In the garden of the Senior Citizens’ Social Center in Nepi, a new micro-architecture has appeared built from recycled wood and reclaimed materials, designed to provide shade, seating, and clean energy for recharging electronic devices. A small intervention, yet rich in symbolic and practical value, this structure represents a concrete contribution to the European project EHHUR – Eyes Hearts Hands Urban Revolution, funded by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 program.
The structure was designed and built by a team involving researchers and students from Roma Tre University, in collaboration with a research consortium including the Municipality of Nepi, various local social actors, the Biodistrict of the Via Amerina and Forre, and the Innovation Department of RIMOND. It is a prime example of architecture based on circular economy principles, as it is made entirely from reclaimed materials. The wood, in particular, which is the main feature of the structure, comes from a research and experimentation project carried out by the Department of Architecture at Roma Tre and the French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici. This project focused on a Circular Architecture process, which repurposes materials from the summer event “Festival des Cabanes at Villa Medici” into new public space projects.
However, the research goes beyond resource and material management. The structure is also equipped with two 100-watt photovoltaic panels, connected to a storage battery, providing free energy to charge smartphones, tablets, and laptops. This system is integrated with a Digital Twin that collects interaction data. A simple gesture, yet it marks the first tangible sign of the Energy Community taking shape in the area under the guidance of the Biodistrict of the Via Amerina and Forre, aligned with its long-term strategy for the region’s organic development and the promotion of renewable energy and energy self-sufficiency key goals of the EHHUR project.
The project is grounded in the principles of the New European Bauhaus, promoting a participatory and inclusive approach to urban regeneration and the widespread adoption of technologies and processes supporting ecological transition and renewable energy. In Nepi, the local administration deliberately chose a multi-service center home to the senior citizens’ center, a branch of the public health authority (ASL), and the GEA cooperative as the site for the intervention. This highly frequented location was considered ideal to become the nucleus of the new Energy Community, not only by improving its energy efficiency but by reimagining its use in a community-focused and sustainable way.
Crucial to the success of the project was the active involvement of citizens and center users, who took part in both the design phase and the definition of its themes, as well as in the actual construction and assembly alongside students. This transformed an architectural and technical idea into a genuine community project.
Inaugural Event
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Nepi (VT), Via Tre Portoni, 6:30 PM
Institutional Greetings:
Franco Vita, Mayor of Nepi
Speakers:
Dr. Giacomo Nardoni, Biodistrict of the Via Amerina and Forre
Prof. Stefano Converso, Roma Tre University, Department of Architecture
Arch. Gabriele Roselli, RIMOND Innovation Lab
Konrad Ciupak, representative of the student group involved in the project and construction
Followed by:
Community dinner and a dance performance organized by the Nepi Senior Citizens’ Center