duep-urbandesignandlandscapearchitecture

Research Focus

The research approach characterizing the work of the members of the Section is both interpretative and design-oriented, and involves both the structural character of the transformation in progress in the physical contexts and the interrelations between physical-spatial and behavioral aspects. This implies an activation of complex relationships with other points of view and disciplinary languages (social history, economy, sociology, geography, law, philosophy, aesthetics etc.), considering town planning and urban design and landscape architecture as means to attain a synthesis of an ample aggregate of knowledge and techniques.

The Section pursues the following scientific goals:

1. to describe, know and interpret the forms or urban aggregates, the characters, problems and potentials of specific territorial contexts, paying particular attention to the physical arrangements as well as to the socioeconomic and institutional ones;

2. to know and improve the theories and guiding principles applicable to town planning, urban design and landscape architecture on the different scales of representation;

3. to know and bring up to date the instruments of programming, planning, promotion and control of the interventions aimed at the transformation of the physical environment;

4. to design the transformations of the physical arrangements and manners of use on different scales, paying attention to the requirements and potentials of the territories, the quality of individual and social life, the urbanity of relations, the identity and quality of the places and the landscapes;

5. to take a critical stock of the significant experiences, both historical and present, where town planning, urban and landscape design and the architecture of buildings have coped with the problem of local architecture, with particular attention to the issues of urbanity, environmental and social sustainability and the competitiveness of the cities and their territorial contexts.

The Section moreover aims at keeping a close relationship between research and teaching, in particular focusing on the possible benefits deriving from research activities oriented towards social interests.< xml="true" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" prefix="o" namespace="">

Fundamental research is the main axis of this Section’s traditional work.

This does not mean that no applied research is conducted (which is also done on the assignment of non-University parties) or that applied research is considered secondary. Applied research may on the contrary produce a precious contribution in terms of verification and inspiration. Rather, one simply considers that applied research cannot, in the absence of fundamental research, define a profile characteristic of university work.

The scientific production of the Section has concerned, and still concerns, the following topics:

The scientific production of the Section has concerned, and still concerns, the following topics:

• • Theory and practice of urban design and landscape architecture;

Methodological issues associated with the study of the territory and the landscape;

Instruments for the programming, planning, promotion and control of interventions of transformation of the physical environment;

Spatial characters in a historical-anthropological perspective;

Educational processes of contemporary metropolis, with particular reference to Lombardy metropolitan system;

Territorial unbalances in Italy;

The history of architectural and town planning culture in the contemporary period (researches on Piero Bottoni, Cesare Chiodi, Carlo De Carli, Giuseppe De Finetti, Tony Garnier, Le Corbusier, Giuseppe Pagano, Edoardo Persico, Mario Pucci, Giuseppe Terragni and others);

Architecture and the other arts. Specific traits, analogies and mutual nurturing between the different means of artistic expression;

The organization and conservation and the publishing of archive documents for architectural and urban design research.