The "Informal Socialization" in the Student Housing: Architectural Solutions to Improve the Sense of Community.

This contribution, being part of the ongoing research conducted by the HOME_Lab_Innovative Solutions for Student Accommodation at the ABC Department of the Politecnico di Milano, is an interdisciplinary exploration of the application of ‘informal socialization’ in contemporary university housing design.

This topic, which has yet to be adequately explored within the architectural discipline, could provide a new perspective on the epistemological reinforcement of the shared dimension of living, and help define new housing models in response to the recent evolution of plural living forms. By analyzing several best practices within the international case studies context, the contribution identifies different possible interpretations to better understand the repercussions brought by informal socialization and the resulting design outcomes on student residences and other forms of social living. This analysis explores new approaches to social living and new opportunities for common spaces, even among heterogeneous groups.

The topic of 'informal socialization' offers the chance to develop an architectural dimension that explores the environments of social interaction among neighborhood residences and students, and goes beyond the traditional design of living spaces. The ultimate goal is based on the opportunity to intensify intergenerational and interpersonal relations. Therefore, appropriate design measures regarding socialization could strengthen the interactions between the academic population and the city inhabitants and, at the same time, improve the urban synergies among universities and cities by intensifying intergenerational and interpersonal relations.