The “River Port RecHouse” project involves the redevelopment of a former barracks through conservation and energy efficiency upgrades. The objectives of the intervention are multiple:
- Recovering a restricted asset;
- Reduce housing deprivation through a process of social integration and increasing the social housing stock;
- Create a new public space with innovative ways of management to activate a participatory process.
The Via del Porto Fluviale building is located in a centrally located area of the city between the Tiber, Aurelian Walls, and Via Ostiense, which is characterized by the presence of buildings of industrial archaeology. The intervention posed two challenges. One of conservation, due to the presence of a conservation bond on thebuilding from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and important murals on the walls by the artist BLU. In agreement with the Special Superintendence, the removal on the facades along Via del Porto Fluviale and Via delle Conce was stable, with their retention on the blind walls facing Via Ostiense.
The social challenge due to the fact that the building has been the subject of residential occupancy by 56 households from 13 different nations since 2003, who have developed interesting forms of intercultural coexistence. The project intends to maintain the community, already included in the life of the neighborhood and already active in the co-design phase, in compliance with the requirements for access to Public Housing. Starting point was a census, in agreement with the community, which showed the presence of 54 stable households. At the end of the redevelopment, the Heritage Department will proceed, through a special call for applications which maintains the traditional criteria of the Erp Calls for Proposals, will proceed with theallocation of housing with priority to already settled households participating in the urban regeneration process, with a view to enhancing the entire community. The households, in agreement with the Administration, have been transferred to other Erp properties and will return to the River Port upon completion of the work.
The intervention includes the energy upgrading of 54 housing units that will be upgraded to A4 class, public services of sq m 1053 and public spaces of sq m 1437. A photovoltaic rooftop garden of more than 46 kW will be built on the terrace, which can enable the activation of an energy community. The large courtyard on the ground floor will host a public square open to the neighborhood in which the services of: km 0 market, anti-violence desk, civic uses, educational activities will be activated, preserving the existing activities. The intervention will involve an investment of 13.2 million euros from NRP funds and is scheduled for completion in 2026.
