Cooperativa Edificatrice Bollatese

Cooperativa Edificatrice Bollatese is a historic housing cooperative based in Bollate, in the Lombardy region of Italy. Founded on 27 November 1910 by a group of workers — bricklayers, farmers, porters and navvies — it was created to address the common need for a decent home at a time when individual home ownership was difficult or impossible for working-class families. The cooperative's first building was the via Seveso block, constructed in the typical 'ringhiera' (balcony-access) style; the founding members themselves built it, working after their shifts and on holidays, embodying the cooperative spirit of solidarity. Over more than a century, the cooperative has built an indissoluble relationship with the Bollate community. It is described as a 'mixed-property' housing cooperative with a prevalence of undivided property (proprietà indivisa), meaning that much of the housing stock is owned collectively by the cooperative rather than by individual members. Today it counts over 4,500 members, including workers, employees, artisans, managers, pensioners and families. Members' savings deposited with the cooperative contribute to a system of solidarity-based self-financing, allowing it to continue offering homes to those in need without pursuing speculative logics. The cooperative pursues a mutualistic and social purpose: guaranteeing the right to housing. Its website highlights services for becoming a member, requesting a home, and opening a 'libretto di prestito sociale' (social loan account). It also reports figures such as numbers of members, homes (undivided property), commercial rentals, appurtenances, and non-buildable land. The cooperative remains active and engaged in community events, such as the traditional 'Back to School' festival. It is one of the most solid and significant realities in the cooperative construction sector in Lombardy, a point of reference for thousands of citizens.

Cooperativa Edificatrice Bollatese was founded on 27 November 1910 in Bollate, Italy, by a group of workers — bricklayers, farmers, porters and navvies — united by the common need for a 'civil dwelling' at a time when achieving this individually was difficult, if not impossible. The cooperative's first construction was the via Seveso building, built in the typical 'ringhiera' architecture (with external balconies). The founding members themselves built it, working after their shifts and on holidays, demonstrating the cooperative spirit and the value of solidarity. Over more than 100 years of history, the cooperative has built an indissoluble relationship with the Bollate community. It is described as a historic 'mixed-property' housing cooperative with a prevalence of undivided property. Today it is one of the most solid and significant realities in the cooperative construction sector in Lombardy, a point of reference for thousands of citizens. It counts over 4,500 members, including workers, employees, artisans, managers, pensioners and families. Members' savings deposited with the cooperative contribute to a solidarity-based self-financing system, allowing it to continue offering homes to those in need without speculative logics. The cooperative pursues a mutualistic and social purpose: guaranteeing the right to housing. Its website provides services for becoming a member, requesting a home, and opening a social loan account. It also reports figures such as numbers of members, homes (undivided property), commercial rentals, appurtenances, and non-buildable land. The cooperative remains active in community events, such as the traditional 'Back to School' festival, and maintains a social media presence.

• 1910

  Founded on 27 November in Bollate by a group of workers.

• 1910

  First construction: via Seveso building, built by founding members in 'ringhiera' style.

Historic housing cooperative focused on mutualistic and social purpose, providing affordable homes and community cohesion in Bollate.

• Housing units (undivided property)

• Rental housing

• Commercial rentals

• Social loan accounts (libretto di prestito sociale)

1. 1Edificatrice Bollatese -edificatricebollatese.it
2. 2Chi Siamo – Edificatrice Bollateseedificatricebollatese.it
3. 3Cooperativa Edificatrice Bollatesewikidata.org