2001-2010
2010 - XVII International conference Living and Walking in Cities - Linear metropolis
TOPICS
Focusing on “linear metropolis”, the XVII International Conference aims to be a further contribution towards a problem solving approach to urban form and mobility in our towns.
The conference also presents the results of the research of national interest “From metropolitan city to metropolitan corridor: the case of the Po Valley Corridor”. The subject of this research, financed in 2007 with PRIN funds, is recognizing the elements characterizing the linear mega-metropolitan areas.
The model of a metropolitan city does not represent the real phenomenology to be found in many cities across the globe. As a matter of fact, the metropolitan phenomenon can also be represented by high density agglomerations clustered in poles and urban areas. These, aligned, form a “corridor” that creates a complex system of relations at a metropolitan level.
The Conference will provide a stimulating opportunity for researchers, planners and technicians to explore key issues and future prospects for urban areas due to the current urban practices and policies promoted at the different levels. The phenomenon of linear metropolis can be detected in a lot of national and international cases.
This typology of city is characterized by a specific directrix of development and by urbanized areas, along the same directrix, with a small extent in other directions. Their development is spontaneously organized along a cinematic and efficient band (“corridor”). They sometimes reach the dimensions of a metropolis (whose parameters are defined in the 142/1990 law of the Italian legislation) and work as organizing centers of a rational complex system.
The XVII International Conference “Living and walking in cities – Linear metropolis” will focus on the following themes:
“Policentric metropolis of the world”.
This session will describe the international policentric metropolis, starting from the definition of “world cities” maintained also by the famous geographer Sir Peter Hall;
“Urban systems chronography: linear metropolis and city users”.
This session will investigate the linear metropolis phenomenon from the starting point of the urban system considered as a multi-scalar relation system defined from the daily land usage;
“Urban form: typification of a linear metropolis”.
This session will concern the relational phenomena driven by human settlements with a particular attention to the quality of life. The focus will be on the organization of public spaces – collective places, facilities and non motorized mobility - versus private spaces;
“The spread city in the linear metropolis”.
The spread city is usually characterized by high values of density of inhabitants but also high values of land use. The session will deepened the elements characterizing such phenomenology in relation to linear metropolis;
“Innovative approaches to the mobility system in high density and congested areas”.
This session will deepened the theme of transport system in linear metropolis. Particularly in relation to the necessity of an integration between urban planning and mobility planning.
PROGRAM
Download here the program of the XVII edition of the conference
2009 - XVI International conference Living and Walking in Cities - Young people and urban spaces
TOPICS
Focusing on “young people and the city”, the XVI International Conference aims to be a further contribution towards a problem solving approach to urban form and mobility in our towns.
The participation of the Municipality of Brescia demonstrates the great interest of the city of Brescia towards the themes of the conference, and its intention to take part in the scientific discussion. Its aim is the achievement of a better attitude in city planning and urban management, as well as the accurate programming of services for young people.
The Conference will provide a stimulating opportunity for researchers, planners and technicians to explore key issues and future prospects for urban areas due to the current urban practices and policies promoted at the different levels.
The last decade is characterized by an increasing conflict between the urban space and its planning, on one side, and the needs of young people and the new tendencies of contemporary cities on the other side. The conference favors a debate involving disciplines related to the needs of people with an age ranging from 15 to 35 years, thus including the young people and the so-called “young adults”, with the aim at investigating their needs at the social, economic and urban level. The conference focuses on national and European projects highlighting the best practices to achieve a new approach to urban planning and to encourage new partnerships between technicians and planners.
The XVI International Conference “Living and walking in cities – Young people and urban spaces” will be organized in “invited speaker” and “free” sessions.
“Free sessions” will focus on the following subjects, in particular on urban and territorial themes:
“Temporal policies for young people”.
This session will concentrate on providing services for both resident and “city user” young people, as well as on phenomena characterizing university cities, on urban management and on road mobility.
“Urban aggregative places for young people: the movida phenomenon and its effects on the city and on the territory”.
This session will discuss the positive and negative aspects of the movida phenomenon on urban centres, together with the urban and economic practice to use this phenomenon for the revitalization of city centres.
“Planning the urban public spaces in relation to young people. Real needs and best practices”.
This session will concern the planning of urban public spaces for young people, such as green playgrounds and sport fields, experiential spaces and cultural places.
"Young people and road safety”.
This session will examine the road safety aspects (young people are victims but also risk factors because of their lack of experience in driving) and analyse the active and passive elements of road safety. In particular the theme of the road infrastructures policy to improve related conditions towards young users will be investigated.
2008 - XV International conference Living and Walking in Cities - Minor communities: renewal and valorisation
TOPICS
This year, the XV International Conference, focusing on “minor communities”, aims to be a further towards a problem solving approach to urban form and mobility in our towns.
The event is organised with the University of Parma. The co-organisation of this conference underlines the linkage between the schools, both involved in COST C27 “Sustainable development policies for minor deprived communities”, and the importance of the proposed goal.
The Conference will provide a stimulating opportunity for researchers, planners and technicians to explore key issues and future prospects for minor communities also due to the current urban practices and policies promoted at the different levels. Sustainability topics often should be implemented in territories characterized by small “urban settlements” with relevant building pressures and unsustainable development proposals. The main goal of the conference is to explore the results of the existing European and National policies on minor communities. The debate aims to create a civic society for sustainable communities development encouraging new models for partnership among different territorial authorities regarding landscape protection and economic (touristic) development.
The XV international conference “Living and walking in cities – minor communities: renewal and valorisation” will be organised in “invited speakers” and “free” sessions.
The “invited speakers” session will deepen “Sustainable development policies for minor deprived communities”; the “free sessions” will focus on the following subjects:
historical minor communities: new protection strategies;
small specialized urban settlements: new development policies;
rural areas: opportunities for territorial valorisation;
low density areas and metropolitan areas: complementary approaches.
PROGRAM
Download here the program of the XV edition of the conference
2007 - XIV International conference Living and Walking in Cities - Space for public shows and trade fairs
TOPICS
This year, the XIV International Conference, focusing on “space for public shows and trade fairs”, aims to be a further step in favour of a problem solving approach to urban form and mobility in our towns.
The event is organized with the Politecnico of Milan – Campus Piacenza, where the “space for events” project is one of the research topic. The co-organization of this conference underlines both the linkage between the schools and the importance of the proposed goal.
The Conference will provide a stimulating opportunity for researchers, planners and technicians to explore key issues and future prospects of outskirts also due to the current urban practices and policies promoted at the different levels.
There is a growing competition among the cities to guest international and national Mega events: sport games (Olympic games, World championship), political and cultural meetings (Expo, international exhibitions).
Have the spaces specifically dedicated to these events a positive impact on the guest cities and territories?
In several cases the new spaces are really integrated with the existing towns; in others their implementation causes only a temporary urban renewal; in some situations they induced territorial changes that neglect the urban context.
The XIV International conference “Living and walking in city – space for public shows and trade fairs” will deal with the following themes.
exhibition centres and accessibility problems;
spatial and environmental transformations towards Mega events;
festivals and minor events;
time of the city and time of public shows and trade fairs;
risk analysis and people safety problems.
PROGRAM
Download here the program of the XIV edition of the conference
2006 - XIII International conference Living and Walking in Cities - The place of green
TOPICS
The growth of cities and gradual occupation of rural areas caused by the need to make room for activities that are important for the economy and social organization, emphasize on the one hand the growing fragility of economic systems subject to the pressure exercised by a large share of human activities, and on the other, the importance of valorisation and protection so as to make these usable by human beings. The need for widespread protection within the area (needed for correct management, which does not only mean passive protection) should be conceived by going beyond the idea of a "protected area" where everything is forbidden and outside which everything is allowed. Urban areas, the outskirts of towns and cities and interurban areas should be in a position, between them, to create a system of green areas and integrate their requirements and functions.
Greenery, in its different forms and component parts, is a part of the natural and human landscape and represents a potential element of continuity and relationship between the city, the urban fringe and the district. In fact:
“historical greenery” distinguishes the central parts of numerous cities and is the place of identity in the public imagination;
“green sectors” in the public park areas of the neighborhood, green areas equipped for sports activities and neighborhood allotments are distinctive features of the consolidated city;
large municipal and supra-municipal urban parks are a linchpin between the urban and interurban environment and have always played a nodal role for the environmental and ecological equilibrium of the urban environment itself;
urban areas distinguished by the different articulation of the agri-forest components are elements of the human landscape and a potential reserve of environmental resources;
“natural areas”, with a high degree of biodiversity are today unique elements in the district and are distinguished by gradual insularisation.
parks and protected areas: limitations and opportunities for the territory;
green open-space system usability in urban, peri-urban, extra-urban areas;
green spaces in urban areas and plan of urban facilities: from local policies to managing problems.
PROGRAM
2005 - XII International conference Living and Walking in Cities - The outskirts
TOPICS
This year, the XII International Conference, deepening outskirts intends to be a further step in favor of a problem solving approach urban form and mobility in our towns.
The Conference will provide a stimulating opportunity for researchers, planners and technicians to explore key issues and future prospects of outskirts also due to the current urban practices and policies promoted at the local level. Outskirts concept, meant as what is around a centre without being centre, hasn’t got a spatial dimension, but describes the parts of the town and human being conditions that are excluded and out of any territorial transformation and development.
Outskirts in contemporary towns are “fragments” of the town that risk not being considered because of their disadvantaged condition in the urban hierarchy therefore becoming the place of the excluded.
From this point of view outskirts renewal intended as regeneration of marginal urban areas is fundamental to enhance city value.
The XII International conference “Living and walking in city – The outskirts” will deal with the following themes:
renewal of outskirts open spaces;
walking through outskirts;
urban form and livability of new outskirts;
policies and tools to recover marginal urban areas;
urban sprawl and its influence on mobility patterns.
PROGRAM
Download here the program of the XII edition of the conference
2004 - XI International conference Living and Walking in Cities - The historical centres
TOPICS
This year, the XI International Conference, deepening historical centres intends to be a further step in favor of sustainable mobility and quality of life improvement in urban scene.
The Conference will provide a stimulating opportunity for researchers, planners and technicians to explore key issues and future prospects of historical centres also due to the current urban practices and policies promoted at the local level. In Italy at a local level the promotion the existing heritage is growing on proposing new destinations for tourists in addition to the most famous towns of Art.
In particular, several cities are using urban marketing, organizing great events and international exhibitions, to promote their image at a European level.
From this point of view historical centres renewal, intended as accessibility and safety of the weakest Vulnerable Road Users, plays a fundamental role in developing cultural itineraries. It is also a primary interest to implement itineraries connecting historical centres that are already naturally linked.
The XI International conference “LIVING AND WALKING IN CITIES – Historical centres” will be organized in main sessions and free sessions that will have to deal with the following subjects:
safety and mobility in historical centres;
historical centres accessibility in towns of Art;
historical centres livability of small and medium size towns;
historical centres renewal in water and coastal towns.
PROGRAM
2003 - X International conference Living and Walking in Cities - Non motorized mobility and land resources
TOPICS
In the last few years the growing demand of non-motorized mobility for recreational and tourist purposes has favored long distance paths planning along environmental, historical and cultural systems.
In Italy rural networks for non motorized mobility are mainly based on mountain trails, military roads and paths, natural and agricultural itineraries and they are highly fragmented.
Such routes, if linked to each other, and with less important trails and paths will allow people to move at a territorial level in a high quality environment characterized by landscape changes in rural areas, in towns and in historical centres, in the suggestion of what nature and human beings have done together trough times.
This year, the X International Conference “Living and walking in cities”, deepening the role of non motorized mobility in increasing cities livability, intends to be a further step in favor of sustainable mobility in urban scene.
The Conference will provide a stimulating opportunity for researchers, planners and technicians to explore key issues, current projects and future prospects of green ways development at a territorial level.
PROGRAM
2002 - IX International conference Living and Walking in Cities - The place of bicycle
TOPICS
This year, the IX International Conference, deepening the role that bicycles play in increasing cities livability, intends to be a further step in favor of sustainable mobility in urban scene.
The Conference will provide a stimulating opportunity for researchers, planners and technicians to explore key issues, current projects and future prospects for cycling in town.A large share of the short trips in towns can take place by bicycle. It is important to plan and develop infrastructures that permit the optimal exploitation of the bicycle’s qualities and possibilities. The right balance of good roads and paths for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists can create better towns without loosing the interaction between modes of transport.
The IX International Conference "Living and walking in cities – the play of bicycles” will be organised in main sessions and free sessions that have to deal with the following subjects:
daily trip dynamics and urban form: the places of bicycle;
integrating cycle paths planning and the existing planning issues;
safety and quality of cycling infrastructures;
bicycle, an alternative mode of transport for tourism and leisure.
PROGRAM
INTRODUCTION
Download here the introduction of Roberto Busi (Italian version)
2001 - VIII International conference Living and Walking in Cities - Town and infrastructure planning for safety and urban quality for pedestrians
TOPICS
The International Conference “LIVING AND WALKING IN CITIES”, at its eight edition, every year looks at different themes about safety and mobility in urban areas. This appointment is traditionally supported by UE through COST UCE (European Co-operation in the field of Scientifical and Technical Research Urban and Civil Engineering), and organised with the contribute of various corporations like: Municipal Services Company of Brescia, Stradamica (Association for vulnerable road user safety), the Automobil Club Italia department of Brescia, Municipality of Brescia, Municipality of Cremona and Municipality of Piacenza (that have co-operated to organise the Conference in the last years).
This year, open to the public, during the VIII International Conference there will be the Cost Action C6 “Town and infrastructure planning for safety and urban quality for pedestrian” final conference therefore two afternoons of the “LIVING AND WALKING IN CITIES” will be dedicated to the presentation of Cost Action C6 results.
All the VIII International Conference will focus on “Town and infrastructure planning for safety and urban quality for pedestrians”. The “free sessions” of the conference could be the occasion to deepen both research and practice state of the art at the European level.
The “free sessions” are characterized by the following subjects:
european researches on safety and urban quality for pedestrian;
experiences in urban areas devoted to promote pedestrian safety and livability;
policy making and implementation and issues.
INTRODUCTION
Download here the introduction of Roberto Busi (English version) (Italian version)