A cellular automata for e-planning sustainable urban forms

A cellular automata-like model, twinned with interactive intelligent geographical systems, is presented to drive planning process toward sustainable urban forms. The use of algorithms and mathematical approaches for the study of urban forms [1] becomes increasingly useful and sometimes indispensable for the understanding of social, economics, behavioural and spatial urban phenomena, and, when possible, for their guidance toward objectively desired patterns. A vast literature using cellular automata for urban growth processes [2] succeeded earlier cellular automata models of three decades ago [3]. Urban morphogenesis is a critical theme due to the exceptional magnitude and speed of world urbanisation which urge novel models of cities if we want a pleasant life and sustainable growth [4]. Isobenefit Urbanism [4] is a libertarian paternalistic approach whose morphogenetic code induces a particular green/built spatiality and a 15-minute walking city where one can reach within 1km natural land, shops, amenities, services and places of work. It does so by leaving free the actual urban development and growth to follow spontaneous random – or locally desired – patterns of functional locations and density across the urban planimetry liberally driven by market forces and genius loci. The outputs are in fact infinites, though all satisfying the code design objective function which can generate interesting urban environmental, planning and economic impacts [5]

Hedonic Inertia and Underground Happiness

The happiness of people is formulized by an Underground Hedonic Theory taking into account several levels. A formal way to think of and measure Underground happiness passes through the idea of Hedonic Inertia. This is the "residual happiness", the "substratum of feeling" given by our experiences lived in each different moment of our days. The concept of happiness as the temporal integral of momentary utility is focused, pointing out the role that one or more events in our day can influence our mood throughout the entire day. We also refer to the underground happiness coming from our general situation (love, career, money, national politics, etc.), and from the underground scenario of our daily activities (urban beauty, noisiness, comfort, etc.). Finally we summarize the logical steps to design a certain Profile of Hedonic Response for a certain person, or personality typology, as a set of particular Curves of Hedonic Ponderation. This is also explained in a mathematical way by an "equation of happiness".11331237125

City of Proximity: A Participative Methodology to Evaluate and Regenerate Residual and Underused Urban Areas

This paper returns the first stages of preliminary investigation for a research path that involved the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture of Kore University in Enna, the Interateneo Department of Science, Design and Territorial Policies of the Polytechnic University of Turin and the Department of Architecture of Roma Tre University. The proposed research pathway, still in its early stages, is aimed at the definition and the application of a methodology to select the most suitable and effective locations to perform local urban transformations on abandoned, residual, unused, and underused places. The purpose is to provide local communities with services that are not available on a small scale, to achieve the realization of the x-minute city model or the neighborhood city. The realization of an x-minute city model accomplishes several Missions of Italian NRRP, especially in relation to Sustainable Mobility, Inclusion and Cohesion, and Health. It encompasses the reduction of daily distances, the decongestion of main urban roads, which contribute to decarbonization, and the improvement of citizens’ well-being by realizing a human-scale environment. The final result of the research project will be achieved through the application of logic, tools, and methods drawn from the field of appraisal. They will allow considering at the same time multiple and heterogeneous variables and endogenous/exogenous characteristics, synthesizing them into indicators for global evaluation. After outlining the structure, path, objectives and expected results of the research, the paper tries to outline the outcomes of the preliminary investigations

L'estimo e l'economia

In questo primo capitolo, senza pretesa di esaustività, si intendono introdurre alcune teorie fondamentali alla base della valutazione delle risorse economiche, quali immobili o intangibili, beni privati e pubblici piani e progetti di trasformazione, strategie di sviluppo urbano e sostenibilità, attualmente oggetto di interesse dell’estimo. Considerando che gli asset intangibili, quali il benessere e la cultura, sono diventati sempre più cruciali per lo sviluppo e la crescita economica dei diversi Paesi, oltre che risorse sempre più scarse, il campo di interesse dell’estimo si è ampliato, inglobando anche tali beni. Le relative metodologie di valutazione sono piuttosto articolate e, in questa sede, si intende fornire solo una sintetica presentazione dei principali approcci mutuati dalle diverse discipline cui si fa cenno, fra queste la matematica finanziaria e l’econometria (illustrate in appendice), l’equilibrio spaziale, le scienze economiche e sociali che servono per capire e governare la complessità delle scelte nel campo dello sviluppo urbano sostenibile e Smart City. La questione ambientale rappresenta un imperativo non trascurabile a livello planetario. In economia, essa assume specifiche connotazioni di carattere morale ed etico, con riferimento al concetto di green economy. L’economia verde riconosce e investe nel capitale naturale, considerando la biodiversità come il tessuto vivente proprio di questo pianeta, che contribuisce al benessere umano e fornisce servizi gratuitamente, risorse preziose per il benessere delle persone. Insito nella green economy è anche il concetto di sviluppo sostenibile che da alcuni decenni sta impegnando studiosi di diverse discipline, ed in particolare gli studiosi di valutazione economica per la necessità di definire appropriate metriche di riferimento alle diverse scale (spaziali), dai materiali, all’edificio, alla città, fino alla scala territoriale e globale

Planning, environmental, economic perspectives of urban isobenefit morphogenesis

Isobenefit Urbanism is a libertarian paternalist planning approach based on a morphogenetic code inducing a 15-minute walking city where one can reach within 1km: natural land, shops, amenities, services and places of work. It does it by being semi-liberally driven by market forces and genius loci. The urban development and growth follow spontaneous or desired functional morphological patterns and densities across the urban planimetry, with infinites outputs satisfying the Isobenefit Urbanism design objective function. The latter is to reach an evenly walkability across every urban area, where everyone from everywhere can walk toward natural land, and her daily activities. The generated urban forms and spatial ratio distribution between cemented and green lands would have the potential to reduce urban heat island effects, flooding, particulates, commuting time, physical and mental urban illness linked to pollution, noise, forms of stress, car accidents. It also opens interesting discussion and simulations of real estate values distribution deserving investigations. A few simulations from an alpha version of this cellular automata code will be briefly discussed from a planning, environmental and economic issues