Progetto Planes DAStU Politecnico di Milano

19/10/2026

19/10/2026

How can architecture, education, and international cooperation help build a more inclusive and sustainable future?

This is one of the key questions at the heart of SEED Perugia Festival 2026, taking place in Perugia from October 16 to 18, under this year's theme, “Humanity.”

International cooperation will take center stage with contributions from Raul Pantaleo - Architect and co-founder of TAMassociati, Luca Astorri - Research fellow at Politecnico di Milano, Founder of AOUMM and Co-founder of NGO Rise - Relationships Inspiring Social Enterprise and Luca Bonifacio - head of technical management & design of H7Shelter and founder of Hope and Space

Luca Astorri with his talk “The Construction Site as a School, Designing a Community,” will explore how the building process can become an opportunity for learning, participation, and collective growth, drawing on experiences from Nairobi to Expo Milano and the Punto Luce project by Save the Children.

Luca Bonifacio will present H7Shelter, an adaptive architecture project designed to respond to emergencies and the needs of the most vulnerable communities.

The festival will also provide a platform for dialogue on research and education, involving the “Design for Development” Master's programme at Politecnico di Milano, managed by Consorzio Poliedra.

This vision is also shared by PLANES, the project dedicated to revitalizing the historic centers of San Salvador and San Miguel. Through 7 scholarships for Salvadoran students, PLANES invests in education, knowledge exchange, and the development of local expertise.

One common thread connects these initiatives: putting people at the heart of design and transforming architecture into a tool for inclusion, cooperation, and sustainable development.

PLANES is funded by the Italian Government through the Embassy of Italy in El Salvador and Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador, coordinated by Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani - Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with APLAN, the Comune di Milano, and Movimento Africa '70 El Salvador.

Because designing the future means investing in people, creating not only spaces, but also skills, connections, and opportunities.

13/10/2026

🏙️ Historic city centres are more than a legacy of the past — they are an opportunity to shape the future!

Globalisation, new technologies and social change are reshaping our cities. How can we respond to these challenges while preserving the identity, memory and value of our historic centres?

🎥 In this new episode of , we speak with Fernando Carrión from FLACSO Ecuador about the transformations taking place in Latin America’s historic centres and the need to rethink public policies and urban strategies to meet today’s challenges.

These reflections resonate with the core mission of PLANES, a project working to recover and revitalise the historic centres of San Salvador and San Miguel through strategic planning, stronger institutional capacities and a more inclusive and sustainable vision of urban development.

✨ Revitalising a historic centre means much more than restoring its buildings and public spaces. It means unlocking its potential, strengthening its identity and creating new opportunities for the people who live, work and connect there every day.

🌎 At PLANES, we believe that shared knowledge and collaboration are essential to building historic centres that are vibrant, dynamic and ready for the future.

▶️ Watch the interview and join the conversation about the future of our cities.

PLANES is coordinated by the Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani - Politecnico di Milano of Politecnico di Milano, with the support of the Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo, in collaboration with APLAN, the Municipality of Milan and the NGO Africa '70 El Salvador.



🏙️ Los centros históricos no son solo memoria del pasado: ¡son una oportunidad para transformar el futuro!

La globalización, las nuevas tecnologías y las transformaciones sociales están cambiando nuestras ciudades. ¿Cómo podemos afrontar estos desafíos sin perder la identidad, la memoria y el valor de nuestros centros históricos?

🎥 En una nueva entrega de , conversamos con Fernando Carrión, de FLACSO Ecuador, sobre los cambios que atraviesan los centros históricos de América Latina y la importancia de repensar las políticas públicas y las estrategias urbanas para responder a los desafíos del presente.

Una reflexión que conecta con el corazón de PLANES, un proyecto que trabaja por la recuperación y revitalización de los centros históricos de San Salvador y San Miguel, promoviendo la planificación estratégica, el fortalecimiento de las capacidades institucionales y una visión de ciudad más inclusiva y sostenible.

✨ Revitalizar un centro histórico es mucho más que recuperar sus espacios: es reconocer su potencial, fortalecer su identidad y abrir nuevas oportunidades para las personas que lo viven cada día.

🌎 Desde PLANES, creemos en el poder del conocimiento compartido y la colaboración para construir centros históricos vivos, dinámicos y llenos de futuro.

▶️ Descubre la entrevista y súmate a la reflexión sobre el futuro de nuestras ciudades.

PLANES es coordinado por el Departamento de Arquitectura y Estudios Urbanos (DAStU) del Politecnico di Milano, con el apoyo de la Agencia Italiana de Cooperación para el Desarrollo (AICS) y en colaboración con APLAN, el Comune di Milano y la ONG Africa ’70.

01/10/2026

Seven scholarships. Seven young talents. One new vision for the future of territories.

Sometimes, to build the future, we need to go back to our roots.

This is one of the key lessons at the heart of the Politecnico di Milano Master’s programme “Design for Development. Architecture, Urban Planning and Heritage in the Global South”.

Thanks to the PLANES project – Plan Estratégico para la Recuperación y Revitalización de los Centros Históricos de San Miguel y San Salvador, seven scholarships have been awarded to Salvadoran students over two editions of the Master’s programme: three scholarships in the previous edition and four scholarships in the current edition.

Coordinated by the Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani - Politecnico di Milano, PLANES is implemented in collaboration with the Comune di Milano, Africa '70 El Salvador and Salvadoran partner institutions, with the support of the Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador.
An opportunity that goes beyond education: it means gaining new tools, sharing knowledge, and developing skills that can be brought back to and applied within their own territories.

During the workshop led by Prof. Battistella, students explored the strength and versatility of a material as ancient as architecture itself: earth.

From rammed earth (pisé) to earth-and-timber techniques, from adobe to cob, building traditions from North Africa, Morocco, Spain and France show how earth, water, straw and natural fibres can be transformed into buildings that respond to the climate, resources and specific characteristics of each place.

Earth is not simply a building material.

It is memory, culture and local knowledge.

It is knowledge passed down through generations that can now meet research, contemporary design and new strategies for more sustainable development.

This is the meaning of education: learning, experimenting, exchanging ideas, and then bringing what we have learned back to the places we belong to.

The seven scholarships supported by PLANES represent precisely this: building a bridge between El Salvador and Milan, between local knowledge and international perspectives, between heritage and innovation.

Because enhancing historic centres does not simply mean preserving what already exists.

It means educating the people who will imagine what comes next.

PLANES | Learn. Educate. Design. Build the future.

23/09/2026

PLANES | Un video racconta il progetto per i centri storici di San Salvador e San Miguel

Una città non è fatta solo di edifici e spazi.
È fatta di memoria, persone, identità e possibilità.

È da qui che nasce PLANES – Recupero e valorizzazione dei centri storici di San Miguel e San Salvador: un progetto di cooperazione internazionale che mette in dialogo competenze, istituzioni e comunità per promuovere nuovi percorsi di rigenerazione urbana e valorizzazione del patrimonio.

🎥 Un video racconta questo percorso attraverso luoghi, incontri, idee e momenti di confronto che, passo dopo passo, contribuiscono a costruire una visione condivisa per il futuro dei centri storici di San Salvador e San Miguel.
Un lavoro fatto di ricerca e progettualità, formazione e ascolto, professionalità e passione. Perché trasformare un territorio significa prima di tutto conoscerlo, comprenderne l’identità e lavorare insieme a chi lo vive ogni giorno.

PLANES nasce dalla collaborazione tra il Politecnico di Milano – Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani (DAStU), il Comune di Milano, Movimento Africa ’70 e i partner istituzionali salvadoregni, con il sostegno dell’Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (AICS).

🤝 Un percorso internazionale, ma profondamente legato alle persone e ai luoghi.
Perché recuperare un centro storico significa dare valore alla sua storia, ma anche creare le condizioni perché possa continuare a vivere, trasformarsi e guardare al futuro.

▶️ Scopri la storia di PLANES e guarda il video su:
www.dastu.polimi.it/en/magazine/planes-dove-il-patrimonio-incontra-il-futuro


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PLANES | A video tells the story of the project for the historic centres of San Salvador and San Miguel

A city is made of more than just buildings and spaces.
It is made of memory, people, identity and possibilities.

This is where PLANES – Recovery and Enhancement of the Historic Centres of San Miguel and San Salvador begins: an international cooperation project that brings together expertise, institutions and communities to promote new approaches to urban regeneration and heritage enhancement.

🎥 A video tells the story of this journey through places, encounters, ideas and moments of exchange that, step by step, are helping to build a shared vision for the future of the historic centres of San Salvador and San Miguel.

A journey built on research and design, knowledge and dialogue, professionalism and passion. Because transforming a place begins with understanding it, recognizing its identity and working together with the people who live there every day.

PLANES is the result of collaboration between Politecnico di Milano – Department of Architecture and Urban Studies (DAStU), the Municipality of Milan, Movimento Africa ’70 and Salvadoran institutional partners, with the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

🤝 An international journey, deeply rooted in people and places.
Because regenerating a historic center means valuing its history while creating the conditions for it to remain alive, evolve and look towards the future.

▶️ Discover the story of PLANES and watch the video at:
www.dastu.polimi.it/en/magazine/planes-dove-il-patrimonio-incontra-il-futuro

Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador
Africa '70 El Salvador

02/09/2026

🎥 Architecture Capsules | Episode 05 | A city is more than its buildings

What brings a city together?
Sometimes, the answer can be found in the most unexpected places — even in a grain of rice.

In this new episode of Architecture Capsules, Francesco Orsini (COMFAMA) reflects on the relationship between cities, culture and communities, exploring how urban spaces can become places where meanings, identities and collective life come together.

Because revitalizing a city is not only about transforming its physical spaces. It is also about recovering the cultural meaning that makes those places alive, recognizable and shared.

Through this perspective, architecture and urban regeneration become tools for reconnecting people with the places they inhabit — and for imagining cities that are more meaningful, inclusive and connected to their communities.

🎬 Watch the full interview and discover Francesco Orsini’s perspective.

The interview is part of PLANES Project—coordinated by the Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani - Politecnico di Milano of Politecnico di Milano and implemented in collaboration with the Municipality of Milan, Africa '70 El Salvador and Salvadoran partner institutions, with the support of the Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador



🎥 Architecture Capsules | Episodio 05 | Una ciudad es mucho más que sus edificios

¿Qué es lo que une a una ciudad?
A veces, la respuesta puede encontrarse en los lugares más inesperados… incluso en un grano de arroz.

En este nuevo episodio de Architecture Capsules, Francesco Orsini (COMFAMA) reflexiona sobre la relación entre ciudad, cultura y comunidad, y sobre cómo los espacios urbanos pueden convertirse en lugares donde se encuentran los significados, las identidades y la vida colectiva.

Porque revitalizar una ciudad no significa solamente transformar sus espacios físicos. También significa recuperar el significado cultural que hace que esos lugares estén vivos, sean reconocibles y formen parte de la vida de la comunidad.

Desde esta mirada, la arquitectura y la regeneración urbana pueden convertirse en herramientas para fortalecer la relación entre las personas y los lugares que habitan, y para imaginar ciudades más significativas, inclusivas y conectadas con sus comunidades.

🎬 Mirá la entrevista completa y conocé la perspectiva de Francesco Orsini.

Esta entrevista forma parte de Proyecto PLANES, coordinado por el Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani (DAStU) del Politecnico di Milano e implementado en colaboración con la Municipalidad de Milán, Africa'70 y las instituciones socias salvadoreñas, con el apoyo de la Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo, sede San Salvador.

28/07/2026

🎥 Architecture Capsules | Episode 04

Historic centres are not only places of memory—they are engines of economic, social and cultural development. Yet many of them are facing progressive deterioration, putting at risk an invaluable architectural and urban heritage.

In this new episode of Architecture Capsules, Prof. Ana Lucy Canales (Universidad de El Salvador) explores the current challenges of the Historic Centre of San Miguel highlighting the need to preserve and revitalize a historic urban area of extraordinary value whose architectural heritage offers significant opportunities for the city's economy and the sustainable development of eastern El Salvador.

Revitalizing San Miguel's historic centre means more than restoring buildings. It means creating the conditions to attract tourism, encourage new investments, generate economic opportunities and return this unique urban space to its community while preserving its cultural identity.

This is one of the ambitions of the PLANES Project—coordinated by the Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani - Politecnico di Milano of Politecnico di Milano and implemented in collaboration with the Municipality of Milan, Africa '70 El Salvador and Salvadoran partner institutions, with the support of the Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador.

Together, the partners are supporting Salvadoran institutions in designing and implementing strategies for the recovery and revitalization of the historic centres of San Miguel and San Salvador through urban planning, heritage conservation, institutional capacity building and international cooperation.

Every restored building, every revitalized public space and every investment in cultural heritage is an investment in the future of the city and its people.

🎥 Watch the full interview and discover how protecting our heritage can become a catalyst for sustainable development.



🎥 Architecture Capsules | Episodio 04

Los centros históricos no son solo espacios de memoria: son motores del desarrollo económico, social y cultural. Sin embargo, muchos de ellos enfrentan un progresivo deterioro que pone en riesgo un valioso patrimonio arquitectónico y urbano.

En este nuevo episodio de Architecture Capsules, la Prof. Ana Lucy Canales (Universidad de El Salvador) analiza los desafíos que enfrenta el Centro Histórico de San Miguel, destacando la importancia de preservar y revitalizar un entorno urbano de extraordinario valor histórico, cuyo patrimonio arquitectónico representa una gran oportunidad para la economía de la ciudad y el desarrollo sostenible de la zona oriental del país.

Revitalizar el Centro Histórico de San Miguel significa mucho más que restaurar edificios. Significa crear las condiciones para impulsar el turismo, atraer nuevas inversiones, generar oportunidades económicas y devolver este espacio emblemático a la comunidad, preservando al mismo tiempo su identidad y su patrimonio cultural.

Este es uno de los principales objetivos del Proyecto PLANES, coordinado por el Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani (DAStU) del Politecnico di Milano e implementado en colaboración con la Municipalidad de Milán, Africa'70 y las instituciones socias salvadoreñas, con el apoyo de la Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo, sede San Salvador.

Juntos, los socios del proyecto acompañan a las instituciones salvadoreñas en el diseño e implementación de estrategias para la recuperación y revitalización de los centros históricos de San Miguel y San Salvador, mediante la planificación urbana, la conservación del patrimonio, el fortalecimiento de capacidades institucionales y la cooperación internacional.

Cada edificio recuperado, cada espacio público revitalizado y cada inversión en el patrimonio cultural representan una inversión en el futuro de la ciudad y de quienes la habitan.

🎥 Mira la entrevista completa y descubre cómo la protección del patrimonio puede convertirse en un verdadero motor para el desarrollo sostenible.

17/07/2026

🎥 Architecture Capsules | Episode 03
How can architectural heritage help us better understand our cities and shape their future?

In this new episode of Architecture Capsules, Prof. Mónica Solórzano Gil (ITESO – Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara) reflects on the value of cultural heritage as a living legacy, highlighting its role in preserving collective memory, strengthening local identity and fostering more conscious and sustainable urban development.
The interview is part of the PLANES Project – Strategic Plan for the Recovery and Revitalization of the Historic Centers of San Miguel and San Salvador – coordinated by Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani - Politecnico di Milano of Politecnico di Milano and implemented together with the Municipality of Milan, Centro Histórico de San Salvador, Africa '70 El Salvador, and the Salvadoran partner institutions, with the support of Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador

Through Architecture Capsules, PLANES brings together international experts to encourage dialogue, share knowledge and promote new perspectives on the conservation, enhancement and sustainable management of cultural heritage.

🎬 Watch the full interview and discover new perspectives on cities, heritage and urban transformation.



🎥 Architecture Capsules | Episodio 03

¿Cómo puede el patrimonio arquitectónico ayudarnos a comprender mejor nuestras ciudades y construir su futuro?

En este nuevo episodio de Architecture Capsules, la Prof. Mónica Solórzano Gil (ITESO – Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara) comparte una reflexión sobre el valor del patrimonio cultural como un legado vivo, destacando su papel en la preservación de la memoria colectiva, el fortalecimiento de la identidad local y la promoción de un desarrollo urbano más consciente y sostenible.

La entrevista forma parte del Proyecto PLANES – Plan Estratégico para la Recuperación y Revitalización de los Centros Históricos de San Miguel y San Salvador, coordinado por el Politécnico de Milán e implementado en conjunto con la Municipalidad de Milán, APLAN, Movimento Africa '70 y las instituciones socias salvadoreñas, con el apoyo de la Agencia Italiana de Cooperación para el Desarrollo (AICS).

A través de Architecture Capsules, el Proyecto PLANES reúne a especialistas internacionales para fomentar el diálogo, compartir conocimientos e impulsar nuevas perspectivas sobre la conservación, la puesta en valor y la gestión sostenible del patrimonio cultural.

🎬 Mirá la entrevista completa y descubrí nuevas perspectivas sobre las ciudades, el patrimonio y la transformación urbana.

06/07/2026

Turning public investment into shared opportunities.

How can urban transformation create value not only for places, but also for the people who live in them?

These questions were at the heart of the latest PlanES Workshop, where representatives from Salvadoran institutions, local governments and technical experts came together to explore land value capture and urban planning instruments as key tools for more equitable and sustainable urban development.
Through discussion, case studies and collaborative learning, participants reflected on how public investments, urban regeneration and planning policies can help finance better public spaces, infrastructure and services, while ensuring that the benefits of development are shared across communities.
The workshop also provided an opportunity to discuss the future of San Salvador's Historic Centre, strengthening institutional capacities and fostering dialogue among the actors shaping its transformation.

Every workshop is more than a training session: it is another step in the collaborative journey that PlanES Project, funded by Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador and led by Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani - Politecnico di Milano of Politecnico di Milano, is building together with Centro Histórico de San Salvador and Africa '70 El Salvador, institutions, professionals and local communities to support resilient, inclusive and sustainable territorial development in El Salvador.

Designing development. Together.



Transformar la inversión pública en oportunidades para todas y todos.

¿Cómo lograr que el desarrollo urbano beneficie no solo a las ciudades, sino también a las personas que las habitan?

Esta fue la pregunta que guio el más reciente Taller del Proyecto PlanES, en el que representantes de instituciones públicas, gobiernos locales y equipos técnicos participaron en un espacio de intercambio sobre instrumentos urbanísticos y mecanismos para la recuperación de plusvalías del suelo.

A través del análisis de experiencias, el diálogo y el trabajo colaborativo, las y los participantes reflexionaron sobre cómo las inversiones públicas y los procesos de revitalización urbana pueden generar recursos para financiar más espacio público, infraestructura, equipamientos y servicios, promoviendo al mismo tiempo una distribución más equitativa de los beneficios del desarrollo.

El taller también permitió analizar los desafíos y oportunidades para el futuro del Centro Histórico de San Salvador, fortaleciendo capacidades técnicas y consolidando el trabajo conjunto entre las instituciones que impulsan su transformación.

Cada taller de PlanES es mucho más que una jornada de capacitación: es un espacio para construir conocimiento compartido, fortalecer alianzas y avanzar hacia ciudades más sostenibles, resilientes e inclusivas.

Diseñando desarrollo. Juntos.

29/06/2026

🎥 Architecture Capsules | Episode 2

How can architecture become a driver of more sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities?

In the second episode of our Architecture Capsules, we sit down with Prof. Ariel Espino, who shares his vision on the role of architecture and urban planning in shaping better cities for future generations.

Through the PlanES Project, funded by Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador and led by Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani - Politecnico di Milano of Politecnico di Milano these conversations foster knowledge exchange, inspire innovative approaches, and strengthen the capacities of professionals and institutions working towards sustainable urban development in El Salvador.

▶️ Watch the new episode and discover how collaboration, expertise and innovation are helping build more resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities.



🎥 Cápsulas de Arquitectura | Episodio 2

¿Cómo puede la arquitectura contribuir a construir ciudades más sostenibles, resilientes e inclusivas?

En este segundo episodio de nuestras Cápsulas de Arquitectura, conversamos con el Prof. Ariel Espino, quien comparte su visión sobre el papel de la arquitectura y la planificación urbana en la construcción de ciudades preparadas para el futuro.

A través del Proyecto PlanES, impulsado por el Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani - Politecnico di Milano de el Politecnico di Milano, financiado por Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador estas conversaciones promueven el intercambio de conocimientos, impulsan nuevas ideas y fortalecen las capacidades de los profesionales e instituciones que trabajan por un desarrollo urbano sostenible en El Salvador.

▶️ Dale play al nuevo episodio y conocé cómo la colaboración, la experiencia y la innovación están contribuyendo a construir ciudades más resilientes, inclusivas y sostenibles.