Nodes and networks

Research focus

The Peer review has evaluated this group as Average

The research activity refers to three main research lines, according to the research fields it is involved into: - A territorial view over infrastructural networks. For this aspect, the research sees territory as complex of networks and knots, with the possibility of organizing territories as polycentric compact structures. Rail stations are the most important points of these territorial organisation, either for public transportations networks or for concentration and land development (most significant research products, 1). - Mobility. This research field promotes transit oriented development of human settlements, offers strategic planning tools to re orient private mobility, showing the territorial advantages of sustainable transportation such as public transportation, bike lanes networks, pedestrian facilities. In this aspect of the research is included the promotion of mobility management (scientific recognition 1). - Roads networks. They are specifically studied as physical parts of territorial organization, with a specific geometry, dimension, design and as places, lived and used by many categories of users. This is the emerging research field of the research group; in this research field must be considered the most recent research output such as guidelines and manuals, and in this field the research group promotes itself at both national and international levels (most significant research products, 2). The three research lines are equally involved and coordinated in infrastructural, territorial and social strategies, in national and international contexts. The research activities are developed within a research laboratory called PNR (Pianificazione Nodi Reti) created in the late 90’s by Anna Moretti, with the purpose of experimenting the three research lines into practical fields. Starting with the consideration of the territory as a complex network, that in the past activity of the research group produced many researches about territorial polycentric and multi centric organization, the research activity now is mainly focussed on urban processes about mobility. This focus is articulated on two main aspects: - the production of proposals and policies to solve territorial and urban traffic problems; - the definition of practical projects about roads improvements, roads redesign and urban roads planning. It is always a strong believe of the research group to think that it is impossible any infrastructural policy or any good road project without controlling the territorial effects of measures and proposals and without a link with the visions produced by local and territorial actors. PNR develops its research and consultancy for public administrations (at all levels, local and regional), in relations to these main topics. This means dealing with important situations of infrastructural planning, road designing processes and territorial policies to improve the good effects of any infrastructure plan. 16 5 The main output nowadays is the production of guidelines and manuals as practical tool of acknowledgment for local administrators, practitioners, architects and planners. These products are aimed at diffusing best practices and innovative points of view developed by PNR. At this moment, and over the peer review period, this is considered the most strategic aspect of PNR connection between scientific research and practical and useful aspects. The research group is particularly active in promoting its activity in Italy and abroad. International promotion is very important for PNR. The research group have active cooperations with international universities, and in the past three years of activities many relations have been activated among PNR, INRETS (Lille), LATTS, (Paris), Université Pierre Mendes (Grenoble) and State University of New York at Albany (New York) International promotion gave the possibility to PNR to organize international symposiums and scientific exchanges. - An international conference has been organized in 2003 by PNR, about “Networks, actors and territory” (Reti, attori e territorio). The international committee has been participated by Italian, French, English, American professors and researchers (most significant research products, 1). - An international symposium has been organized in 2005, specifically geared at showing italian and international guidelines and manuals about territorial road planning and design, as result of the consultancy with the Provincia di Bergamo, Il progetto di strade nel territorio. Guida all’azione locale (most significant research products, 2). - The international promotion is still active in the Urban Design Workshop, under the responsibility of Marco Facchinetti, at State University of New York at Albany, which promoted cultural exchanges between the deep PNR experience on the sense of places around infrastructural spaces and the American pragmatic approach to urban redevelopment. - PNR stimulates through its participation to PhD workshops international exchanges, among which at the moment a research cooperation between Federico Jappelli (temporary researcher) and Steven Marshall, The Bartlett School of Planning, London.

Dipartimento di afferenza

Dipartimento di Architettura e Pianificazione (DIAP)

Docenti afferenti

Associate Professors
Anna Moretti