**Stefano Capolongo, Leopoldo Sdino, Marta Dell'Ovo \*, Rossella Moioli and Stefano Della Torre**

Department of Architecture, Built environment and Construction Engineering (A.B.C.), Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; stefano.capolongo@polimi.it (S.C.); leopoldo.sdino@polimi.it (L.S.);

rossella.moioli@polimi.it (R.M.); stefano.dellatorre@polimi.it (S.D.T.)

**\*** Correspondence: marta.dellovo@polimi.it; Tel.: +39-02-2399-5140

Received: 11 June 2019; Accepted: 4 July 2019; Published: 17 July 2019

**Abstract:** Urban regeneration has to be based on rigorous methodological frameworks able to find a balance among preservation instances, economic development, urban quality and the well-being of the population. Considering these premises, this research is focused on the definition of the decision-aiding process for the reuse of an abandoned health care facility with several historic buildings. Both public and private interests have been taken into consideration, since they play an important role for the urban regeneration project and for the definition of urban regeneration policies. Given the complexity of this issue, the evaluation process has been structured by combining different methodologies to support the policy cycle: Stakeholder Analysis, to identify the actors engaged (Social sustainability); Nara Grid for the values elicitation of the Built Cultural Heritage (Cultural and environmental sustainability); and the subsequent definition of different sustainable scenarios evaluated by the Discounted Cash Flow Analysis (Economic sustainability). Four alternatives have been assessed with the support of a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) aimed at defining the most balanced one considering heritage significance retention and urban regeneration. This work contributes to the literature on soft OR by exploring interactions among different stakeholders and addresses policy instances by providing a transparent methodology based on value elicitation.

**Keywords:** territorial health center; urban regeneration; Multi-Criteria Analysis; built cultural heritage; values

### **1. Introduction**

The complexity present in decision problems is given by the coexistence of sometimes conflicting values elicited by stakeholders involved in the process [1]. To overcome and facilitate complex and uncertain situations, Problem Structuring Methods (PSMs) are widely used by soft OR scholars [2] in order to support the interaction among stakeholders [3] in managing ill-structured problems [4,5].

When the problem has to face an urban regeneration processes, the complexity is the result of the contribution of different dimensions and layers embedded, such as urban, cultural, social and economic [6]. Moreover, these urban interventions not only have interdependent actors with individual and common goals, but they are also the result of public and private interest and internal political dynamics [7]. What deserves to be further analyzed in this context concerns the externalities generated by these processes from which the community can benefit and that can have positive effects by improving the general well-being of the area, also considering the economic side [6]. In fact, as has been suggested by [8], problems concerning architecture choices are characterized by direct consequences on both the territory and the society. In addition, when the urban regeneration process is placed in a context characterized by cultural heritage, the complexity is the result of tangible and intangible values that deserve to be preserved and maximized [9]. The role and power of cultural policy and cultural heritage in promoting and driving urban regeneration programs [10–13] by the recognition of

strategies able to integrate both conservation and innovation has been widely discussed. According to [11], the key to a sustainable and successful process is given both from a balance between public and private parties and from the reconciliation between tradition and innovation. In detail, [13] recognized the presence of four different approaches aimed at enhancing cultural heritage that are able to support city regeneration:


This complexity and the presence of conflicting preferences makes decision support methods structured to collect information by the stakeholders involved necessary, in order to better shape the problem [8]. The objective of the current contribution is to present the results of a case study based on the regeneration of a disused area in the Municipality of Vimercate (MB), Italy, where several dimensions have been taken into consideration. In detail, the paper aims at developing an evaluation process structured by combining different methodologies in order to support the Decision Maker (DM) in taking complex decisions when conflicting values are involved. Values engaged in the process consider both tangible (Functional and Economic Sustainability) and intangible aspects (Environmental and Socio-Cultural Sustainability). Another aspect considered in the research has been the investigation of the most suitable location for the new territorial health center within the areas of the "former hospital of Vimercate" to promote its urban development; indeed, the site hosts an abandoned health care facility and historic buildings. In fact, in this context, it is important to explore not only how the design of the project can achieve the objective of the work but also how different combinations of functions can better exploit the potentialities of the area. Complementarity and compatibility are two key concepts analyzed in order to develop a conscious *mixitè* by boosting both the attractiveness of investment, considering the economic dimension, and limiting the presence of incompatible uses to protect sensitive users, considering the social dimension. Here, private and public interests play a strategic role in the definition of its regeneration process and, as has already been stressed by [8], these kind of interventions are able to shape both the society and the territory, which implies that the decisions should be transparent and justified in order to be communicated to the citizens involved.

This paper is organized into five sections. The first part presents the theoretical background of the methodological framework proposed by explaining its main phases; the case study aims at illustrating the area where the project has to be developed; in the third section, the methods are explained and then, in the fourth section, the results are presented and discussed. In the last section, the policy implications and potentialities of the approach proposed are further explained and validated.

### **2. Methodological Approach**

The evaluation framework proposed combines different methodologies in order to include several aspects in the analysis and with the aim to consider the multi-dimensional characteristics of the problem. In detail, as has been represented in Figure 1, the approach is structured according to three phases: i) intelligence, ii) design and iii) decision [14]. In the i) intelligence phase, the state of the art is analyzed by considering the actors involved, the current situation of the BCH and by investigating real case studies. In the ii) design phase, a set of alternatives is proposed as the result of the previous analysis, and to conclude, in the iii) decision phase, alternatives are evaluated.

In detail, considering the first phase, it is important to highlight how the Stakeholders Analysis allows understanding and prioritizing actors engaged in the process; in fact, by performing the power/interest matrix, it has been possible to clarify which actors deserve to be mostly satisfied since they have a direct relation with the project [15]. Once identified, the categories of actors with a key role in the decision problem, their needs and expectations have been elicited [16]; this phase is strategic in order to design alternatives in the second phase that are able to represent and meet their demands. This step has been combined with the Nara Grid, aimed at defining artistic, historic, social, scientific/cultural and economic values expressed by the built cultural heritage (BCH) [17], and able to identify most compatible uses for each building considering its typology. The last method of the intelligence phase implies a comparative analysis of case studies, where existing territorial health centers have been deeply investigated in order to fully comprehend their functional aspects, both intrinsic and extrinsic.

The output of the first phase, becomes the object of investigation of the second one. In fact, the three analyses previously described, combined together, resulted in the design of a set of alternatives aimed at regenerating the area under analysis by considering all the aspects elicited in the introduction. The alternatives considered have been obtained by the interaction with the actors involved, compliance with the regulations and the limits given by the conservation and use of historical buildings and their level of authenticity.

The last phase concerned the evaluation of alternatives generated. It has been carried on, first of all, under an economic point of view, performing a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis and afterwards under a multi-dimensional point of view, with the support of the Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA). In detail, a value tree divided into criteria and sub-criteria has been developed in order to assess which one, among the set of alternatives, was the most satisfying by considering the following dimensions: 1. Functional Sustainability; 2. Socio-Cultural Sustainability; 3. Environmental Sustainability; 4. Economic Sustainability. Moreover, a Sensitivity Analysis has been performed in order to validate the results obtained. The methodological flowchart described is a first attempt to combine multi-disciplinary methodologies belonging to different fields of research with the aim to not disregard any important dimensions.

**Figure 1.** Methodological flowchart.

### **3. Case Study**

Given the aim of the research to define the most suitable location, inside the site of the "former hospital of Vimercate", for a new territorial health center by considering the urban regeneration, the BCH and the economic attractiveness of the development, it is necessary to understand the context of where the area is located. In fact, the site analyzed in the context of this paper, and a priori identified by the Municipality to host this intervention, is located in the city of Vimercate (MB), in the Lombardy region, 25 km far from Milan, Italy (Figure 2).

**Figure 2.** Location of the area.

The area of the "former hospital" consists of two parts: in the first, there is a large building called a mono block, some service buildings and three small villas; in the second, there are some historic buildings and a church. Currently it emerges that only two buildings are used, and they host a psycho-social center and the house of the chaplain.

The analysis detected its central position with respect to the municipal territory and its importance as part of the historical fabric of the city.

The analysis of the context allowed to focus in detail on:


For what concerns the first focus, the area is accessible, by both private and public transport, and it is also well served by main services, e.g., schools, post offices, supermarkets, restaurants, while it is not very close to green areas and public offices.

The second focus underlined its high historical value since it is in proximity to the ancient core of the city; in fact, there are buildings characterizing the ancient nucleus of the town that are of medieval origin, which also determines the perception of continuity with the historic center.
