Abstract:

In today's European urban contexts, marked by growing cultural diversity and profound socio-economic inequalities, equitable access to learning and culture has emerged as a critical educational challenge. Children and adolescents with migrant backgrounds, linguistic frailties, or neurodevelopmental disorders frequently encounter structural obstacles that limit their participation in educational programs, fueling exclusion and marginalization.

Milan’s San Siro neighborhood serves as an emblematic case study: an area defined by socio-territorial vulnerability, yet energized by dynamics of urban reappropriation and community care. This paper analyzes the synergy between two place-based social infrastructures within the district: Off Campus San Siro (Politecnico di Milano’s urban hub) and the hospital S. Maria Nascente (Don Gnocchi Foundation), where there is a center specialized in neurodevelopmental disorders. While their primary functions differ, both entities act as care providers and mediators, bridging the gap between formal institutions and the local community to make the needs of marginalized youth visible.

The project “In Biblio con Chiara – inclusivity and libraries for a culture that invites, aggregates, regenerates and activates” fits into this framework, reimagining the library as a tool for social activation. The initiative features the creation of two inclusive libraries and a mobile reading module, co-designed through participatory workshops. By crossing streets, squares and schoolyards, this mobile unit lowers linguistic and social barriers, bringing youth-centered care and solidarity practices directly into the public sphere.
Through a co-design process, the project involved the design of new spaces and inclusive furnishings, not only children and adolescents, current and future users of the new spaces/services, but also healthcare workers and voluntary associations already active in the two realities. This collaborative approach strengthened participant motivation and a sense of belonging, transforming passive recipients into active contributors.

The project resulted in the creation of two inclusive reading spaces within a socially vulnerable urban context. The first was established within the hospital “Don Gnocchi Foundation”, where a dedicated space was reconfigured and opened up to the neighborhood. The second space was developed within Off Campus San Siro, Here, the library functions not only as a physical space but also as a flexible platform that extends into the public realm through a mobile reading module.
Activities such as reading sessions and co-creative workshops have strengthened local networks and fostered collaboration among organizations previously operating independently. These spaces actively engage children, adolescents, caregivers, and local stakeholders, demonstrating how community-driven, place-based libraries can act as catalysts for educational equity and social inclusion.

By addressing intersecting linguistic, socio-economic, and cognitive barriers, the project creates accessible and responsive environments where the library becomes not only a site for learning, but also a space of care, encounter, and empowerment.

Finally, the project points toward a potentially transferable model for other urban contexts characterized by similar conditions of fragility and diversity.

Keywords:

Inclusive Learning, Social Infrastructure, Community Engagement, Participatory Co-design.