The Centopiazze project
Centopiazze is an urban and social regeneration project that transforms squares and shared spaces into places of relationship, with the aim of rebuilding more sustainable, resilient and supportive communities. A path that combines technological innovation and civil commitment, through concrete actions such as the establishment of neighborhood Community Managers and the promotion of local cohesion initiatives.
The Charter of Values collects the principles that guide this alliance: the centrality of the person as the fulcrum of every regeneration action; sustainable development in its economic, environmental and social dimensions; collaboration between public and private as a lever to build inclusive communities; and the fight against loneliness, recognized as one of the new challenges of social integration. With the signing of the Charter of Values, Harley&Dikkinson consolidates a network of professionals, businesses and institutions that share these principles, with the aim of reaching 100 squares and 100 Community Managers throughout Italy. After the first pilot experience started in Cinisello Balsamo, the project was presented at the CSR and Social Innovation Exhibition in Milan, receiving strong interest from the institutional and entrepreneurial world.
At the heart of the project is an approach to urban and social regeneration that starts from the redevelopment of buildings to arrive at the rebirth of relationships, transforming living into a collective experience: through the improvement of physical spaces, the figure of the Community Manager and the involvement of local economic activities, Centopiazze aims to create a virtuous circuit in which care for the territory, inclusion and local development support each other. Each neighborhood becomes a laboratory of coexistence and social innovation, where participation is recognized and rewarded (also thanks to the LoQal web app).
Building Values
The initiative took a further step forward on the occasion of Building Values – Building better futures, together (Milan, 20 November 2025), an event that has transformed it into a concrete network of collaboration between companies, institutions and associations in the construction and social world. The event, promoted by Harley&Dikkinson, consolidated ties and synergies, encouraging discussion and the definition of practical solutions to counteract the loss of sociality in contemporary cities.
Among the most relevant moments, a round table during which experts and representatives of the sector analyzed the state of the art of our society in terms of social cohesion, civil economy and inclusive architecture, exploring the role of businesses as actors of social change. Among the speakers, Flaviano Zandonai, sociologist and third sector expert, co-author of the volume Neo-Mutualism; Giovanni La Varra, architect and professor of urban design specialized in inclusive architecture; Paolo Riva, Associate Professor of Social Psychology at Bicocca University; Francesca Santaniello, Head of the Centopiazze project.
The round table brought to attention how the isolation to which city dwellers in particular are exposed can result in significant psychological and economic consequences for both individuals and communities, and analyzed possible solutions, reflecting on how social value (the “S” of ESG criteria) can be incorporated into the construction industry, providing practical examples of creating places for social inclusion (urban gardens, therapeutic gardens, theaters inside prisons, and much more).
The words of some of the protagonists
“With the Centopiazze project we want to take urban regeneration beyond the building dimension, transforming it into a collective commitment to social integration and the fight against loneliness”declared Alessandro Ponti, President of Harley&Dikkinson. “We believe that the quality of life in cities depends on the ability to build relationships, not just buildings. This is why we invite businesses, institutions and citizens to join in a network of collaboration and shared responsibility: only together can we generate more cohesive, sustainable communities capable of taking care of people”.
“The city is the public creation par excellence, the highest form of collective relationship. Even in a world that tends towards the immaterial, it remains the fundamental platform on which we build our civil identity. Urban space is the most lasting experiment in coexistence that we have conceived: it allows us to be citizens and, at the same time, to find in the thick of the urban “forest” a “nest” in which to cultivate the private. Architecture has the task of safeguarding and renewing this balance, making it increasingly rich in meaning and possibility”stated Giovanni La Varra, architect, co-founder of the Barreca & La Varra studio and professor of Design at the Polytechnic of Milan.
The opinion of surveyors, industrial experts and CNA Costruzioni
“The category I represent has always been sensitive to the issues of inclusion and listening to citizens’ problems, seeking the best solutions to reduce hardship in a pragmatic and effective way. The situations of poverty of various kinds that are occurring over the years will increasingly have to see professionals, as an intermediate body, at the center of potential solutions”, commented Paolo Biscaro, President of the National Council of Surveyors and Graduate Surveyors.
“The signing of the Charter of Values is a source of great pride for us. For some time now, the National Council of Industrial Experts has been committed to promoting energy and urban redevelopment, through events and projects that we carry out throughout the national territory, and firmly believes in the use of social cohesion and sustainable development tools. For this reason we have decided to join the project and to build a collaboration path with Harley&Dikkinson based on shared values to generate a positive impact on the environment, the territories and the evolution of profession of Industrial Expert”commented Giovanni Esposito, President of the National Council of Industrial Experts and Graduated Industrial Experts.
“Building does not just mean creating buildings, but generating proximity, bonds and living communities. Our companies, with their know-how and their daily presence in the territories, are protagonists in transforming spaces into places of identity and relationships. This is why we are alongside this challenge: putting the social value of construction at the center and the ability of companies to contribute to the care and regeneration of the territories”finally commented Riccardo Roccati, National President of CNA Costruzioni.
>> If you want to receive news like this directly on your smartphone, subscribe to our new Telegram channel!
