Ecological design of human settlements

Research focus

The Peer review has evaluated this group as Average

The laboratory carries out research work on plans and projects of spatial change in theoretical and experimental terms, with reference to certain crucial themes emphasised by the ‘territorialist’ approach which considers space and land, as a meta-theme of planning and a living subject. A complex subject, based on its structural relation with environmental, settlement, social systems, that cannot be reduced to a functionally divided space or to a mere abstract field which should be managed through specific policies. Themes and problems such as: - the problem of environment and sustainable development which is the core of spatial change processes; - the cognitive analytical approach so as to ‘interpret’ the distinctive features of places and spatial differences; - the assumption of the (strategic) perspective of ‘local development’ in the project so as to exploit the territorial heritage and to promote endogenous energy; - the option of an interactive approach in defining the processes of interpretation and design; the social construction of the land project/plan, a cognitive/deciding path within the territorial framework including the project stakeholders. The processes of spatial planning are thus redefined with reference to the abovementioned approach by criticising and redesigning the “plan form” as well as by experimenting new tools and processes of knowledge and design in order to address the strategic problems of the land project which make policies substantial. Since researches make use of a wide network of scientific collaborators, they also include the contributions of researchers and freelancers working outside the Department of Architecture and Planning which are reported and properly separated. The laboratory gives these contributions assuming as essential interlocutors in the processes of interaction the local authorities, their networks and the social actors thus granting this request but proposing a joint elaboration in territorial laboratories. The context of research is the condition of the post-fordist sprawling city in the Po area, characterised by a process of spatial destructuring into an unsustainable ‘reurbanised’ continuum; the research matches this continuum with a perspective of ‘spatial recomposition’ thus emphasising in particular the crucial question of redefining the relations between the built environment and open spaces which assume a stake value and where an environmental friendly quality agriculture based on local resources may go back to its role of ‘land production’ by redesigning the town/country relationship (urbi et agri form) and by transforming it in a relation between two living subjects. a structural option for promoting value added by land, the creation of new wealth and quality of life in response to the new social demand. Research work in the reporting period is specially focused on this latter aspect. On these research foci the laboratory gives expression to certain important schools or lines articulated in specific themes. 22 6 The setting up of a systematic frame of tools and methods in order to interpret and design territory: - the identity representation of land and open spaces in particular; as a tool and result of interpretation processes capable of acknowledging land features and values; - the production of socially shared strategic scenarios to exploit the recognised heritage: ‘from land awareness to land responsibility’ on changing options for local development. Treating the project of rural areas (particularly of the Agricultural Park) as a crucial theme in the scenario of land improvement: - the structural role of premium quality agricultural production based on local resources as well as of land reproduction; new economies and new consumption based on the value added by land; the direct relationship (short channel) between social demand, critical consumption and quality production at local level; - the project of rural areas as an active subject in the redefinition of the town/country relationship; conception, form and scenarios of the Agricultural Park. Elaborations on important problems emerging from experimental research on municipal and large-scale plans: - the setting-up of the local plan in the interactive production of strategic scenarios (especially on the problem of local self-development); - the design of land-oriented scenarios in large-scale projects: a) spatial scenarios as guidance for infrastructural projects; spatial functionality shaping the facility functionality; b) spatial scenarios contrasting with suburbs setting up and urban diffusion. Direct studies on participation and interaction to networks of social actors and on the autonomy and role of local authorities connected in network: - research on participation as to large-scale strategic policies; - the networks of municipalities as a place of government of ‘high-ranking local aspects’; materials on municipalism, federalism as to local development and the government of territorial common goods.

Dipartimento di afferenza

Dipartimento di Architettura e Pianificazione (DIAP)

Docenti afferenti

Full Professors
Ferraresi Giorgio
Associate Professors
Beltrami Arturo