Soil is one of the fundamental components for life on Earth, but today, as a consequence of humans’ unsustainable actions, soil is polluted, distressed and spoiled. In contemporary practice design, we recognize the importance of the soil quality to structure new discourses in landscape practice. The central role in this process is undoubtedly played by the value a healthy soil has for the community and for the environment. The strategic design of wet and hydric landscapes is certainly an essential aspect for the regular and exceptional management of the effects produced by pollution and climate change. The research develops the soil as a key subject in the landscape design, specifically in hydric environments where water represents an important factor. The essay is divided into three parts: resources and opportunities of disturbed wet soil, successfully built public space where soil remediation transformed heavy polluted industrial urban sites in fertile public ecosystems within the dense urban structures, and soil design as a domain of urban resilience. The landscape project as an integrated project has spread the seeds of a new approach to the consideration of the contemporary city in an ecological manner.
This article presents the results of an international research project carried out in Italy and Canada, conducted by architects, landscape architects, sociologists and medical doctors. The study originated in the conviction that health and well-being are crucial objectives integrated within the notion of a sustainable city. For this reason, the configuration of urban space plays a decisive role in defining lifestyles and can contribute to improving the welfare of citizens. Many of today’s diseases are caused by a sedentary lifestyle; it is essential, therefore, to centre prevention on the promotion of physical well-being encouraging an active lifestyle, which can be achieved by changing the urban structure. With the aim of bringing about sustainable and healthy lifestyles, streets are in vogue. Streets are meeting and experimental places, theatres of everyday life and settings for cultural events. They provide crucial urban space for people and, in the context of urban studies, offer intellectual research nourishment to reflect on this fundamental element of the structure of the city. The research project presented here is aimed at encouraging active lifestyles, walkability and the use of public transport by facilitating accessibility to four sites in Rome and Montreal, and by exploring the potential leveraging of existing infrastructures and services. The research-based design proposals start with the idea of redeveloping the system of public spaces, beginning with the increase of bicycle and pedestrian routes in relation to schools, commerce, sports facilities and archaeological heritage. The goal is to build feasible, safe, recognisable and attractive routes and well-equipped public spaces in order to discourage the use of private vehicles, especially for short trips. The projects presented here are based on a systemic vision and make use of existing, but often abandoned or undervalued, spaces and resources.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.