Venice Impact Hub

The thesis proposes the creation of an Impact Hub in Venice, in the former Italgas area of Dorsoduro, as an opportunity for urban regeneration according to the principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB): Beautiful, Sustainable, Together. Impact Hubs are an international network of coworking spaces and incubators for innovators and social entrepreneurs. The project aims to strengthen Venice’s vocation as a lived-in and creative city, attracting new residents, businesses, and talent, reversing the trend of depopulation.
The thesis is divided into two parts. The first, Compass Learning Cities, developed with other groups, explores the concept of Learning City promoted by UNESCO, highlighting synergies with the NEB and analyzing international case studies. The second part, Venice Impact Hub, presents the concrete project in the gasometer area, identified as strategic for its accessibility and potential. The intervention is based on a careful urban, regulatory, and historical-architectural analysis. The project involves the regeneration of existing buildings, including the two gasometers, and the construction of a new modular, flexible, and sustainable pavilion. The spaces will house offices, conference rooms, co-working areas, training rooms, a library, community gardens, and event spaces. The entire lot will be integrated into a large urban park, designed as a space for socializing and well-being, in dialogue with the buildings. Particular attention is given to energy efficiency and the use of
sustainable technologies (solar panels, rainwater harvesting).
The project is intended as a replicable model, capable of combining urban regeneration, social innovation and environmental sustainability, restoring the city as an open, productive and inclusive place.