburbia.

1. Suburban centralities
An AGRO-vision for Lainate

2. Master in Urban Vision and Architectural Design
Final Master Project 2010
DIRECTOR
Gianandrea Barreca
TUTOR
Mohammad Ali Behbahani
ASSISTANT
Carla Addonizio
STUDENT
Mansi Manojkumar Shah
BRIEF TITLE
Lainate
New strategies for green development of Lainate
PROJECT TITLE
Suburban centralities
An Agro-vision for Lainate
PROJECT LEADER
Andrea Tagliaferro, Vicesindaco, Comune di Lainate

3. About Lainate
Location- Connection to Milan
Visual fabric of Lainate
Historical and cultural Identity
Main commercial and social cores

4. Lainate
Alfa Romeo
GranciaPagliera
Barbiana
Highway(A8)
Expo
Rho fiera
Cimetori
Milan
Parco sempione
Duomo
Lainate is a municipality in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 15 kilometer
north-west of Milan
Lainate- Location and connection to Milan

5. Low density fabric
Lainate- Visual fabric of the town

6. Canal Villoresi
Lainate- Visual fabric of the town

7. Parco Villa Litta
Lainate- Historic and Cultural Identity

8. Parco Villa Litta
Market area
New mercato delle Frazioni
Lainate- Main commercial and social cores of Lainate

9. Sprawls
Local Drivers of Urban Sprawl
Morphology as a result of suburban explosion
Case- study of Lainate

10. Local Drivers of urban sprawl
Micro-economic factors
• Rising living standards in cities
• High Price of land in cities
Demographic factors
• Population growth
• Increase in household formation
Inner city problems
• Poor air quality in cities
• Noise
• Small apartments
• Unsafe environments
• Social problems
• Lack of green open space
• Poor quality of schools
Transportation
• Private car ownership
• Availability of roads
• Low cost of fuel
• public transport
Lainate- Local Drivers of Urban Sprawl
BACH GŁOWIŃSKA J., BUDZISZEWSKI T., GRECHUTA B., OCHMAŃSKA B., PUJDAK B., PRZEWORSKA J.,
ROSPEK ASZYK K., RÓZGA MICEWICZ A. “Urban changes in Gdansk and Dublin”, Dante 2010
Housing preferences
• More space per person
• Housing preferences

11. The first historic suburban explosion happened with the arrival of urban train an Transit facilities, it
allowed commuters to escape daily from the crowded city, and, for the first time, to combine living in
a relatively rural landscape with working in the city.
The second historic suburban expansion came about when the automobile became the engine
of urban planning, helping to make mobility the principal and compulsive activity of individuals
Lainate- Morphology as a result of suburban explosion

12. Lainate- Case study of Lainate

13. Lainate- Case study of Lainate

14. Lainate- Case study of Lainate

15. Lainate- Case study of Lainate

16. Problems associated with Lainate
Highway divides the territory
Two main commercial cores remain disconnected
Lack of pedestrian facilities
Major roads cuts the town
Fragmented morphology

17. Highway divides the city in two part
Poor connection
Lainate- Highway divides the territory
Highway
Chanel Villoresi

18. Central core is a social, commercial, sentimental magnet in an Italian city.
Lainate too has a two important centers but due to its growth remain
disconnected.
Parco Villa Litta
Mercato delle Frazioni
Lainate- Two main commercial cores remain disconnected

19. Lainate
Grancia - Pagliera
Barbiana
No pedestrian walkway internally which can connect hamlets within Lainate
Lainate- Lack of pedestrian facilities

20. Major roads, cuts the city – becomes unsafe for children
Lainate- Major roads cuts the town

21. The city seems like monotonous land parcels having no thread that ties each of them together.
There is no sense of place which comes forth in its current morphology.
Lainate- Fragmented morphology

22. Lainate- Fragmented morphology

23. Edge
Node
Path
Landmark
District
Social monotony - weak connections - no sense of place or coherence – NO UNIQUE IMAGE OF THE CITY
Lainate- Fragmented morphology

24. Concept
Historic context
Basic idea
Mapping and Analysis
Pedestriansied system of green and market

25. Parco Villa Litta
Casina
Casina, church
New Mercato Delle Frazioni
Casina,
School, Church
Parco Villa Litta is the historic and social center
Mercato delle Frazioni is the new social center
Lainate- Historic context

26. Lainate- Concept

27. Lainate- Concept

28. Agro city
A New identity
Agro- pedestrian Filament
The idea is to reinforce the identity of the center and to provide pedestrian network which connects
the two main centers to the town. Also, there is great potential of unused spaces which are centered
on the connection which I envisioned to be used to generate local agriculture for the people of
Lainate.
Lainate- Concept

29. Parco Villa Litta
Mercato delle
Frazioni
Lainate- Morphology and Historic context

31. Historic centers
Market, center
church
parking
Sports
school
Green
agriculture

32. Land- use plan, public areas and most used roads

33. Market area
Historic areas
Public areas
Green areas
Most used motorway in town infrastructure

34. Market area
Historic areas
Public areas
Green areas
Most used motorway in town infrastructure

35. Market area
Historic areas
Public areas
Green areas
Proposed connection

36. Proposed connection and branching

37. Market area
Historic areas
Public areas
Green areas
Proposed connection and connected segments

38. Market area
Historic areas
Public areas
Green areas
Proposed green connection

39. Proposed connection – connecting fragments

40. Lainate- Design Process
Proposed connection – connecting greens

41. Historic centers
Market, center
church
parking
Sports
school
Green
agriculture
Lainate- Design Process
Proposed filament in the town morphology

42. Design of
Agro- pedestrian filament
Agro- pedestrian Filament
Changing sections in the Filament
Divisions and textures of the Filament
Agro strategy for a part in the Filament
Research on agriculture
Cultivation and Harvest strategy
Vegetal options
Implementation

43. Spine
Length- 3.1 km
pedestrian
Length- 3.1 km
Agro median
Length – 1 km
Lainate- Agro Pedestrian filament
Every 200 mts
Public activities
Filament
3.1 km agro
pedestrian strip

46. Villoresi
median
median
Agro- median
Agro- median
median
Lainate- Changing sections in the filament

47. Public node
Public node
Lainate- Changing sections in the filament

48. A- Along Channel Villoressi
C- Continuous park
Lainate- Divisions and textures of the filament
B- Forest and sports area
F- Part of pedestrian network

49. D- Agro Strip
E-Vegetation/ planter beds/ fruit
trees, parks, poplars, research
gardens
Lainate- Agro strategy for a part in the filament

50. Persons
Mature
Adult
Adult
Child
Consume fruits/
Vegetable in one year
1 m2 provide 5 kg fruits/
vegetable per year
180 kg/ year
36 m2
160 kg/ year
32 m2
20 m2
100 kg/ year
150m2
700 kg/ anno = 150 m2
520 kg/ anno = 105 m2
105 m2
420 kg/ anno = 82m2
82 m2
360 kg/ anno = 65m2
65 m2
320 kg/ anno = 60m2
Lainate- Research on agriculture
60 m2

51. 520 kg/ anno = 105 m2
105 m2
Farm
Factory
Wholesale
Distributor
Farm
Consumer
Retailer
Consumer
Lainate- connections

52. Lainate- Research on agriculture

53. Community wide benefits
corner stone, slow
food brand,
organic
companies
harvest
Community gardens
Home grown
520 kg/ anno = 105 m2
100 m2
100 m2
100 m2
4 families
24 families
Lainate- Cultivation and Harvest strategy

54. Community wide benefits
corner stone, slow
food brand,
organic
companies
harvest
Community gardens
Home grown
520 kg/ anno = 105 m2
124 families
100 m2
100 m2
100 m2
4 families
24 families
Lainate- Cultivation and Harvest strategy

55. Experimental garden
Water plants
One year plants
Vegetable garden
Pine trees
Lainate- Vegetal options
poplars
Mobile chicken coup
Fruit trees
Research garden
Bamboo plantation
Sunflower plantation
Animal farm
Nursery
Flower s
Meadow

56. 4
2
3
1
1. Green buffer zone
2. Pedestrian path
Lainate- Implementation of strategy - Agro Filament
3. Foot path
4. Agro median

57. 4
3
2
1
1. Green buffer zone
2. Pedestrian path
Lainate- Implementation of strategy - Agro Filament
3. Foot path
4. Agro median

58. 7
8
6
5
9
4
3
1
1. Green buffer zone
4. Commercial kiosks
2. Pedestrian path
6. park
7. trees
Lainate- Public activity zone - Agro Filament
3. Foot path
8. Play areas
2
4. Agro median
9. Bicycle stand

62. Many residents have expressed their desire to cultivate. This intervention will provide inhabitants with a small
parcel of land, revitalize and transform the unused public spaces, connect city residents with their
neighborhoods and promote healthier eating and living for everyone.
Lainate- Implementation of strategy- Agro filament

66. This intervention will enrich the territory and not change the rural pastoral image of a suburb. The public
areas in between the filament can be used as spaces for young to play, hold small markets, sit out spaces,
play areas and so on.
Lainate- Implementation of strategy- Agro filament

67. Lainate- Implementation of strategy- Agro filament

68. Lainate- Implementation of strategy- Agro filament

69. Pedestrian
Green buffer
zone
Water harvesting
Agro median
Commercial knots
Lainate- Implementation of strategy- Agro filament
Front yard
agriculture

70. Lainate- Implementation of strategy- Agro filament

71. Lainate- Implementation of strategy- Agro filament

72. Lainate- Implementation of strategy- Agro filament

73. The Agro landscape will also provide variety of colors and textures, within the small stretch. Seasons too will
create ever-changing hues within the filament. In future,
Lainate- Implementation of strategy- Agro filament

74. Part of filament along Canal Villoresi
Part of filament to connect he historic areas of Barbiana
Lainate- Implementation of strategy-
Filament

75. Part of filament along Canal Villoresi
Part of filament to connect he historic areas of Barbiana
Lainate- Implementation of strategy-
Filament

76. Re-qualifying the two cores
Strategy for the two cores of the filament
Conceptual Design for a part of Parco Villa Litta
Conceptual Design for New Mercato delle Frazioni

77. Mercato at Parco Villa Litta
Market space +
20000 sq. mt
Agro gardens +
Community gardens
Public activities
Backyard gardens
Roof top planting
New Mercato delle Frazioni
16000 sq. mt
The idea for both market area was to re- qualify the place for market, public areas, and agro gardens for
the people of Lainate.
Lainate- Strategy for the two cores of the filament

78. 5
4
1
6
4
3
3
2
5
1. park
5. parking
2. Market plaza
6. cafe
Lainate- Parco Villa Litta- Design
process
3. Historic buildings
4. Green area

79. 5
4
1
6
4
3
2
5
Lainate- Parco Villa Litta- Design
process
3

80. 5
4
1
6
4
3
2
5
Lainate- Parco Villa Litta- Design
process
3

81. 5
4
1
6
4
3
2
5
Lainate- Parco Villa Litta- Design
process
3

82. 5
4
1
6
4
3
3
2
5
1. park
5. parking
2. Market plaza
6. cafe
Lainate- Parco Villa Litta- Design
process
3. Historic buildings
4. Green area

83. Lainate- Parco Villa Litta- Design
process

84. Lainate- Parco Villa Litta- Design
process

85. Lainate- Parco Villa Litta- Design
process

86. 2
1
5
2
3
4
2
1. Café and store
2. Agro- gardens
3. Amphitheatre
Lainate- Conceptual design of Parco Villa Litta
4. Multipurpose space
5. Market

87. 2
1
5
2
3
4
2
1. Café and store
2. Agro- gardens
3. Amphitheatre
Lainate- Conceptual design of Parco Villa Litta
4. Multipurpose space
5. Market

88. 2
1
5
2
3
4
2
1. Café and store
2. Agro- gardens
3. Amphitheatre
Lainate- Conceptual design of Parco Villa Litta
4. Multipurpose space
5. Market

89. 5
1
4
3
Lainate- New Mercato delle Frazioni - Design process
2

90. 5
1
4
3
1. Agriculture
2. Market plaza
2
3. Kids play area
Lainate- New Mercato delle Frazioni - Design process
4. Green area
5. Agro median

91. 5
1
4
3
1. Agriculture
2. Market plaza
2
3. Kids play area
Lainate- New Mercato delle Frazioni - Design process
4. Green area
5. Agro median

92. 5
1
4
3
1. Agriculture
2. Market plaza
2
3. Kids play area
Lainate- New Mercato delle Frazioni - Design process
4. Green area
5. Agro median

93. 5
1
4
3
1. Agriculture
2. Market plaza
2
3. Kids play area
Lainate- New Mercato delle Frazioni - Design process
4. Green area
5. Agro median

94. 5
1
4
3
1. Agriculture
2. Market plaza
2
3. Kids play area
Lainate- New Mercato delle Frazioni - Design process
4. Green area
5. Agro median

95. Lainate- New Mercato delle Frazioni - Design process

96. Lainate- New Mercato delle Frazioni - Design process

97. 1
2
3
4
5
1. Agro Gardens
2. café and store
3. Plaza
Lainate- Conceptual design of New Mercato delle Frazioni
4. Market
5. Parking

98. 1
2
3
4
5
1. Agro Gardens
2. café and store
3. Plaza
Lainate- Conceptual design of New Mercato delle Frazioni
4. Market
5. Parking

99. 1
2
3
4
5
1. Agro Gardens
2. café and store
3. Plaza
Lainate- Conceptual design of New Mercato delle Frazioni
4. Market
5. Parking

100. 1
2
3
4
5
1. Agro Gardens
2. café and store
3. Plaza
Lainate- Conceptual design of New Mercato delle Frazioni
4. Market
5. Parking

101. The green area currently on site are converted to agro- gardens,
interspersed with public activities contextual with the existing
suburban life
Lainate- Vision of Agro gardens at New Mercato delle Frazioni

102. The green area currently on site are converted to agro- gardens,
interspersed with public activities contextual with the existing
suburban life
Lainate- Vision of Agro gardens at New Mercato delle Frazioni

103. The green area currently on site are converted to agro- gardens,
interspersed with public activities contextual with the existing
suburban life
Lainate- Vision of Agro gardens at New Mercato delle Frazioni

104. The green area currently on site are converted to agro- gardens,
interspersed with public activities contextual with the existing
suburban life
Lainate- Vision of Agro gardens at New Mercato delle Frazioni

105. The green area currently on site are converted to agro- gardens,
interspersed with public activities contextual with the existing
suburban life
Lainate- Vision of Agro gardens at New Mercato delle Frazioni

106. The store is a distribution system of local, organic produce grown
by individuals. The two spots in the city, will have the first stores,
where the community can buy food at reduced rates. This will
encourage people to also grow in their respective backyards and
generate revenue
Lainate- Vision of agro market at New Mercato delle Frazioni

107. The store is a distribution system of local, organic produce grown
by individuals. The two spots in the city, will have the first stores,
where the community can buy food at reduced rates. This will
encourage people to also grow in their respective backyards and
generate revenue
Lainate- Vision of agro market at New Mercato delle Frazioni

108. Conclusion
Towards sustainable suburbia – agro vision!

113. Thank you!