Best Practices for Urban Densification: A decision-making support process using microclimate analysis methods and parametric models for optimizing urban climate comfort

This paper presents an approach for microclimate aware densification of urban areas by creating best practices for an in situ application for block-size urban developments. The discussed procedure generates and evaluates urban block types according to microclimate criteria by integrating climate and comfort parameters in the design process of existing urban areas. It supports urban designers by generating design strategies that aim for climate, comfort and spatial as well as for urban design qualities. To achieve this, a multi-step method with different analysis and research processes has been set up. At the end, a parametric envelope tool was created for a local case study area by incorporating pre-defined design strategies built on previous investigations as urban design strategies. It is expected that this envelope tool can be transferred to similar urban development activities and guide microclimatic versus densification trade-offs. The presented approach can be applied from street canyon to block size urban situations

Constants in Future Cities and Regions

The paper resumes some of the conversations the authors had in three years of research, based on the review of best participatory planning practices worldwide. The case projects are selected and discussed with the protagonists across four leading issues: Simulation, Scenario and Visioning, Government and Governance, and Scale. The case-oriented discussion is a peculiarity of the book , contributing to give shape to future cities or regions. The aim is to build a critical thinking on how urban planning, policy and design issues are faced differently or similarly throughout every cases studied. The book include the description of computer models and media, socio-political experiments and professional practices which help communicating the future effects of different design, policy and planning strategies and schemes with a wide range of aims: from information, through consultation, towards active participation. The cases have confirmed that simulation tools can impact on local government and can drive new forms of “glocal” governance, shaping and implementing future plans and projects at different scale and time span. The following paragraphs will point at some of the constant thoughts the authors had around the selection and editing of the book’s case studied and related issues

Autonomous and Human-Driven Vehicles Interacting in a Roundabout: A Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation

Optimizing traffic dynamics in an evolving transportation landscape is crucial, particularly in scenarios where autonomous vehicles (AVs) with varying levels of autonomy coexist with human-driven cars. While optimizing Reinforcement Learning (RL) policies for such scenarios is becoming more and more common, little has been said about realistic evaluations of such trained policies. This paper presents an evaluation of the effects of AVs penetration among human drivers in a roundabout scenario, considering both quantitative and qualitative aspects. In particular, we learn a policy to minimize traffic jams (i.e., minimize the time to cross the scenario) and to minimize pollution in a roundabout in Milan, Italy. Through empirical analysis, we demonstrate that the presence of AVs can reduce time and pollution levels. Furthermore, we qualitatively evaluate the learned policy using a cutting-edge cockpit to assess its performance in near-real-world conditions. To gauge the practicality and acceptability of the policy, we conduct evaluations with human participants using the simulator, focusing on a range of metrics like traffic smoothness and safety perception. In general, our findings show that human-driven vehicles benefit from optimizing AVs dynamics. Also, participants in the study highlight that the scenario with 80% AVs is perceived as safer than the scenario with 20%. The same result is obtained for traffic smoothness perception

How to turn an available datawarehouse into interactive visualization tools for stakeholder's empowerment

The essay presents some results of a research work carried out at Poly-technic of Turin in collaboration with CSI Piemonte (in-house compa-ny). CSI Piemonte offered the data warehouse collected during the last decades for Public Bodies for different purpose. The objective was to find new data visualization tools in order to create new exploitation of digital data and possibly new businesses. The intelligent use of public property information becomes an important player for the information business, the research activities, for the governance and the democ-racy. Mostly, in the field of Business Intelligence becomes increasingly important the discipline of Data Visualization and this essay tries to translate and widen up some concepts for other discipline and debate

A bottom up initiative for biodiversity: ecologic reppresentation for the inner areas of Sardinia

Since 1992 with the Rio Conference and more after 2010 with the start of Italian National Strategy for Biodiversity (NSB), planning research and practices are trying to likewise analyze and integrate biological diversity. Even though biodiversity plays an important role for all living species and the loss of biological variety has also made ecosystems weaker in front of natural disasters, it is still an hidden topic in public opinion and debates. This article discuss the limits of the main normative framework about biodiversity with a focus about NSB central objectives. Even though local administrations are involved by the consequences of biodiversity loss, they are not aware about their responsibilities and NSB do not directly engaged them to propose plans and policies. In this regards, a pilot study is outlined, describing a bottom up participative initiative which has involved 6 inner areas of Sardinia on the themes of NSB. Several geographical analyses were produced and a tentative analytic representation of biodiversity was set and used in the inclusive participatory planning process. The article describe in methodological term a ecologic representation (ecologic mosaic and graph analysis) and how it enabled 6 local authorities to start the discussion on local planning perspectives with concern about biodiversity. Finally, a serious of critical issues pertaining the case study are discussed to open the debate for further development

A spatial decision support system for strategic urban re-development. The case study of Turin Central Station, Italy

[110620.EG ISBN 1397819058 errato

Best Practices for Urban Densification

This paper presents an approach for microclimate aware densification of urban areas by creating best practices for an in situ application for block-size urban developments.The discussed procedure generates and evaluates urban block types according to microclimate criteria by integrating climate and comfort parameters in the design process of existing urban areas. It supports urban designers by generating design strategies that aim for climate, comfort and spatial as well as for urban design qualities.To achieve this, a multi-step method with different analysis and research processes has been set up. At the end, a parametric envelope tool was created for a local case study area by incorporating pre-defined design strategies built on previous investigations as urban design strategies. It is expected that this envelope tool can be transferred to similar urban development activities and guide microclimatic versus densification trade-offs. The presented approach can be applied from street canyon to block size urban situations