A new space for hospitality and inclusion
Casa dell'accoglienza, Brescia
More beds and more shared spaces characterise the new Casa dell’Accoglienza project in Brescia. The design is based on a system of mini-apartments supported by shared common areas and services, as part of an urban regeneration initiative inspired by the concept of co-housing.
DVArea has completed the design of the new Casa dell’Accoglienza on Via Corridoni. The project, with a total investment of €2.1 million funded by contributions from Fondazione Cariplo and the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), provides a facility capable of accommodating up to 32 residents—10 more than the previous structure. The intervention optimises internal layouts and enhances shared spaces to foster social interaction, while also improving comfort and flexibility. The project includes the creation of large covered portico areas and the redevelopment of the adjacent garden. The building was conceived to promote cultural integration among people of different ethnic backgrounds, while also ensuring the privacy required to respect individual social and religious practices.
The demolition and reconstruction project integrates harmoniously into the surrounding urban fabric, increasing the number of beds without exceeding the footprint of the pre-existing building. Particular attention was also given to environmental sustainability, leveraging renewable energy sources and minimising operational and maintenance costs.
Special focus was placed on the outdoor context, through the construction of porticoes and the redevelopment of the adjacent garden. The new architectural solution will provide dignified temporary accommodation within a broader social framework, shared and promoted by local social services. The new spaces were inaugurated in May 2026 in the presence of the Municipal Administration and representatives of local social services, marking the completion of a long-awaited and strategic intervention not only for the neighbourhood, but for the entire city.
Following a careful demolition phase and soil remediation works, the construction site was completed in line with the design objectives, returning to the city a renewed, more functional facility capable of addressing temporary housing needs in a concrete and effective manner.
With this new development, Casa dell’Accoglienza strengthens its role as a key social and urban landmark, offering a dignified, welcoming environment fully integrated into the city fabric, in line with the co-housing and inclusion vision that guided the entire project.
700
GFA
[m²]
2.1
FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK
[M €]
32
BEDS
4.05
ENERGY CLASS
[kWh/ m²]
“Casa dell’accoglienza is an example of urban regeneration, the result of a co-design process between DVArea and the social services of Brescia. The design challenge focused on creating welcoming living spaces, using sustainable materials and minimising both construction and maintenance costs.”
“Meeting the deadlines set by the PNRR was a central objective, and it was fully achieved. Even the complexities that emerged – such as soil remediation – were addressed constructively, while maintaining consistency with the overall financial framework. The completion of the project returns to the city a space of hospitality and social value, confirming the importance of an integrated approach and shared responsibility, both distinctive elements of the DVArea method.”
