From inclusive design to the right to the city

Abstract

In light of the transformations affecting contemporary cities—marked by environmental pressures, social polarization, and demographic shifts—this contribution offers a theoretical and methodological reflection on the concept of inclusive design as both a critical and operational tool for the governance of urban space. Starting from a renewed reading of Henri Lefebvre’s “right to the city,” the text explores the multiple meanings that urban inclusivity has assumed in recent debates: from full physical and sensory accessibility to the integration of neurodivergent subjectivities, from perceived urban safety to spatial justice, from collaborative planning to gender-sensitive urbanism and LGBTQIA+ identities. These instances, still fragmented across normative frameworks and governance models, are brought together within a shared interpretative framework that unites ethical, design, and political dimensions. The contribution highlights the urgency of overcoming adaptive approaches aimed at “special categories” in favor of a city model that is welcoming to all—conceived as a relational and adaptive system, capable of responding to a plurality of needs, experiences, and forms of urban presence. In this perspective, inclusive design emerges not merely as a technical solution but as a transformative practice grounded in the co-production of space and the recognition of differentiated inhabitant needs. Ultimately, the essay argues that inclusion must not be treated as an ancillary option but rather as a guiding principle for the city of the future, rethinking dwelling, representation, and access in terms of social equity, cultural pluralism, and collective rights.