OVERVIEW

This course provides a theoretical and critical reading of urban and territorial transformations in contemporary times, combining multidisciplinary approaches with empirical analysis of case studies. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to help students develop an understanding of the transformation processes affecting the city and its surrounding area, as well as the methods developed by the discipline to analyze and manage them. The module provides basic knowledge of urban planning theory and practice, as well as the skills and expertise of the urban architect, and introduces students to the analysis and interpretation of the contemporary city.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to:

• Interpret the main transformations of the city and territory through theoretical and conceptual frameworks drawing from urban planning, geography, sociology, and political sciences;
• Understand the structural mechanisms underlying urban and territorial evolution processes in contemporary times;
• Develop the ability to critically read urban phenomena through theoretical and applied methodological tools;
• Apply theoretical frameworks to the analysis of specific urban and territorial contexts through practical exercises and case studies;

PREREQUISITES

none

TEACHING METHODS

The course is organized as an interdisciplinary design studio, supported by lectures, seminars, and innovative teaching methods (such as world café, flipped classroom, etc.). The design exercise will therefore include moments of discussion and exchange among instructors from different disciplines.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Main theoretical approaches in urban studies: structuralism, postmodernism, critical theory;
• Interpretative models of the city: from the modern city to the contemporary metropolis;
• Urbanization processes, territorial sprawl, and settlement patterns;
• Economic dynamics in urban space: functional specialization, deindustrialization, and tertiarization processes;
• Urban conflicts and power relations: the role of public and private institutions and actors;
• Sociocultural diversity and territorial fragmentation in the contemporary city;
• Urban morphology and characteristics of public space;
• Phenomena of regeneration, transformation, and reuse of urban land;
• Infrastructure, mobility, and accessibility as structuring factors of territory;
• Theoretical and methodological tools for territorial analysis: project readings, cartographies, statistical analysis;
• Case studies of contemporary urban transformations: critical readings and interpretations;

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliographic references may be provided as needed for further in-depth study or as supporting material, including in English for international students.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy