Designing an Inclusive and Multigenerational Italy

The latest provincial indicators from Il Sole 24 Ore on the quality of life for children, young people, and the elderly indicate a rapid growth of over-65s in Italy. “Degiovanimento,” a neologism introduced by Alessandro Rosina, a researcher at the Catholic University of Milan, is an aspect to be duly considered.

The new generations are no longer able to drive change, leading to an accentuation of both the quantitative and qualitative degiovanimento of the Italian population. Unlike ageing, this phenomenon is not uniform across the country but shows varying trends with higher peaks in the South, where many young people tend to move away without starting a family.

Italy's pride is not only its immense cultural and landscape heritage in all its forms and diversity but also the new generations capable of bringing the energy needed to create the necessary cultural, economic, and social dynamism. The clear signs of awareness of the situation and the desire for change, therefore, give cause for optimism.

Design, by rethinking more inclusive and attractive contexts, can be the key to a future that harmonises the needs of all generations, also considering the logic of the silver economy, creating sustainable, accessible environments capable of promoting the well-being of all generations.