1,720,996 research outputs found
Stone in the city. Extraction sites and spoliation of stone materials in the city of Nora (South -West Sardinia)
Get PDFIn this study we intend to read the "backstage" of the urban scene in the archaeological city of Nora, in the southwestern coasts of Sardinia, with the aim of identifying main urban processes that take into account the ancient supply and circulation of building materials essential for the urban formation. The intention is to create a different point of view in order to get a comprehensive picture of the urban form and characteristics, and also to define the social, cultural and economic context which led to the birth and development of the local building language, and to understand the relationship between the city and geo-resources in the surrounding region.In particular, the work intends to focus to the historical extraction sites and to the movement of construction materials, without neglecting the spoliation of monuments, to identify the plots between geology and urban structure, also in order to evidence as the historic cities possessed an unconscious smart approach. The choice of the city of Nora is not accidental; in fact, different kinds of local stones are undoubtedly the most widely used building materials within the city. The choice, optimization and use in buildings and urban infrastructures was masterly performed, without interruptions, from the late sixth century B.C. until at least the fourth or fifth century A.D. Already during his trip to Sardinia (1857) Alberto Ferrero La Marmora recognized in the peninsula of Is Fradis Minoris, close to the city ruins, traces of quarrying recorded in "quaternary grès" stone, widely used in buildings of Nora.. It will then Gennaro Pesce, who through his works (1957-1971) showed great interest in the main building materials and construction techniques used in Nora, providing insights on the architectural aspects, and then making a specific focus on building materials, wall structures and architectural taste in the city during Roman imperial age (IVth period of Nora). In particular, G. Pesce (1957) provided an essential list of stone materials mostfrequently used in Nora for buildings, which are: 1) carbonatic sandstone (Quaternary),2) fine-grained sandstone (Tertiary), 3) andesite (Tertiary), 4) limestone (Miocene); 5) pyroclastite (Miocene). The contribution wants to investigate the correlations between urban building and the aforesaid stone materials, whose extraction was proximal, and whose masterful use has allowed the construction of the city of Nora
From Smart Urbanism to Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan: A Critical Evaluation of the Case of Cagliari
No full textNowadays, cities are undergoing uncontrolled development, the main factor of environmental unsustainability, and are increasingly suffering the repercussions of environmental alterations. Policies based on smart urbanism, a concept strongly linked to sustainable development, have been trying for years to respond to these problems, significantly influencing applications in local contexts. In the field of mobility, this attention is manifested significantly since 2014, when the European Union defines the guidelines for the drafting of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs). In Italy, these regulatory tools were implemented in 2017, when the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (IMIT) approved the guidelines for SUMPs, called in Italian ‘ Piani Urbani di Mobilità Sostenibile ’ (PUMS). However, many Italian cities have not yet defined their plans or have, in general, drafted general guidelines. Among these, the Metropolitan City of Cagliari (MCC) has only the guidelines of its PUMS. Considering these assumptions, the authors introduce the theoretical analysis linked to the concept of smart urbanism, to then provide a critical framework for transport policies through the comparison between the strategies and actions defined by the IMIT and those defined by the guidelines addressed by the MCC. This chapter offers an overview of the choices that the metropolitan city intends to implement for its sustainable mobility. The main purpose is to evaluate, at first, how the MCC has identified the key principles to be included in its guidelines. In particular, the objective is to understand if the selected macro-objectives and the objectives are in line with the real needs and requirements that the city has. Furthermore, questions are raised about their feasibility and implementation through appropriate strategies and actions, and above all to understand whether something should be integrated in the light of national guidelines. Finally, the authors added some implementation action aimed at a more human-oriented approach to the needs of the population, the use of technologies and the relationship of the MCC with water
A Preliminary Survey on Happy-Based Urban and Mobility Strategies: Evaluation of European Best Practices
No full textIn 2011, the United Nations General Assembly made the initial move towards regulating the concept of happiness as the primary factor for promoting sustainable development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. In fact, the UN General Assembly recognised the need to establish a new approach based on an inclusive, equitable, and balanced urban planning paradigm that promotes the happiness and well-being of people. Only in 2012, the report“Wellbeing and Happiness: Defining a New Economic Paradigm” remembers this aspect and the relationship between happiness and well-being as good practices in the design of urban spaces as well as in human mobility. Even though the regional planning/ smart mobility dualism has demonstrated great potential in socio-economic and spatial development, there are no studies or research that connect this dualism to the broader concept of happy region in terms of well-being, population satisfaction, and quality of life.With these premises, the purpose of this paper is to propose recommendations for mobility interventions that may alter the regional structure and urban growth by enhancing regional well-being and happiness. In this regard, an analytical approach is proposed, based on a systematic and cross-reading of the best European practices in mobility solutions and urban projects, highlighting the originality and value of this research to strengthen the happy region model based on integrated mobility and regional planning choices
Digitalisation process and sustainable development of vulnerable territories. Assessment of equity potentials of major Mediterranean Islands
No full textThe "Path to the Digital Decade" features the digital transformation goals that the member states of the European Union must reach by 2030. It also highlights the need to align the digital strategy with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by use of relevant indicators for assessing progress in each single SDG. The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published in 2022, demonstrates how new advances in the digitalisation process have filled several gaps in digital skills and infrastructures; while the DESI Country Profiles witness the lower levels of digital performance of insular territories, compared to the states’ mainland. This paper explores the way digitalisation progress might improve islands’ sustainability performance and equity concerns in the EU. Relevant achievements are assessed by the proposed Index of Islands’ Potential Equity (IIPE), i.e. a composite index, combining an Islands’ Sustainability Index (IIS) for grasping socio-economic and environmental aspects; and an Islands’ Digitalisation Index (IDI), for identifying the level of public/private digital transformation. The results obtained through the IIPE index demonstrate how powerful the strategies of island governments in digitalisation progress can prove in achieving SDGs and rendering island contexts less vulnerable and more competitive in the European scenery
An assessment method for governing Smart Tourism in a bioregion of Southern Sardinia (Italy) = Un metodo di analisi per lo Smart Tourism in una bio-regione nel Sud Sardegna (Italia)
No full textLa gestione del turismo smart negli ultimi anni ha subito una significativa trasformazione: da una strategia esclusivamente tecnologica a una radicata negli elementi specifici del luogo. Di conseguenza, si introduce la nozione di ecosistema territoriale, quale entità legata alla bioregione urbana. La definizione di una strategia bioregionale policentrica è particolarmente importante nelle situazioni insulari, che presentano criticità di ordine demografico ed ambientale a causa della loro conformazione geografica. Lo scopo di questo capitolo è di indagare il turismo smart in una bioregione insulare come potenziale strategia di sviluppo delle aree interne. A tal fine, gli autori esaminano la regione storica del Sulcis Iglesiente. Il turismo smart è esaminato come un componente centrale degli interventi per gestire lo spopolamento, l’isolamento sociale e la stagnazione economica nelle aree interne. Per descrivere quantitativamente la distribuzione delle risorse locali, è stato usato un metodo che combina l'analisi geospaziale e l’analisi configurazionale. Lo studio si conclude con la presentazione di strategie di centralità e integrazione utili ad incrementare il potenziale turistico delle bioregioni insulari.In recent years, smart tourist management has witnessed a considerable revolution. It has shifted from focusing only on technology to prioritising location-specific issues and this has led in the identification of territorial ecosystems, which are connected to urban bioregions but not necessarily tied to administrative boundaries. The polycentric bioregional approach is particularly relevant for island regions, which suffer demographic and environmental problems because of their geographic location. This article aims to explore the potential of smart tourism as a strategy for developing inland areas by linking tourism goals with coastal regions in insular bioregions. The authors investigate the historical region of Sulcis Iglesiente in Sardinia to illustrate this perspective. Smart tourism is proposed as a crucial element in addressing depopulation, social marginalisation, and economic stagnation in inland areas. To evaluate the distribution of local resources, the authors apply a methodological approach thatcombines geospatial analysis and spatial syntax techniques. The study concludes by proposing centralisation and integration strategies for increasing the tourism potential of island bioregions
Governing Technology-based Urbanism: Degeneration to Technocracy or Development to Progressive Planning?
No full textThe current vision of ‘smart development’, based on a technology paradigm, increasingly shapes urbanism. This technology-based urbanism prevails, even when local governments play a role in responding to a growing issue, such as the improving of today’s quality of life by integrating ICT with the built environment. Multi-source big data, real-time processing for complex data and sensors are affecting city users’ behaviors, and consequently, ways of knowing and governing cities. The challenges and opportunities of data governance in technology-driven smart city initiatives are significant and can have long-term positive impacts for people and their city. However, it can fall into technocractic governance because technological solutions and business interests over social inclusion and urban innovation and, for that reason, by following the mania and the rhetoric of ‘citizen-centered approaches’ and ‘user-generated data’. Starting from this point of view, this chapter seeks to answer the following question: Which strategies of smart city development influence smart governance? Whilst there is much written about issues of data governance in smart cities, there are limited studies that deal with pros and cons of smart governance in local-level initiatives. The chapter presents insights from Italian smart governance in local-level initiatives, and discusses challenges and future research
Spatial Smartness and (In)Justice in Urban Contexts? The Case Studies of Cagliari and Parma, Italy
Get PDFIn response to urbanisation pressures and climate change, urban regeneration policies aiming at developing dynamic solutions for happy, inclusive, smart, and sustainable cities should include equitable access to basic services. This paper proposes a metric for measuring the level of spatial (in)justice in urban settings, beyond the city centre. The suggested indicator combines spatial, statistical and configurational analysis to calculate the number of people living in areas with limited access to basic services. The research focuses specifically on three categories of services: educational facilities, public transportation, and green areas, by exploring and evaluating Cagliari and Parma, two Italian cities. The purpose is to promote the transparency and effectiveness of public policies by facilitating well-informed decisions in the field of urban regeneration. Indeed, the development of a relevant, reproducible, comparable, and understandable metric of spatial injustice can help public agencies with: i) identification of critical areas; ii) definition of objectives for regeneration strategies; iii) measurement of the results of policies; and iv) comparison of alternative scenarios. The results underline the disparities in access to basic services between the compact core and the edges of urbanised areas. The findings underline the importance of prioritising regeneration policies in marginal areas to reduce spatial injustice. Finally, the study proposes a valuable tool for public agencies to identify areas of spatial injustice and develop targeted strategies for urban regeneration. By reducing inequalities in access to basic services, cities can become happier, more inclusive, smart, and sustainable
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
- …
