Health as an Institutional Commitment. Reconversion of Nordkraft from a Power Station to a Cultural and Health Center

Abstract

The goal of public health prevention is not only to increase life expectancy, but also to improve the quality of life. It is therefore necessary to highlight the importance of the social opportunities available to the individual, that is, the ability to build relationships, cultivate interests, attend cultural events and lead a healthy lifestyle. Urban habitats, the main environments for socializing but also for spreading contagion (as the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted), must be remodelled to ensure public health. To achieve this goal, urban habitats must also be able to offer spaces for safe relationships to promote sociability and stimulate civic activism. The paper refers to the commitments of the “Peccioli Charter” (2020) on resilient communities, which contains some of the themes that will be developed in the exhibition of the Italian Pavilion of the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale entitled "How will we live together". The theme of health and resilient communities is illustrated through the case study of the Nordkraft power plant in Aalborg (DK), an excellent example of urban circular metabolism. This project addresses the issues of public health as an institutional commitment, making sports services available for all ages and for all needs; hosts cultural centres and business incubators; contributes to the reduction of climatic impacts through the use of eco-sustainable energy sources.