Resilient and Transition Strategies for the Post-pandemic City: A Multi-criteria Analytical Approach for the Case of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria

European cities face the challenges of planning their transition to achieve sustainable and resilient urbanization. However, operationalizing suitable urban strategies toward sustainability appears difficult, especially in the light of rising inequalities and disparities within and among EU cities and regions. Urban regeneration strategies appear to be a possible leveraging mechanism for cities’ green and digital transition in the mutated policy context for recovery after the pandemic. In this context, the paper explores how intermediate cities effectively design and implement urban development strategies toward resilience and sustainability in response to the current pressing challenges. The Metropolitan City of Reggio is examined by assessing the city’s ability to address context vulnerabilities in current urban development strategies through a multi-criteria analytical approach. Results point out priority factors that affect the case under investigation and should be prioritized in de-fining future development strategies and the potential role of urban regeneration in the city's future development strategies towards resilience sustainability

Planning for Sustainability: A New Unit of Spatial Planning for Driving Transition

The health and climate crisis are calling for an urgent re-evaluation of concepts such as resilience and sustainability and how we measure and implement them, sifting the debate towards the role urban design and planning play in driving urban transitions. Recent studies have been introduced to investigate the dynamics of the pandemic in urban areas and the ample literature on tools and methods for measuring vulnerabilities. The paper calls for a need to re-scale urban planning down to a human level by bridging space syntax attributes with measures of resilience. It introduces a data and evidence-based approach framework for driving urban transitions utilizing risk assessment (National Risk Index) and a vulnerability measuring index (City Resilience Index) to quantify spatial attributes which foster sustainable practices. A scenario testing method is proposed to make urban design more consistent with the strategic mission of urban planning driving resilience and transition

Landscape Regeneration and Innovation Economies, Cases from Meixian County (China) and the Locride Area (Italy)

The paper investigates how to promote rural development by regenerating rural landscapes and spurring innovation economies within rural spaces. Landscape has been increasingly considered relevant to development, as an aggregation of economic, sociocultural and environmental dynamics. Yet, how landscape can actually be turned into competitive advantages critical to the development process is unclear. This is particularly evident in rural areas, where landscape degradation and weak economic fabrics are common problems. The proposed landscape approach aims to combine and balance, simultaneously, the development of innovation economies and landscape regeneration practices in order to produce a concurrent positive effect on rural development and rural landscapes. This research, based on literature review, adopts a qualitative approach based on explanatory comparative analysis of case studies. It first constructs an improved landscape approach (ILA), expounding its components, i.e. landscape regeneration and innovation economies. Then, it tests the approach with case studies from Meixian County (China) and the Locride area (Italy) which show similar development trajectories despite their different socio-cultural and political contexts. The case study analyses are aimed to reveal how the development of innovation economies and landscape regeneration practices can be coordinated at local level. Finally, the research draws a brief conclusion and offers suggestions for future research. Rigenerazione del paesaggio e economie di innovazione. I casi della contea di Meixian (Cina) e della Locride (Italia) l paesaggio sta acquisendo un ruolo sempre più rilevante per lo sviluppo, come aggregazione di dinamiche economiche, socioculturali e ambientali. Tuttavia, le modalità secondo cui tale accezione di paesaggio può nella pratica tradursi in processi di costruzione di vantaggi competitivi, critici per lo sviluppo, non sono ancora chiare, rendendo la discussione degli argomenti correlati, nella letteratura esistente, sganciata dalle peculiarità dei processi di conoscenza per l’azione. Ciò è particolarmente evidente nelle zone rurali, dove il degrado del paesaggio e la debolezza del tessuto economico rappresentano problematiche ricorrenti. In tale contesto, l’approccio al paesaggio proposto ha l’obiettivo di coniugare e bilanciare, nello stesso tempo, lo sviluppo delle economie di innovazione e le pratiche di rigenerazione del paesaggio in modo da produrre un concorrente effetto positivo sullo sviluppo rurale e sui paesaggi rurali. I due casi studio, la contea di Meixian della provincia dello Shaanxi (Cina) e l’area della Locride della provincia di Reggio Calabria (Italia), pur nella diversità socio-culturale e politica, presentano similarità nelle traiettorie dello sviluppo rurale. L’analisi dei casi studio è proposta come approccio metodologico per impostare gli elementi costruttivi di azioni coordinate, capaci di disegnare e realizzare economie dell’innovazione attraverso meccanismi di rigenerazione del passeggio, anche nell’accezione delle connessioni urbano-rurali. The paper investigates how to promote rural development by regenerating rural landscapes and spurring innovation economies within rural spaces. Landscape has been increasingly considered relevant to development, as an aggregation of economic, sociocultural and environmental dynamics. Yet, how landscape can actually be turned into competitive advantages critical to the development process is unclear. This is particularly evident in rural areas, where landscape degradation and weak economic fabrics are common problems. The proposed landscape approach aims to combine and balance, simultaneously, the development of innovation economies and landscape regeneration practices in order to produce a concurrent positive effect on rural development and rural landscapes. This research, based on literature review, adopts a qualitative approach based on explanatory comparative analysis of case studies. It first constructs an improved landscape approach (ILA), expounding its components, i.e. landscape regeneration and innovation economies. Then, it tests the approach with case studies from Meixian County (China) and the Locride area (Italy) which show similar development trajectories despite their different socio-cultural and political contexts. The case study analyses are aimed to reveal how the development of innovation economies and landscape regeneration practices can be coordinated at local level. Finally, the research draws a brief conclusion and offers suggestions for future research. Rigenerazione del paesaggio e economie di innovazione. I casi della contea di Meixian (Cina) e della Locride (Italia) Il paesaggio sta acquisendo un ruolo sempre più rilevante per lo sviluppo, come aggregazione di dinamiche economiche, socioculturali e ambientali. Tuttavia, le modalità secondo cui tale accezione di paesaggio può nella pratica tradursi in processi di costruzione di vantaggi competitivi, critici per lo sviluppo, non sono ancora chiare, rendendo la discussione degli argomenti correlati, nella letteratura esistente, sganciata dalle peculiarità dei processi di conoscenza per l’azione. Ciò è particolarmente evidente nelle zone rurali, dove il degrado del paesaggio e la debolezza del tessuto economico rappresentano problematiche ricorrenti. In tale contesto, l’approccio al paesaggio proposto ha l’obiettivo di coniugare e bilanciare, nello stesso tempo, lo sviluppo delle economie di innovazione e le pratiche di rigenerazione del paesaggio in modo da produrre un concorrente effetto positivo sullo sviluppo rurale e sui paesaggi rurali. I due casi studio, la contea di Meixian della provincia dello Shaanxi (Cina) e l’area della Locride della provincia di Reggio Calabria (Italia), pur nella diversità socio-culturale e politica, presentano similarità nelle traiettorie dello sviluppo rurale. L’analisi dei casi studio è proposta come approccio metodologico per impostare gli elementi costruttivi di azioni coordinate, capaci di disegnare e realizzare economie dell’innovazione attraverso meccanismi di rigenerazione del passeggio, anche nell’accezione delle connessioni urbano-rurali

New Risk Assessments Due to Climate Change in Metropolitan Peripheral Areas. The Water Shortage Case in the Region IV of the State of México

A National Risk Assessment is a policy tool encouraged by the OECD since the 2010’s decade to identify and analyse a range of events that can cause a shock in a country and to have adequate preparedness and response measures. As disaster risks are an always-changing phenomenon, especially since the climate change emergency has been acknowledged, it requires systematic monitoring and analysis to adapt the risk management policies to the changing situation. The paper adjusts the National Risk Assessment into a micro-regional scale to present the case of the water shortage emergency due to climate change in a peripherical urban area of Mexico City. In the paper, it is explained why it should be included as a Risk Assessment by local and regional authorities with the objective to create more resilient peripherical urban territories. Eventually, the research can serve as a base to create a National Risk Assessment for water shortage in metropolitan areas on a national scale. The paper presents the current situation of the water shortage in the case study, explains why it should be considered a risk, and analyses water shortage in urban areas within the Risk Assessment rationale, using the Region IV of the State of Mexico as the case study

Research and Innovation Transfer in the Field of PPP Applied to Urban Regeneration Actions and Policies

The European Union has recognized the centrality of community in economic development processes by stressing the role of the cities in delivering smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The European Commission has recently published a study on how cities use ERDF to make their cities a better place to live and work [. One of the most engaging results of the study is the variable geometry of strategies in place to achieve urban and territorial cohesion through the implementation of integrated approaches. The area-based type of intervention dominates many of the practices, especially those in deprived areas, because of social, economic and environmental factors. Physical regeneration is still a major driver in creating multi-stakeholder cooperation in the integration of policies. There are relatively few cases in which the place-based approach was combined with a people-based approach and even fewer where ERDF and European Social Fund (ESF) cross-funding was developed [2]. Even the urban dimension in the EU cohesion policy is not a new issue, the way in which the Europe 2020 intends to ensure integrated approach in the sustainable urban development is quite new because it entails both thematic concentration and involvement of the community. According to the Commissions proposals, there are several ways to support sustainable urban development with the Structural Funds: Operational programmes, Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI), Community-Led Local Development, financial instruments (like Jessica and Jeremie) by enhancing new forms of Public Private Partnership. The paper reports some interesting findings of the CLUDs project with respect the role of no-profit organization in different forms of Public Private Partnerships used to regenerate urban districts in the Metropolitan Area of Boston. The research funded by IRSES Marie Curie Actions has created an international network of 4 EU universities (Reggio Calabria, Rome, Salford and Helsinki) and 2 US universities (Northeastern University of Boston and San Diego State University) in research and innovation transfer in the field of PPP applied to urban regeneration actions and policies

Water Shortage Risk Index (WSRI) at the neighbourhood scale. The case of Mexico City

Water security is one of the main challenges that cities around the world face especially in Megalopolis such as Mexico City that struggle to provide safe and accessible fresh water to their inhabitants. The research project presents a Water Shortage Risk Index at the neighbourhood scale for Mexico City. The index is built into four main factors which are social, infrastructure, environment and innovation each of them with their respective levels. Each neighbourhood is compared to a synthetic neighbourhood that holds the ideal values for water security in urban contexts. The bigger the distance to the ideal synthetic neighbourhood the bigger the risk of water shortage in the neighbourhood. Once obtained the Water Shortage Risk Index it is compared with the already existing Urban Marginalization Index to obtain the most vulnerable neighbourhoods in Mexico City providing the areas that require the most attention in future water security projects and policies. The research aims to contribute to further exploring water shortage management at the neighbourhood scale that will allow local governments to implement more efficient projects and policies to reduce water shortage risk in Mexico City

Improving Conviviality in Public Places: The Case of Naples, Italy

Under the umbrella concept of conviviality in public spaces, a research project on the rehabilitation of urban areas for commercial and retail uses—as engine of a complex process of production of places for social and cultural mixite—has been defined. The aim of this research has been to produce useful tools for coping with the abandonment of public spaces in former commercial urban areas, without generating anonymous and globalized commercial districts. Through involving local stakeholders in a participatory process, the first phase of the research here presented needs to demonstrate the possible effectiveness of a pilot action plan in dealing with both isolation and gentrification processes of historical centres. The main hypothesis is that traditional retailers should be considered an essential element to ensure effective public use of urban public spaces. The research methodology is based on a qualitative approach. Focussing on the process of impoverishment within local commercial districts, the research group started working with local stakeholders in order to identify priorities and criticisms for enhancing a regeneration process. The case study to be carried out in Naples is the historical market place of Piazza Mercato in the Citta Bassa of Naples (Italy)

Urban Form and Urban Security: Insights from a Southern Italian Neighbourhood

Contemporary cities are affected by several challenges. Rapid urbanisation processes combined with unstable economic conditions, uncontrolled physical development and social exclusion, political instability make difficult the understanding of “security and safety” dynamics, often interconnected with a combination of factors. A mix of social, economic and physical decay often contribute to create appealing conditions for criminal activities. This paper discusses how urban safety and security dynamics are related with urban planning and its implementation, by drawing insights from an urban area belonging to a Southern Italian city, Reggio Calabria. More in general, it will be emphasized the relationships between urban planning and related implementation and urban security in bligthed neighbourhoods. Evidences from the case study show that the status of decay of the urban environment, often consequence of implementation gaps inurban policies and lack of management capabilities, contribute to enhance the isolation from the rest of the city. The researchers conclude that integrated urban regeneration initiatives, aimed by nature at improving both people and places, might improve urban safety conditions in thiskind of neighborhoods.The case study has been developed within a wider research project granted under the 7th European Research Framework

La territorializzazione della spesa nella programmazione 2007-2013. Gli obiettivi di servizio come possibili catalizzatori di “sviluppo territorializzato”?

Il paper tratta l’argomento degli obiettivi di servizio nella programmazione unitaria, ovvero di uno strumento finanziario premiale promosso dal Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico allo scopo di incentivare la concentrazione delle risorse programmate dalle regioni per il periodo 2007-2013 su quattro ambiti relativi a servizi ritenuti “essenziali”. Il paper si divide in due parti. Nella prima parte si illustra il quadro di riferimento normativo per gli obiettivi di servizio, la genesi, il ruolo che assolvono nella nuova programmazione, le risorse in gioco e il meccanismo per l’attribuzione delle risorse premiali in relazione al raggiungimento dei target prefissati. Nella seconda parte gli obiettivi di servizio vengono collocati nella più ampia cornice degli strumenti per l’attuazione delle politiche pubbliche di sviluppo del territorio, ricercandone il nesso con le strategie di assetto territoriale delle regioni in termini reali e potenziali

La valorizzazione delle risorse territoriali attraverso operazioni di rigenerazione urbana e di diffusione dell’innovazione. La logica del Territorial Milieu

Identity and innovation are the mainstays in the successful use of territorial resources, which are an expression of the socioeconomic dynamics within territorial and urban systems in the globalization era. The paradigm of Local Development, through the logic of territorial milieu, becomes an innovative way of building integrated strategies and, at the same time an expression of a diversified, characterizing identity of the territorial systems.The theoretical basis of the territorial milieu, perceived as integration between local identity and innovation, stems from the GREMI model, which introduces the concept of milieu innovateur. The territorial milieu, with integrated urban/territorial management tools, distributes competitive advantages through the network while avoiding the risk of creating disparities between winning and losing areas in a competitive territorial system. Urban regeneration in terms of using integrated management tools that acts on strengthening urban-rural network, promotes a more equitable geographic distribution of services and a wider spread of the benefits it generates. Among integrated urban-rural management tools the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) model interprets the importance of territorial milieu in planning transformation by matching the demand for change expressed in quality of life, economic regeneration and accessibility.Identità e innovazione costituiscono gli elementi portanti nei processi di valorizzazione del capitale territoriale, espressione delle dinamiche insediative, produttive, sociali dei sistemi urbani e territoriali nell’era della globalizzazione. Il paradigma dello Sviluppo Locale attraverso la logica del territorial milieu si trasforma come modalità innovativa di costruzione di strategie integrate e, nello stesso tempo, come espressione di identità diversificate e caratterizzanti dei sistemi territoriali. Le basi teoriche del territorial milieu, inteso come integrazione tra identità locale e innovazione, discendono dal modello GREMI che introduce il termine di milieu innovateur. Il territorial milieu, attraverso l’uso di strumenti di gestione integrata urbana/territoriale, distribuisce i vantaggi competitivi attraverso la rete evitando il rischio di creare disparità tra aree perdenti e vincenti in un sistema territoriale competitivo. La rigenerazione urbana nell’ottica degli strumenti di gestione integrata che agisce sul rafforzamento delle reti urbano-rurale, promuove una distribuzione territoriale più equa dei servizi urbani e una maggiore diffusione dei vantaggi da essa generati. Nell’ambito degli strumenti di gestione integrata urbano-rurale, il Transit Oriented Development (TOD) è lo strumento che interpreta la valenza progettuale del territorial milieu nel soddisfacimento della domanda di trasformazione espressa in qualità della vita, rigenerazione economica, accessibilità