AI229 - URBAN PLANNING 2 (GRPB)

The course is structured around lectures, lab activities, midterm assessments, and a final project, with the goal of combining theoretical knowledge, practical tools, and design skills.
Lectures provide the theoretical framework and will focus on:

fundamental definitions of urban planning as a technical-scientific and cultural discipline;
the historical evolution of the contemporary city and settlement models;
the relationship between urban design and territorial, environmental, and landscape contexts;
an introduction to national and regional regulations concerning urban planning, environment, and landscape;
an overview of major urban planning theories, from Ildefonso Cerdà to Bernardo Secchi.

Lab activities consist of individual or group exercises, both in class and at home, aimed at introducing students to basic urban planning techniques (e.g., map reading, morphological analysis, zoning elements, interpretation of planning tools). These exercises are designed to build a technical vocabulary and foster initial operational autonomy.
The course includes three midterm assessments to periodically monitor learning progress and encourage consistent student participation, with a particular focus on acquiring climate-sensitive skills.
The final project involves developing an urban-scale intervention proposal, specifically analyzing and designing sections of the General Regulatory Plan of the Municipality of Pescara, with a focus on climate change adaptation.
The project must integrate:

analysis of the site's climate vulnerabilities;
adaptation strategies (stormwater management, heat island reduction, green infrastructure);
nature-based solutions (urban forestry, green roofs, depaving).

The design activity serves as a synthesis moment for the critical and practical application of the knowledge acquired, with a climate-responsive approach.
To complete the training path, a thematic seminar titled Urban Planning and Climate Transition will be conducted by the instructor. The starting point will be the book Executive Literature. Urban Culture and Integrated Design, along with additional texts dedicated to climate change. The seminar aims to introduce students to advanced reflection on the relationship between urban planning theory and design in the context of climate change, through guided reading and discussion of foundational texts in climate-oriented urban planning and international case studies of best practices.
Participation in the seminar may be enhanced by submitting a short individual critical report on a climate-responsive urban design case study, which may contribute to the overall course evaluation.