BAGNATO Francesco

Francesco Bagnato
18/08/1960 (Reggio Calabria)

• Architect
• PhD in Architectural Technology (ICAR12)
• Associate Professor of Architectural Technology at the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria –
• Director of the “Reghium Accessibility Lab” of the DArTe Department Architecture and Territory
• Consultant of FIABA, (Italian Fund for the Removal of Architectural Barriers) and of FISH Calabria (Italian Federation for Overcoming Handicaps)
• Delegate of the Rector for University Residences of the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria.
• Coordinator of the ORICOM Commission - orientation and communication of the CdS in Design - PAU department of the UNIRC.
• Member of the QA Commission of the Course in Design (Quality Assurance System)


Research activities
He carries out research activities focusing on:
• Topics relating to inclusive planning and urban regeneration, paying particular attention to the issues of usability and universal accessibility. He carries out intense research and technical consultancy on these issues for public bodies and non-profit associations.
• Topics relating to intervention strategies on the existing building heritage, to the analysis of the typical and recurring characteristics of the construction techniques and the construction materials used, analyzing the technical solutions in the relationship between executive technique and architectural language. These issues are explored in depth through participation in training activities and research that address the recovery of historical Calabrian artefacts and the historical-environmental protection of the building heritage of the ancient villages.
With the activity of the Reghium Accessibility Lab (RAL), of which he is the director and scientific manager, he promotes study and research activities exploring the theme of Accessibility to Cultural Heritage as a resource for Human Development at a local level. This aspiration recalls the concept of "common good" which is based on two fundamental principles: active citizenship and participation in human development processes (community empowerment).
Reghium Accessibility Lab (RAL), carries out and promotes activities aimed at demonstrating that accessibility is a particularly effective factor for triggering and consolidating coherent, lasting and sustainable human development processes aimed at raising the 'social capital' of local communities and enhancing the local identities:
• propose topics for reflection and solutions relating to the valorisation of territories through the redevelopment of their architectural and landscape heritage with a view to accessibility, sustainability and socio-economic innovation (active citizenship);
• promote the culture of architectural design as a strategic element in the interpretation, control and implementation of requests related to the broader dimension of accessibility;
• promote social inclusion and elevate the well-being and autonomy of people through the development of knowledge, methodologies and technological tools and advanced automation techniques;
• support public system strategies that lead to the best use of resources for the creation of overall present and future value in local communities;
• increase the usability of part of the real estate heritage, understood as a complex of cultural assets that can be used for valorisation purposes;
• reconceptualise cultural tourism from the perspective of accessibility and sustainability, build an organic framework of strategies and operational tools of a project nature to guide the actions of local entities wishing to intercept the demand of tourists with special needs (disabled people, elderly people, families with young children, people with eating disorders, etc.), a demand that is largely unanswered yet constantly growing due, above all, to the aging of the population and the increase in the propensity of elderly people to travel.
More recently he has carried out his own research in the following fields:
2024, UNIRC 6-12 May, Erasmus BIP (Bended Intensive Programmes) Project, Nature-Driven-Design: Aspromonte National Park - organization and tutoring activities;
2023/24, Memorandum of Understanding between the RAL laboratory and the MArRC, “a P.E.B.A.” for the MArRC", collaboration on the project: study and research activities for the "Wayfinding" of the Museum, coordination activities of design activities.
2023, Study trip - Barcelona 7-13 May, International Mobility Agreement for Studies, “From material to project, from project to prototype through time”, organization and tutoring activities;
2021, “EcoMedma” Research, within the POR Calabria, AXIS I - Specific objective 1.3 - Action 1.3.2 “In-Ambiente di Mito: Cultural and ecological valorisation of the Museum and Archaeological Park of Medma-Rosarno - EcoMedma” , with the task of technical/scientific in-depth analysis of the issues relating to the accessibility and usability of places of culture in relation to the project activities, including the drafting of a specific section of the "Practice Manual" foreseen by the project.
2018 -2021, IN-AGE Research “Inclusive aging in place”, project financed by the Cariplo Foundation, with the involvement of the Polytechnic of Milan, the National Institute for Hospitalization and Care of the Elderly (Inrca-Irccs) of Ancona, of the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria and Auser. The project addresses the issue of the frail condition of elderly people and the related risks of social isolation, with the task of researching possible actions and strategies to support the improvement of the quality of life of the frail elderly and a more peaceful and secure aging in own home.
Of the research activity carried out previously and in line with the scientific profile, we recall:
- Head of the 'Customing Creation, Moke-up, Test Models' Section in the Project: "BUILDING FUTURE Lab" - Permanent Operational Research Laboratory (2011- 2014). Funded under the PON/QSN 2007-13-Regions Convergence - Research and Competitiveness Notice (cci: 2007it161po006) - Axis I "Support for structural changes" - Operational objective 4.1.1.4. "Strengthening of scientific structures and equipment e technological". Action: "Structural Strengthening".
- Scientific manager of the Integrated Local Development Project (PISL) "Le Terre della Fata Morgana" (2011-12). Funded under the tender "United Regional Programming - POR FERS Calabria 2007-13 - Integrated Local Development Projects (PISL): Local Tourist Systems/Tourist Destinations".

- Scientific contact with Profs. Frank van der Hoeven and Henco Bekkering (Delft University of Technology - Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism), of the post-doc research, "Sustainable and accessible cities: tools and techniques for designing walkable urban streets and public spaces" (Arch. Daniela Giusto)
- Scientific contact with Profs. Joaquim Sabatè and Carles Llop Torné (Polytechnic University of Catalonia - Department of Urbanism of Regional Planning) of the research "The transformation of the "public city" as a methodology for urban renewal/ recognizing resources in urban space (Arch. Paola Melissari)


Teaching activity in the academic field
It carries out, continuously, starting from the A.Y. 1996, his teaching activity, within the disciplines of Architectural Technology in the three-year and single-cycle Courses in Architecture and, more recently, in the three-year course in Design, at the "Mediterranea" University of Reggio Calabria. More recently, in the new three-year degree course in Design (class L4) and in the Master's degree course LM12 - Design for Mediterranean cultures, Product | Space | Communication), at the DArTe Department (Architecture and Territory Department) of the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria, starting from the academic year. 2020/21 holds positions of teaching and coordination of interdisciplinary courses entitled:
- Interdisciplinary course of materials and technologies for Design (coordinator) - holder of the teaching of Innovative Materials and Technologies (8 credits); a.y. 2020/21 – 2021/22 – 2022/23- 2023/24 – 2024/25
- Interdisciplinary course of “Design for all” (coordinator of course A) - teaching load of Universal Design teaching; a.y. 2021/22
- Interdisciplinary course of Design for Indoor/Outdoor (coordinator) - teaching load of "Wayfinding" teaching, a.y. 2022/23- 2023/24
- Interdisciplinary course of "Design for inclusion and social and territorial cohesion" - teaching load of Inclusive Design teaching, a.y. 2024/25.
He acts as a thesis supervisor continuously and in coherence with the most recently discussed research topics with particular attention to studies and research that tend to demonstrate that accessibility can offer added value to the architectural and landscape heritage of a territory, making it not only more attractive to the outside, but also more usable for the inhabitants themselves.

Recent publications
• 2023, Martinelli, Flavia; Sarlo, Antonella; Bagnato, Francesco, Ageing in place: l'importanza dell'ambiente costruito. In La solitudine dei numeri ultimi. Invecchiare da soli nell'epoca della pandemia - ISBN: 978-88-15-38322-8. In PERCORSI. SOCIOLOGIA
• 2022, F. Bagnato, A. Sarlo, Accessibilità universale e ageing in place. In URBANISTICA INFORMAZIONI vol. 306 s.i. (anno L - novembre - dicembre).
• 2022, F. Bagnato, G. Cassalia, F. Calabrò, C. Malacrino, C. Ventura, Accessible Culture: Guidelines to a Cultural Accessibility Strategic Plan (C.A.S.P.) for MArRC Museum, in New Metropolitan Perspectives - Post COVID Dynamics: Green and Digital Transition, between Metropolitan and Return to Villages Perspectives, ISSN 2367-3370 Ed. Springer, Switzerland
• 2021. F.Bagnato, The recovery of the “Not ended”: instruments and methods for the transformation and retraining of the suburbs. Reggio Calabria a case of study, in Enviromental transition – CO-Design & heritage regeneration strategy (a cura di RM Vitrano e A. Catalano), ISBN 978-88-6026-293-6 Luciano Editore, Napoli,
• - 2021. F. Bagnato, Scenari futuri per la valorizzazione turistica dei borghi storici calabresi: la progettazione dell’accessibilità come risorsa, in “l’Università per i borghi della Calabria - Riflessioni sulla transizione ecologica e digitale”, Rubbettino editore, Soveria Mannelli (CZ)
• - 2020. Bagnato, Francesco (a cura di), Ecolandia Parco SuperAbile: Progetti per il Parco Ludico Tecnologico Ambientale SuperAbile, ISBN978-88-98890-07-1, Edizioni CSA - UNIRC
• - 2019. Bagnato, Francesco; Sarlo, Antonella Blandina, Accessibilità universale e ageing in place: una difficile sfida per le agende urbane. DOI:10.14633/AHR166. pp.352-367. In ARCHISTOR - ISSN:2384-8898 vol. ARCHISTOR EXTRA 6 (2019) (Supplemento di ARCHISTOR 12/2019)
• - 2019. Sarlo, Antonella Blandina; Bagnato, Francesco; Martinelli, Flavia, Ageing in place and the built environment. Implications for the quality of life and the risks of isolation of frail older people. pp.1-30 - ISBN:ISSN: 2281-6283. In DASTU WORKING PAPERS - ISSN:2281-6283 vol. n. 04/2019 (LPS.06)
• - 2019. Città e bisogno di città. pp.412-418. In La produzione del progetto - ISBN:978-88-916- 3602-7, Bagnato, Francesco
• - 2016. Mobilità urbana sostenibile. pp.98-101. In Building Future Lab. Ricerca sperimentale per la Sostenibilità nel Settore delle Costruzioni - ISBN:8891612830 Bagnato, Francesco