L' esperienza europea dei quartieri green, maturata nel corso degli ultimi decenni, ha dimost... more L' esperienza europea dei quartieri green, maturata nel corso degli ultimi decenni, ha dimostrato come nuovi insediamenti residenziali concepiti sulla base di evoluti sistemi di progettazione del verde, della mobilità, dei servizi, di efficienza energetica ed integrati con infrastrutture per la gestione dell'acqua, dei rifiuti e dell'energia, possano dare un reale contributo alla sostenibilità urbana e ambientale. I modelli di sviluppo nati a seguito delle esperienze maturate nel corso di questa nuova stagione di pianificazione urbanistica (sviluppatasi in prevalenza nelle città del nord Europa), nonostante il successo delle operazioni già compiute, mal si prestano ad un trasferimento tout court in realtà urbane deboli, come le città del sud Italia, laddove le condizioni ambientali, morfologiche, socio economiche e culturali sono profondamente diverse. Ciò impone una seria riflessione su tali esperienze, nonché l'individuazione di criteri che consentano di valutare l...
Il governo dei fenomeni urbani complessi, propri della città contemporanea, richiede il definitiv... more Il governo dei fenomeni urbani complessi, propri della città contemporanea, richiede il definitivo superamento della settorializzazione, o ancor meglio della marcata separatezza, disciplinare e operativa che ha caratterizzato gran parte delle scelte, anche rilevanti, con le quali queste complesse realtà, in particolar modo in Italia, sono state amministrate fino ad oggi. Questo contributo si prefigge di fornire un approfondimento e di offrire una ricognizione di pratiche e progetti riguardanti i nuovi orientamenti disciplinari nel campo della pianificazione urbanistica, che indicano nell'integrazione tra scelte urbanistiche e scelte di mobilità uno dei punti fondamentali alla base della pianificazione e del governo della città contemporanea.
ABSTRACT The paper describes a methodology adopted in the Landscape Protection Plan of Enna, and ... more ABSTRACT The paper describes a methodology adopted in the Landscape Protection Plan of Enna, and Siracusa, based on geo-referenced data. Results confirm the relationship with cultural and economic features of the communities. The risk of landscape transformation has been evaluated, taking into account several features of the sprawled settlements, The proposal identifies four categories for landscape protection. A set of general rules aimed at enhancing the quality of these settlements is defined. Il lavoro illustra la metodologia adottata nella redazione dei Piani Paesaggistici delle province di Enna e Siracusa in Sicilia. Lo studio effettuato sulla base di dati georeferenziati, ha consentito di evidenziare le relazioni con le caratteristiche socio-economiche delle comunità insediate. È stata valutato il rischio di trasformazioni del paesaggio indotto da questi insediamenti. La proposta normativa identifica diverse modalità di tutela e riqualificazione mirate ad incrementare la qualità paesaggistica.
Today, the contraction of green zones is a key issue for land use planning with relation to clima... more Today, the contraction of green zones is a key issue for land use planning with relation to climate change effects on urban areas. Furthermore, the loss of evapotranspiring surfaces and vegetated soils is one of the main consequences of urban sprawl processes. The authors present the case of Catania metropolitan area, the 2nd most populated urban region in Sicily. In particular, three municipalities are analyzed, as they present the most relevant urban sprawl processes. Inside this complex “urban jam,” there are still large non urbanized spaces. These patches (cultivated and abandoned agriculture land and lava fields from Mt. Etna), deeply fragmented, are often left for future development. These areas are particularly important in the examined context, considering the lack of green spaces for ecological functions and leisure. This chapter focuses on land cover analysis based on land use maps and oriented to assess evapotranspiration degree of the different land uses. Land use catego...
Maintaining existing levels of landscape diversity is becoming more and more important for planni... more Maintaining existing levels of landscape diversity is becoming more and more important for planning considering the increasing pressures on agricultural ecosystems due to soil sealing, sprawl processes and intensive agriculture. Norms for land-use regulation and measures for landscape Safeguard and Rehabilitation have to take into consideration these threats in landscape planning. Evaluating the diversity of agricultural ecosystems is a fundamental step for proposing sound approaches to planning and managing both soil and landscape, as well as maintaining the related ecosystem services. The paper proposes a method aimed at the qualitative evaluation of spatial diversity of agricultural landscapes using a reduced set of ecological indicators based on land-use vector data. Indicators are calculated for defined landscape units characterized by landscape homogeneity. GIS geoprocessing and spatial analysis functions are employed. The study area is the Province of Enna in Sicily (Italy), which is characterized by cultivation mosaics in its southern region, cereal cultivation in the central region and prevailing natural environments in the northern region.
Non-Urbanised Areas (NUAs) are part of agricultural and green infrastructures that provide ecosys... more Non-Urbanised Areas (NUAs) are part of agricultural and green infrastructures that provide ecosystem services. Their role is fundamental for the minimization of urban pollution and adaptation to climate change. Like all natural ecosystems, NUAs are endangered by urban sprawl. The regulation of sprawl is a key issue for land-use planning. We propose a land use suitability strategy model to orient Land Uses of NUAs, based on integration of Land Cover Analysis (LCA) and Fragmentation Analysis (FA). With LCA the percentage of evapotranspiring surface is defined for each land use. Dimensions and densities of NUAs patches are assessed in FA. The model has been developed with Geographical Information Systems, using an extensive set of geodatabases, including orthophotos, vectorial cartographies and field surveys. The case of the municipality of Mascalucia in Catania metropolitan area (Italy), characterized by a considerable urban sprawl, is presented.► Non-Urbanised Areas (NUAs) are crucial for land planning and pollution minimization. ► NUAs are endangered by urban sprawl in Catania metropolitan areas (Italy). ► NUAs can be characterized by Land Cover and Fragmentation analysis. ► Results from analysis are used in a Land Use Suitability Strategy Model (LUSSM). ► By LUSSM application seven new prospective land uses for NUAs are proposed.
Contemporary cities are often the outcome of an aggregation of different parts grown in an inform... more Contemporary cities are often the outcome of an aggregation of different parts grown in an informal way. In these systems sometimes the expression 'periphery' looses its original meaning of outwards bounds distinguished from the centre (De Carlo 1993). The same happens in Catania, a medium size city of southern Italy where the settlement system is characterized by a complex combination of marginal neighbourhoods intertwined with richer and more vital ones. This is particularly true in transition areas between the main municipality and the surrounding towns, a quite common phenomenon in large conurbations of western countries. However, here another occurrence parallels this one, the presence of large historic neighbourhoods that show characters of economic, social and functional marginalization where illegal activities are concentrated as well as urban blight. Looking more in depth, these areas, that can be defined "at risk", represent a highly heterogynous set as far their formation process and settlement pattern are concerned. Their other relevant feature is the strong resistance to change both from physical and social points of view, even if specific actions have been taken to improve or upgrade them.
The transformation of single family home settlements is a central issue in the search for a more ... more The transformation of single family home settlements is a central issue in the search for a more sustainable city. This residential model remains very popular among middle class households, in spite of the relevant costs and impacts related to its functioning. Local authorities are increasingly concerned with its associated impacts, even when they do not have clear planning strategies.The case study presented is about a municipality that is part of the Catania Metropolitan Area, in Italy. Built up areas cover more than 50% of the municipality’s total land and the prevailing development type is the detached single family home. The existing settlement pattern is essentially an “automobile city” for about 20.000 inhabitants with a very limited presence of services. The analyses conducted show that this settlement is unsustainable, not in terms of insufficient green areas, or permeable soils but because it lacks any urban quality. The resulting impact on the environment is considerable both in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and the contribution to urban water runoff.The paper presents the first results of a consulting activity for the local municipality that is revising its General Master Plan. This activity, conducted by the University of Catania, includes a set of analyses based on land use data and the definition of general planning criteria. The aim is develop a proposal, based on principles of sustainable urban planning, that can effect a change towards a new pattern of urban development characterised by densification, mixed use planning and reduced private car dependence by concentrating new services in pedestrian oriented areas. The challenge of the proposal presented is to define a set of specific rules that can limit the uncontrolled sprawl by contextualising these general and widely accepted principles to local conditions. The work is part of GRaBS (Green and Blue Space Adaptation for Urban Areas and Eco Towns), a project funded by the EU Interreg IV C programme).► We deal with planning criteria for reducing car dependence and coping with sprawl. ► Integration of land use and transportation planning is an effective strategy. ► Densification, mixed uses and Transit Oriented Development are proposed. ► This planning approach contributes also to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Please cite this article in press as: LA GRECA, P., MARTINICO, F., OCCHIPINTI, S., RIZZO, A. (200... more Please cite this article in press as: LA GRECA, P., MARTINICO, F., OCCHIPINTI, S., RIZZO, A. (2006). The long and winding road. Peripheries in a Medium Sized City of Southern Italy. In LA GRECA P. & MEREY, Z. (Eds.) Cities Between Integration and Disintegration, Opportunities and Challenges. ISOCARP Review 02, 196-215. ISBN: 90-755-24-47-1
Contemporary cities are often the outcome of an aggregation of different parts grown in an informal way. In these systems sometimes the expression ‘periphery’ looses its original
meaning of outwards bounds distinguished from the centre (De Carlo 1993). The same happens in Catania, a medium size city of southern Italy where the settlement system is characterized by a complex combination of marginal neighbourhoods intertwined with richer and more vital ones. This is particularly true in transition areas between the main municipality and the surrounding towns, a quite common phenomenon in large conurbations of western countries. However, here another occurrence parallels this one, the presence of large historic
neighbourhoods that show characters of economic, social and functional marginalization where illegal activities are concentrated as well as urban blight. Looking more in depth, these areas, that can be defined “at risk”, represent a highly heterogynous set as far their formation process and settlement pattern are concerned. Their other relevant feature is the strong
resistance to change both from physical and social points of view, even if specific actions have been taken to improve or upgrade them.
L' esperienza europea dei quartieri green, maturata nel corso degli ultimi decenni, ha dimost... more L' esperienza europea dei quartieri green, maturata nel corso degli ultimi decenni, ha dimostrato come nuovi insediamenti residenziali concepiti sulla base di evoluti sistemi di progettazione del verde, della mobilità, dei servizi, di efficienza energetica ed integrati con infrastrutture per la gestione dell'acqua, dei rifiuti e dell'energia, possano dare un reale contributo alla sostenibilità urbana e ambientale. I modelli di sviluppo nati a seguito delle esperienze maturate nel corso di questa nuova stagione di pianificazione urbanistica (sviluppatasi in prevalenza nelle città del nord Europa), nonostante il successo delle operazioni già compiute, mal si prestano ad un trasferimento tout court in realtà urbane deboli, come le città del sud Italia, laddove le condizioni ambientali, morfologiche, socio economiche e culturali sono profondamente diverse. Ciò impone una seria riflessione su tali esperienze, nonché l'individuazione di criteri che consentano di valutare l...
Il governo dei fenomeni urbani complessi, propri della città contemporanea, richiede il definitiv... more Il governo dei fenomeni urbani complessi, propri della città contemporanea, richiede il definitivo superamento della settorializzazione, o ancor meglio della marcata separatezza, disciplinare e operativa che ha caratterizzato gran parte delle scelte, anche rilevanti, con le quali queste complesse realtà, in particolar modo in Italia, sono state amministrate fino ad oggi. Questo contributo si prefigge di fornire un approfondimento e di offrire una ricognizione di pratiche e progetti riguardanti i nuovi orientamenti disciplinari nel campo della pianificazione urbanistica, che indicano nell'integrazione tra scelte urbanistiche e scelte di mobilità uno dei punti fondamentali alla base della pianificazione e del governo della città contemporanea.
ABSTRACT The paper describes a methodology adopted in the Landscape Protection Plan of Enna, and ... more ABSTRACT The paper describes a methodology adopted in the Landscape Protection Plan of Enna, and Siracusa, based on geo-referenced data. Results confirm the relationship with cultural and economic features of the communities. The risk of landscape transformation has been evaluated, taking into account several features of the sprawled settlements, The proposal identifies four categories for landscape protection. A set of general rules aimed at enhancing the quality of these settlements is defined. Il lavoro illustra la metodologia adottata nella redazione dei Piani Paesaggistici delle province di Enna e Siracusa in Sicilia. Lo studio effettuato sulla base di dati georeferenziati, ha consentito di evidenziare le relazioni con le caratteristiche socio-economiche delle comunità insediate. È stata valutato il rischio di trasformazioni del paesaggio indotto da questi insediamenti. La proposta normativa identifica diverse modalità di tutela e riqualificazione mirate ad incrementare la qualità paesaggistica.
Today, the contraction of green zones is a key issue for land use planning with relation to clima... more Today, the contraction of green zones is a key issue for land use planning with relation to climate change effects on urban areas. Furthermore, the loss of evapotranspiring surfaces and vegetated soils is one of the main consequences of urban sprawl processes. The authors present the case of Catania metropolitan area, the 2nd most populated urban region in Sicily. In particular, three municipalities are analyzed, as they present the most relevant urban sprawl processes. Inside this complex “urban jam,” there are still large non urbanized spaces. These patches (cultivated and abandoned agriculture land and lava fields from Mt. Etna), deeply fragmented, are often left for future development. These areas are particularly important in the examined context, considering the lack of green spaces for ecological functions and leisure. This chapter focuses on land cover analysis based on land use maps and oriented to assess evapotranspiration degree of the different land uses. Land use catego...
Maintaining existing levels of landscape diversity is becoming more and more important for planni... more Maintaining existing levels of landscape diversity is becoming more and more important for planning considering the increasing pressures on agricultural ecosystems due to soil sealing, sprawl processes and intensive agriculture. Norms for land-use regulation and measures for landscape Safeguard and Rehabilitation have to take into consideration these threats in landscape planning. Evaluating the diversity of agricultural ecosystems is a fundamental step for proposing sound approaches to planning and managing both soil and landscape, as well as maintaining the related ecosystem services. The paper proposes a method aimed at the qualitative evaluation of spatial diversity of agricultural landscapes using a reduced set of ecological indicators based on land-use vector data. Indicators are calculated for defined landscape units characterized by landscape homogeneity. GIS geoprocessing and spatial analysis functions are employed. The study area is the Province of Enna in Sicily (Italy), which is characterized by cultivation mosaics in its southern region, cereal cultivation in the central region and prevailing natural environments in the northern region.
Non-Urbanised Areas (NUAs) are part of agricultural and green infrastructures that provide ecosys... more Non-Urbanised Areas (NUAs) are part of agricultural and green infrastructures that provide ecosystem services. Their role is fundamental for the minimization of urban pollution and adaptation to climate change. Like all natural ecosystems, NUAs are endangered by urban sprawl. The regulation of sprawl is a key issue for land-use planning. We propose a land use suitability strategy model to orient Land Uses of NUAs, based on integration of Land Cover Analysis (LCA) and Fragmentation Analysis (FA). With LCA the percentage of evapotranspiring surface is defined for each land use. Dimensions and densities of NUAs patches are assessed in FA. The model has been developed with Geographical Information Systems, using an extensive set of geodatabases, including orthophotos, vectorial cartographies and field surveys. The case of the municipality of Mascalucia in Catania metropolitan area (Italy), characterized by a considerable urban sprawl, is presented.► Non-Urbanised Areas (NUAs) are crucial for land planning and pollution minimization. ► NUAs are endangered by urban sprawl in Catania metropolitan areas (Italy). ► NUAs can be characterized by Land Cover and Fragmentation analysis. ► Results from analysis are used in a Land Use Suitability Strategy Model (LUSSM). ► By LUSSM application seven new prospective land uses for NUAs are proposed.
Contemporary cities are often the outcome of an aggregation of different parts grown in an inform... more Contemporary cities are often the outcome of an aggregation of different parts grown in an informal way. In these systems sometimes the expression 'periphery' looses its original meaning of outwards bounds distinguished from the centre (De Carlo 1993). The same happens in Catania, a medium size city of southern Italy where the settlement system is characterized by a complex combination of marginal neighbourhoods intertwined with richer and more vital ones. This is particularly true in transition areas between the main municipality and the surrounding towns, a quite common phenomenon in large conurbations of western countries. However, here another occurrence parallels this one, the presence of large historic neighbourhoods that show characters of economic, social and functional marginalization where illegal activities are concentrated as well as urban blight. Looking more in depth, these areas, that can be defined "at risk", represent a highly heterogynous set as far their formation process and settlement pattern are concerned. Their other relevant feature is the strong resistance to change both from physical and social points of view, even if specific actions have been taken to improve or upgrade them.
The transformation of single family home settlements is a central issue in the search for a more ... more The transformation of single family home settlements is a central issue in the search for a more sustainable city. This residential model remains very popular among middle class households, in spite of the relevant costs and impacts related to its functioning. Local authorities are increasingly concerned with its associated impacts, even when they do not have clear planning strategies.The case study presented is about a municipality that is part of the Catania Metropolitan Area, in Italy. Built up areas cover more than 50% of the municipality’s total land and the prevailing development type is the detached single family home. The existing settlement pattern is essentially an “automobile city” for about 20.000 inhabitants with a very limited presence of services. The analyses conducted show that this settlement is unsustainable, not in terms of insufficient green areas, or permeable soils but because it lacks any urban quality. The resulting impact on the environment is considerable both in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and the contribution to urban water runoff.The paper presents the first results of a consulting activity for the local municipality that is revising its General Master Plan. This activity, conducted by the University of Catania, includes a set of analyses based on land use data and the definition of general planning criteria. The aim is develop a proposal, based on principles of sustainable urban planning, that can effect a change towards a new pattern of urban development characterised by densification, mixed use planning and reduced private car dependence by concentrating new services in pedestrian oriented areas. The challenge of the proposal presented is to define a set of specific rules that can limit the uncontrolled sprawl by contextualising these general and widely accepted principles to local conditions. The work is part of GRaBS (Green and Blue Space Adaptation for Urban Areas and Eco Towns), a project funded by the EU Interreg IV C programme).► We deal with planning criteria for reducing car dependence and coping with sprawl. ► Integration of land use and transportation planning is an effective strategy. ► Densification, mixed uses and Transit Oriented Development are proposed. ► This planning approach contributes also to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Please cite this article in press as: LA GRECA, P., MARTINICO, F., OCCHIPINTI, S., RIZZO, A. (200... more Please cite this article in press as: LA GRECA, P., MARTINICO, F., OCCHIPINTI, S., RIZZO, A. (2006). The long and winding road. Peripheries in a Medium Sized City of Southern Italy. In LA GRECA P. & MEREY, Z. (Eds.) Cities Between Integration and Disintegration, Opportunities and Challenges. ISOCARP Review 02, 196-215. ISBN: 90-755-24-47-1
Contemporary cities are often the outcome of an aggregation of different parts grown in an informal way. In these systems sometimes the expression ‘periphery’ looses its original
meaning of outwards bounds distinguished from the centre (De Carlo 1993). The same happens in Catania, a medium size city of southern Italy where the settlement system is characterized by a complex combination of marginal neighbourhoods intertwined with richer and more vital ones. This is particularly true in transition areas between the main municipality and the surrounding towns, a quite common phenomenon in large conurbations of western countries. However, here another occurrence parallels this one, the presence of large historic
neighbourhoods that show characters of economic, social and functional marginalization where illegal activities are concentrated as well as urban blight. Looking more in depth, these areas, that can be defined “at risk”, represent a highly heterogynous set as far their formation process and settlement pattern are concerned. Their other relevant feature is the strong
resistance to change both from physical and social points of view, even if specific actions have been taken to improve or upgrade them.
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Contemporary cities are often the outcome of an aggregation of different parts grown in an informal way. In these systems sometimes the expression ‘periphery’ looses its original
meaning of outwards bounds distinguished from the centre (De Carlo 1993). The same happens in Catania, a medium size city of southern Italy where the settlement system is characterized by a complex combination of marginal neighbourhoods intertwined with richer and more vital ones. This is particularly true in transition areas between the main municipality and the surrounding towns, a quite common phenomenon in large conurbations of western countries. However, here another occurrence parallels this one, the presence of large historic
neighbourhoods that show characters of economic, social and functional marginalization where illegal activities are concentrated as well as urban blight. Looking more in depth, these areas, that can be defined “at risk”, represent a highly heterogynous set as far their formation process and settlement pattern are concerned. Their other relevant feature is the strong
resistance to change both from physical and social points of view, even if specific actions have been taken to improve or upgrade them.
Contemporary cities are often the outcome of an aggregation of different parts grown in an informal way. In these systems sometimes the expression ‘periphery’ looses its original
meaning of outwards bounds distinguished from the centre (De Carlo 1993). The same happens in Catania, a medium size city of southern Italy where the settlement system is characterized by a complex combination of marginal neighbourhoods intertwined with richer and more vital ones. This is particularly true in transition areas between the main municipality and the surrounding towns, a quite common phenomenon in large conurbations of western countries. However, here another occurrence parallels this one, the presence of large historic
neighbourhoods that show characters of economic, social and functional marginalization where illegal activities are concentrated as well as urban blight. Looking more in depth, these areas, that can be defined “at risk”, represent a highly heterogynous set as far their formation process and settlement pattern are concerned. Their other relevant feature is the strong
resistance to change both from physical and social points of view, even if specific actions have been taken to improve or upgrade them.