In the near future, a significant part of the population is older. Redundant urban land is now fertile. Mobility is electric or human-powered. Co-living, re-use lifestyles, and adaptation of the existing are the norm. And we humans, finally learned that together we are stronger, nature is sacred, technology is our ally, and life is slow. Here, I propose to go back to the Arcadian archetype where community, sustainability, and simplicity are the assets for a prosperous living. As a test, I have analysed the Golden Lane Estate in London, a post-war example of an urban microcosm designed to advocate the modernist principles of wellbeing and social living. Using findings from my book “How to take care of the old” and from site-specific research, a tripartite design strategy envisions how the Golden Lane Estate could transform. Integrated solutions like harvesting, renewable energy, local production, and smart homes allow sustainable living to be a seamless part of everyday life. The United Generations proposes a new fulfilling vision to create a thriving community of all ages, celebrating the advantages of shared resources and care economies.

Bio

Adalberto Lonardi is an Italian designer with a passion for architecture, a background in visual communication, and a devotion to the social environment. His fields of interest span across children and adult education, social integration, and community empowerment. These influences make up Lonardi’s inter-disciplinary practice today expressed through drawings, photography, and writing. After earning a degree in Business Engineering from the University of Parma and a degree in Marketing from the University of California Irvine, in 2020 he obtained a Master’s degree in Architecture at the Royal College of Art. Trained as a designer at FABRICA by Benetton in Italy, Adalberto worked for the past ten years in art direction and visual communication and founded Adalberto Lonardi Studio collaborating with organizations including Royal College of Art, FABRICA, and Domaine de Boisbuchet. He currently tutors digital communication at Istituto Maragoni and he recently curated the RCA Interior Design program’s Inside/Out Lecture Series (2018-2010), co-chaired the RCA Walkative Society (2019-2020), and exhibited at Royal College of Art Show 2020 (2020), RCA Brexit Exhibition (2019) Kortrijk Design Week (2019), AcrossRCA (2019), and Domaine de Boisbuchet (2018). www.adalbertolonardi.com