In August 2019, the European Union selected the Prato Urban Jungle project as one of the 20 winners of the 4th call for Urban Innovative Actions (www.uia-initiative.eu), a program that funds pilot projects promoting sustainable urban development. The project’s goal is to test green solutions (Nature-Based Solutions, or NBS) in pilot buildings within the city of Prato, aiming to create a repeatable model that can be proposed to other European cities (www.pratourbanjungle.it).
The first action carried out by PNAT, as preparation for the others, was the creation of an assessment system to measure the effectiveness of NBS at the building scale and its surroundings. This experimental system, called the Urban Jungle Factor, is based on pioneering studies conducted in several European and North American cities, such as Berlin, Malmö, and Seattle. The system developed by PNAT assigns a score to buildings that adopt NBS, calculated based on the amount of surface area dedicated to greenery and a factor that evaluates the quality of the intervention against criteria such as air, water, soil, food, health and well-being, comfort, and biodiversity.
The other two projects developed by PNAT within Prato Urban Jungle focus on urban agriculture. Two high-efficiency greenhouses were designed to support cultivation, providing economic and social benefits while creating spaces for community gathering, employment, and social innovation.
The agricultural structure on Via Turchia was designed for a social housing complex. The decision to create a high-efficiency greenhouse arose from an analysis of residents’ needs: preliminary research indicated that the community’s employment rate and household income were below municipal averages. Therefore, one of the project’s priorities was to create paid jobs through urban agriculture. Covering about 250 square meters, the greenhouse is relatively small compared to rural facilities; however, it is capable of producing a large quantity of agricultural products, using advanced cultivation technologies. Estimates suggest an annual production of around 20 tons, generating economic activity that provides part-time jobs for 10 residents of the complex, thereby helping to increase household income.
The concept is to organize these individuals into an association that offers a 12-month professional training program. Upon completing the course, participants will have acquired skills in greenhouse management that can be applied to finding employment in local nurseries, while another group of residents will take their place. Over five years, this training path will engage 50 residents.
Based on similar considerations, another project was conceived: the Parco di Via delle Pleiadi. This project integrates a high-efficiency agricultural greenhouse with facilities for food preparation and sales, as well as outdoor activity spaces. The goal is to create a hybrid space where nature-based solutions can provide food production and high-quality spaces for citizens.
