Abstract

The paper illustrates the case of a small public housing in the periphery of Milan, recently demolished as an outdated, inefficient residential structure. Nonetheless, over the years, this condominium had been an interesting place for the experimentation of alternative, social housing practices, as a self-managed housing for migrant and low-income people. The paper focuses on the discrepancy of approaches like those concerned with material qualities of housing - addressing the demolition policy - and those concerned with social relations and insurgent subjectivities - more concerned with community building and place-making. And thus proposes an integration of both as a feasible way of planning social housing.