sharing cities and citizens sharing perceptions and practices in milan

n/

Towards an operational model for estimating day and night instantaneous near-surface air temperature for urban heat island studies: outline and assessment

Near-surface air temperature (NSAT) is key for assessing urban heat islands, human health, and well-being. However, a widely recognized and cost- and time-effective replicable approach for estimating hourly NSAT is still urgent. In this study, we outline and validate an easy-to-replicate, yet effective, operational model, for automating the estimation of high-resolution day and night instantaneous NSAT. The model is tested on a heat wave event and for a large geographical area. The model combines remotely sensed land surface temperature and digital elevation model, with air temperature from local fixed weather station networks. Achieved NSAT has daily and hourly frequency consistent with MODIS revisiting time. A geographically weighted regression method is employed, with exponential weighting found to be highly accurate for our purpose. A robust assessment of different methods, at different time slots, both day- and night-time, and during a heatwave event, is provided based on a cross-validation protocol. Four-time periods are modelled and tested, for two consecutive days, i.e. 31st of July 2020 at 10:40 and 21:50, and 1st of August 2020 at 02:00 and 13:10 local time. High R2 was found for all time slots, ranging from 0.82 to 0.88, with a bias close to 0, RMSE ranging from 1.45 °C to 1.77 °C, and MAE from 1.15 °C to 1.36 °C. Normalized RMSE and MAE are roughly 0.05 to 0.08. Overall, if compared to other recognized regression models, higher effectiveness is allowed also in terms of spatial autocorrelation of residuals, as well as in terms of model sensitivity

Environmental design studies on perception and simulation: an urban design approach

Perceptual simulation represents an attempt to anticipate physical reality, whereby people can experience and interpret future environments from a subjective perspective. Working on experiential simulation for urban and landscape design requires an understanding of the relationship between man and the environment from a perceptual and cognitive standpoint. In fact, only by investigating the sensing and cognitive processes behind perception can we establish an informed approach to simulation of places and their ambiances. In particular, we propose a parallelism between man/environment and man/simulation relationships, aiming at giving back a framework for replicating in simulation the multisensory aspects that occur in the perception of the physical world. Hence, the objective of this article is to present how we approach the dimension of perceptual simulation within our research and professional work as urban designers. From a methodological point of view, we explored the topic through two main tasks, namely the selection and reconstruction of the research context and the key issues of perceptual simulation finalized in the second task, i.e. the construction of a set of simulation tools for urban design, intended as a matrix of possible practical applications. In particular, the theoretical framework presented in this work consists of a selection and overview of references relevant to urban design, comprehension of the research context and delivery of the set of tools implemented within our research unit. This matrix of tools represents the novelty of this work and is intended as a practical reference for orienting the choice among different simulation tools within the urban design practice. For instance, it is important to highlight the efficacy of each type of simulation in mimicking the man/environment relationship

The image of productive landscapes: A method for the perceptual analysis of industrial heritage

The scope of this study is to present a methodology to assess the image of productive landscapes from a visual perceptual point of view. Rethinking the productive landscape is currently an urgent task for urban planners and landscape designers, but no dedicated technical tools are available to support its evaluation, design and communication. We argue that a detailed visual analysis of the physical environment is a fundamental preliminary work in order to catch the image of industrial heritage and envision new strategies for its re-use or re-qualification. Hence, we propose a methodology for assessing the qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the industrial heritage from a visual analysis perspective, taking into account the visual quality of the physical environment. The recording and the post processing of photography and videos represent the input data of this work. The application of this methodology was tested on an urban fringe characterized by anonymous productive boxes, which is a typical condition of metropolitan areas. The analysis aims at mapping the perceptual relevance of industrial buildings facing motorways. Results show that the methodology is easy to apply and, if automated, could support design and decision-making. Possible uses of the proposed methodology are the following: (i) the evaluation and communication of the current visual condition and imageability of the industrial heritage, (ii) the support for designing future conditions of buildings and, (iii) the re-evaluation and monitoring of future transformations

Plot-based urbanism and urban morphometrics : measuring the evolution of blocks, street fronts and plots in cities

Generative urban design has been always conceived as a creation-centered process, i.e. a process mainly concerned with the creation phase of a spatial transformation. We argue that, though the way we create a space is important, how that space evolves in time is ways more important when it comes to providing livable places gifted by identity and sense of attachment. We are presenting in this paper this idea and its major consequences for urban design under the title of “Plot-Based Urbanism”. We will argue that however, in order for a place to be adaptable in time, the right structure must be provided “by design” from the outset. We conceive urban design as the activity aimed at designing that structure. The force that shapes (has always shaped) the adaptability in time of livable urban places is the restless activity of ordinary people doing their own ordinary business, a kind of participation to the common good, which has hardly been acknowledged as such, that we term “informal participation”. Investigating what spatial components belong to the spatial structure and how they relate to each other is of crucial importance for urban design and that is the scope of our research. In this paper a methodology to represent and measure form-related properties of streets, blocks, plots and buildings in cities is presented. Several dozens of urban blocks of different historic formation in Milan (IT) and Glasgow (UK) are surveyed and analyzed. Effort is posed to identify those spatial properties that are shared by clusters of cases in history and therefore constitute the set of spatial relationships that determine the morphological identity of places. To do so, we investigate the analogy that links the evolution of urban form as a cultural construct to that of living organisms, outlining a conceptual framework of reference for the further investigation of “the DNA of places”. In this sense, we identify in the year 1950 the nominal watershed that marks the first “speciation” in urban history and we find that factors of location/centrality, scale and street permeability are the main drivers of that transition towards the entirely new urban forms of contemporary cities

Augmented Nature-Based Solutions: A Possible Taxonomy of Technologies “in” and “for” Urban Greening Strategies

The conceptualization and application of nature-based solutions (NBS) in the practice of planning and projects on urban and architectural scales have reached a level of maturity in the last 10 years, thanks to a strong push from European policies and funding for European projects and evidence from scientific literature. However, a systemic insight into the role of technology in supporting the spread of NBS has not yet been developed. The role of technology is understood here as fundamental to the very core concept of NBS, i.e., engineering solutions that integrate technological aspects to effectively increase nature’s potential. The authors,therefore, propose an investigation into the various opportunities offered by technology integrated “into ” greenery and used “ for” promoting greenery, based on the experience of two European Horizon 2020 projects, CLEVER Cities and VARCITIES, and from theapplication cases presented during the dedicated track at the SSPCR 2022 conference

A toolkit for collaborative design: envisioning and sharing the identity of place through traditional and emergent techniques of simulation

This paper presents the outcomes of an ongoing co-design process and aims to demonstrate the efficacy of novel urban simulation techniques beside traditional forms of representation for fostering citizen inclusion in decision-making processes. The activities involve researchers, students, citizens, and local authorities, collaborating to give a new identity to an urban street. Different forms of representation and simulation have been tested among different actors aiming to support the dialogue, from observing the current condition to defining a shared scenario that will guide the design phase and the evaluation of proposals. The contextual use of multiple forms of representation was a crucial element of the applied methodology; in fact, we argue that depicting the environment in several ways and through various modes altogether, can support an effective understanding of the future transformation, and can contribute to overcoming the intrinsic limits of a single representation mode. Traditional plans and sections are still essential, but new techniques can easily enhance design thinking in all its forms. We tested the proposed approach on the case-study area of a street during public events and on social media. The first results indicate that being physically present and direct interaction are crucial for achieving public involvement, while emerging forms of digital simulations are greatly efficient for an effective understanding of the place, and especially of its future transformation. Several techniques, like Augmented Reality, enable people to get closer to the realistic perception occurring in the future environment

Da Città studi campus sostenibile a Città studi sostenibile: le università per il rinnovamento della città

L’articolo presenta il progetto di “Città studi campus sostenibile”, avviato nel 2011 dal Politecnico di Milano e dall’Università degli Studi di Milano con l’obiettivo di rinnovare il quartiere in chiave sostenibile. L’iniziativa parte dal presupposto che le università possano giocare un ruolo decisivo per supportare politiche di sostenibilità e innovazione sul territorio. Il progetto promuove un processo basato sul coinvolgimento allargato di tutta la comunità universitaria e cittadina, per condividere esperienze e co-creare l’innovazione verso la sostenibilità del quartiere. Per gestire la complessità di un’iniziativa che vede la partecipazione di oltre un centinaio di persone, sono stati messi in campo diversi strumenti di lavoro: una piattaforma web di ascolto delle istanze della comunità e la costituzione di tavoli di discussione. È stato quindi necessario avviare una riflessione sul metodo idoneo per gestire la redazione di un masterplan urbano partecipato e costituito da azioni anche minute e diffuse sul territorio. A tre anni dall’avvio, è stata affinata la macchina gestionale del processo e sono stati realizzati diversi progetti. In particolare, a seguito di una proficua collaborazione con gli attori pubblici, il progetto ha ottenuto riconoscibilità e risultati concreti, primo fra tutti la riappropriazione a uso pubblico della piazza d’ingresso al campus, che da area parcheggio è tornata a essere spazio pedonale, rivitalizzato attraverso numerose iniziative pubbliche

Greening Cities Shaping Cities: Pinpointing Nature-Based Solutions in Cities between Shared Governance and Citizen Participation

The topic of pinpointing Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in the urban context has been cultivating interests lately from different scholars, urban planning practitioners and policymakers. This Special Issue originates from the Greening Cities Shaping Cities Symposium held at the Politecnico di Milano (12–13 October 2020), aiming at bridging the gap between the science and practice of implementing NBS in the built environment, as well as highlighting the importance of citizen participation in shared governance and policy making. The Special Issue was also made open to other contributions from outside the symposium in order to allow for contributions from a major scientific and practical audience wherever possible. Indeed, we have gathered contributions from Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, Brazil, Portugal, Denmark, France, Bulgaria, Sweden, Hungary, Spain, the UAE, the UK, and the USA

Multi-Media Guidelines for Instructing Urban Design Contests

The investigation of novel modalities and procedures to construct and make use of guidelines for urban design contests on the basis of perceptual representation principles is presented in this paper as a result of our research experience and the applications carried out over time. The paper firstly addresses a theoretical framework that highlights the importance of including representation values and tools in design contests; the second part illustrates applications of design guidelines to real case studies, such as design contests and workshops. Findings show that implementing additional information based on perceptual values is feasible, can enrich the knowledge about the design site and lead to more informed design solutions, thus indirectly increasing the overall quality of schemes