La Forma-Azione pedagogica di un welfare territoriale di prossimità intergenerazionale

The article opens by framing a reflection on three core principles of social pedagogy— reciprocity, mutuality, and cooperation—and on the ways in which these principles intertwine in the creation of inclusive and intergenerational communities. Urban design, situated at the intersection of diverse professional perspectives and aims, necessarily calls for a pedagogical consideration of dwelling as a human and social experience (Heidegger, 2014/1954). Against this backdrop, the article explores the degree to which different territories can be considered aging-friendly (taking inspiration from the WHO’s framework on Age-friendly cities, 2006), with the purpose of offering a foundation for dialogue with local administrations and for fostering innovative interventions that bring together the physical configuration of space and the formative dimension of dwelling. Particular attention is devoted to the role of both formal resources—such as personal care services—and informal community networks in nurturing a proximity-based, intergenerational welfare. Such a welfare model, rooted in participation and care, supports dialogical and co-designed approaches to everyday living environments, while also foregrounding the pedagogical value of the relationships that take shape within them (Galdini, 2015).