When design meets regulation: the strategic value of urban planning

Every architectural project begins with a need, but it develops within a framework of rules, constraints, and interpretations. Knowing how to understand and manage these proactively makes the difference between a possible project and a truly achievable one.

After sharing our ongoing journey towards B Corp certification, we discuss with Enzo Zogno how the role of urban planning and building permits within DVArea is strategic in providing solidity and value to design processes.

Hello Enzo, let us start with your professional background. How did you come to work in urban planning and building regulations, and which experiences do you consider decisive for your growth in this field?

My first steady work experience was in public administration, and it was there, in 2007, that I was introduced to the vast field of urban planning and regulations. I served as both deputy manager and manager of the Technical Office in municipalities of significant geographical and political importance, and these roles certainly shaped me and taught me a great deal.
With 13 years of experience in the public sector, one inevitably gains deep insight, particularly in understanding and managing the dynamics and processes behind administrative acts. When a project reaches the desks of the municipality and various other authorities, it follows a completely different path from the processes involved in completing the design phase.

What motivated you to transition from the public to the private sector, and how does that previous experience influence the way you work today?

I think there comes a time in everyone’s life when we must ask ourselves whether what we are doing truly satisfies us and whether it still stimulates us professionally. Moreover, I believe that working in public administration requires a certain vocation, and sometimes that vocation can fade. Simply put, especially after COVID and the complicated period we all remember, I reassessed many aspects of my professional life and thought that it might be the right moment to explore the world from the other side of the barricade.

At DVArea, you hold the position of “Head of Urban Planning & Building Permits.” What does your role involve, and what is your contribution to the projects we undertake?

My role within the DVArea organisation is, in essence, to provide technical and legal oversight of project feasibility, particularly regarding the application and interpretation of regulations – which are not always clear or straightforward – as well as managing relationships with public authorities. I am involved from the earliest stages of project development to guide and ensure that projects comply with national, regional, and municipal regulations.

In such a dynamic regulatory context, how important is it not only to stay up to date but also to know how to interpret the regulations?

In Italy, there are at least two aspects to consider from a legislative perspective. The first concerns interpretation – not so much of a single regulation, but of the combined effect of multiple regulations, which often overlap in the topics they address. The second aspect is the reliability of the sources, meaning the ability to identify, and sometimes even locate, the correct and relevant text.

How do you translate these developments into concrete opportunities for our clients?

My previous experience enables me to develop a comprehensive view of legislative issues and our clients’ needs. The goal is to submit a building permit application that is complete and consistent, including any specific regulatory aspects that have ideally been discussed in advance with the relevant officials to resolve uncertainties arising from conflicting interpretations. Nevertheless, I believe that requests for additional documentation will always occur, but building a relationship of trust with the authorities’ representatives ultimately proves important and strategic.

What types of assignments or projects make your contribution particularly strategic?

I believe I am most useful when it comes to “drawing on a blank sheet,” meaning setting the boundaries of preliminary design, as well as when there is a need to engage an authority for any type of procedure. My main contribution is in producing descriptive documents, feasibility studies, and preliminary tables and reports.

What do you think are the most interesting challenges the sector will face in the coming years?

We are in a period in which the Regions, under the guidance of the Government, are issuing standard building regulations that municipalities will be required to adopt. This will certainly improve the context in which we, as professionals, operate, making the landscape more or less homogeneous in terms of the definition of building and urban planning parameters. Beyond that, the main challenge – which we are already facing – is undoubtedly environmental regeneration and the rehabilitation of existing buildings, rather than new construction that leads to the consumption of undeveloped land.