Roberto De Lotto

Functional Reuse and Intensification of Rural-Urban Context: Rural Architectural Urbanism

In regional and urban planning such as in design actions they are usually involved different themes and disciplines; especially when the goal is to improve, restore and re-functionalize existing minor settlements in rural-urban context. For this reason it is necessary to define integrated methodologies able to face inter-scalar issues and interdisciplinary themes. Authors propose a framework for a decision support system based on the treatment of geographical data and on the integration of the data sets that have dissimilar origin, diverse formats (they may be not only digital) and different meaning value. This complete data set refers to various disciplines and it is possible to deduce specific knowledge throughout analytical passages and assessment steps. In the paper authors describe: a methodological approach to support planning activities; the technical support to seek a (dynamic) balance between urban density and rural fragmentation; a Best Practices database to support scenarios in rural-urban context. Authors first expose the application field, than the logical framework of the whole process, then describe some related spatial analysis applications and finally they introduce comprehensive case study of the whole procedure.

Proposal to Reduce Natural Risks: Analytic Network Process to Evaluate Efficiency of City Planning Strategies

Natural hazards have greater social and economic impact in urban areas because urbanization and economic development increase people and assets’ concentration in high-risk prone areas: hazards generate risks in relation to population’s exposure and its physical and economic assets.

Estimating the Biotope Area Factor (BAF) by means of existing digital maps and GIS technology

The problem of excessive soil sealing and the consequent macro-microclimate degradation process need specific measures.

The Role of Physical Aspects in the City Plan Rules Definition

Definition of city as a complex system opens up to a series of problems that involve the legitimacy of the design of the technocratic plan. The plan nowadays cannot be considered as a black-box tool, but it might be considered as an open process, able to adapt to the needs of citizens and to the socio-economic and environmental contexts. As many scholars underlined, the plan is sequence of phases that must be programmed and that considers the project as a possible scenario, not a definitive one. In a complex and flexible city, the planner (here considered both as the urban studies expert and the political decision maker) has the role to create the conditions for the development of the city, and for creating or maintaining the possibilities of evolution of the citizens who live in a certain territory. In this sense, the strategic aspects of the city plan and its programmatic role, have a relation more with the rules system than with the design one; but it is also very clear that the human space in urban context is made of physically well defined elements. Basing on the most commonly cited example of anti-planning city organization, the MVRDV project Oosterwold, authors underline the importance of the physical and geographical components inside the rules of a plan, nevertheless recognizing the difficulty to establish detailed boundaries to a complex and flexible city.

From resilience to flexibility: urban scenario to reduce hazard

Population estimates and projections demonstrate that, in the next future, human beings, buildings, economy and society will be exposed to multiple effects (direct and indirect) of phenomena capable of producing temporary and permanent damages on natural environment. The city, as complex system, in case of slow changes, is able to modify its main components and relations (physical and social). During and after unexpected disasters (i.e. floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, terrorist attacks, etc.), its ability to absorb external impacts, to transform and to adapt itself in order to find a new equilibrium status, is particularly stressed and involves the concept of resilience. To be resilient, town should change unceasingly to adapt to the continuous modification of citizens and environment demands and to find a new balance in different dimensions (flexible city). The paper aims to give some strategically recommendations that will contribute to reduce disaster risk at urban level. Investigating the future of urbanization and of urban theory, the authors try to rethink the city as a dynamic space that better responds to evolving circumstances and contemporary global challenges: concepts of resilient and flexible cities are involved.

Planning Support Tool for Rural Architectural Intensification

The paper proposes results derived from a national research project (PRIN, Progetti di Ricerca di Interesse Nazionale - Research Projects of National Interest) named “Rural Architecture Intensification” developed in the local unit of the University of Pavia. Authors developed the research considering the different themes and disciplines that are involved in planning and design actions aimed to improve, restore and re-functionalize existing minor settlements in rural-urban context. The entire process is a typical planning and design algorithm. In the paper authors focus on the treatment of geographical data and on the integration of the data sets that have dissimilar origin, diverse formats (they may be not only digital) and different meaning value. They usually belong to various disciplines and together they compose the information set from which it is possible to deduce specific knowledge. Authors first expose the logical framework of the whole process, then describe the specific theme and finally show some related spatial analysis applications.