italy posts, articles, and infographics | Sustainable Cities Collective

Can We Balance the Old and New as a Place Evolves?

December 29, 2011 by Kaid Benfield
with 70 views

We change with time, and so do our communities. In some cases the evolution may seem lightning-fast, in others slow; in some cases change brings obvious improvement, but there is frequently something lost as well. Like it or not, there is no stopping. So how do we remain who we are if our purpose changes? In the case of communities, how do we manage change so as to retain what is most valuable of a place's character? [read more]

Reinventing Place with Angels Above

December 12, 2011 by Chuck Wolfe
with 138 views

In the Lucanian Dolomite mountains of Italy’s Basilicata province, two hill towns show the magical potential of place, connectivity and human innovation in unparalleled fashion.

In the Lucanian Dolomite mountains of Italy’s Basilicata province, two hill towns show the magical potential of place, connectivity and human innovation in unparalleled fashion. There, where, in the Middle Ages, rocky outcrops were lookout posts, some see an extreme sport in the Volo dell’Angelo zip wire which spans a narrow, deep... [read more]

Reconsidering Shapes of Avoidance on the Landscape

November 28, 2011 by Chuck Wolfe
with 164 views

Last year, I asked what elements of today’s urban landscape occur in spite of urban land use policy and regulation, and form “shapes of avoidance”. I provided a historical example, and suggested modern counterparts. That was before Occupy Wall Street and its progeny. Nate Berg’s November 22 article in The Atlantic Cities posed... [read more]

Contemplating ‘The Genius of a Place’

November 10, 2011 by Chuck Wolfe
with 377 views

The genius of the old ways, near Cortona in the 1950's If universal questions about the dynamics of place need a stage to be answered, there is no better theater than Cortona, Italy, home to Frances Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun, and a symbol of the romantic ambience of a simpler life. There, American expatriate and film producer Sarah... [read more]

Exploring the Sustainable City of Stone

September 6, 2011 by Chuck Wolfe
with 282 views

In the provinces of southeastern Italy, the landscape is changing, as a new world of alternative energy infrastructure blends insular hill towns, turbines and solar panels across traditional farmland. Yet, on the same horizons other, age-old reflections of local sustainable practices echo time-honored human traditions, as lessons for... [read more]

Confronting the Urban Mirror

September 2, 2011 by Chuck Wolfe
with 269 views

To my mind, one of the most compelling features of a provocative urban environment is a place where people watch people—which becomes a small-scale human observatory. Such places are often indicative of safe public environments, including active streets, corners and squares. They are particularly prevalent in cultures where neighbors readily interact, and the seams between public and private are softer than zoning setbacks, while still allowing for a private world. [read more]

Pics: Discerning Successful Elements of People, Place and Urbanism

August 29, 2011 by Chuck Wolfe
with 698 views

Nothing is better for advocates of urbanism than simple immersion in the look and feel of a successful, authentic place. After a week of observation in the cities, towns and villages of Pugila, Italy, most notable is the age-old, multi-dimensional relationship between people and such places, especially given American aspirations—often... [read more]

Chinatowns Not Welcome in Italian Cities

July 28, 2011 by This Big City
with 100 views

The history of Chinese migration isn’t nearly as old as the culture itself. Free exploration of the world has only been available since the 1860 Treaty of Peking opened China’s borders. In the 148 years since, Chinese migrants have seen the world – from Asia to the West Coast of the United States and beyond. Their settlements in urban... [read more]

Smooth Operator: Guided Trolleybuses Debut in Bologna, Italy

September 2, 2009 by TheCityFix - produced by EMBARQ
with 410 views

A new trolleybus corridor in Bologna, Italy tests new guide technology. Image from Roberto Amori on YouTube. Guidance improves the performance and reliability of a bus or trolleybus corridor, allowing for fairly smooth approach to the bus stops or stations, with very small gaps between the platforms and the bus floor. Guidance systems... [read more]

Watershed Down

June 9, 2009 by Geoff Manaugh
with 359 views

[Image: Mike Bouchet's Watershed being towed through Venice towards the Arsenale basin, against a backdrop of Italian palazzi].Note: This is a guest post by Nicola Twilley.The 2009 Venice Biennale opened this week with an unexpected and quite beautiful piece of performance art. Artist Mike Bouchet had built a one-to-one scale replica of... [read more]

Environment Park's Green Roofs in Turin, Italy

May 21, 2009 by Will Gorman
with 209 views

Italy has discovered the benefits of green roofs too! The Environment Park, in Turin, is a sprawling complex with green roofs on most buildings.From Energy Planning Knowledge Base:"The idea which comes from is the construction of a united landscape able to link river, garden and Technological Park in a system of land architecture with... [read more]

GIBELLINA

May 15, 2009 by christian haid
with 303 views

In 1968, the small town of Gibellina, Sicily was completely destroyed by an earthquake. And only a few years later rebuilt close to the original site. The erection of the new Gibellina was supported by a unique vision: against traditional forces of bureaucracy, corrupt politics and Sicilian mafia. Artists were invited to design... [read more]