LAND USE AND SPATIAL PLANNING

This class introduces students to knowledge and skills required by professionals that are expected to assist institutions and organizations that are responsible for regional and urban management, with the purpose of enhancing the relationship between communities and their life environement. Even if the course is at the introductory leve, it combines theory and professional practice, therfore is dedicated to students who are planning a professional career that is directly or not-directly connected with the field of City and Regional Planning.

The class combines theoretical learning activities with the constant application of such a theory through weekly assignments, based on the idea that the only way students can fully learn new theory and technical methods is through their direct application and critical self-evaluation. Due to the fact that learning is connected with the possibility for each student of critically self-reflecting on the quality and efficacy of his/her work, on the basis of the study materials and feedback collected during class time, class attendance and full participation, as well as the respect of deadlines is key. In particular:

• Through frontal lessons and student-led discussions - mostly taking place the first of the two days of class each week - students will learn the characterizing features of City and Regional Planning, since its origins, as well as the main innovations of its values, contents, tecnical and technolgical aspects over the past decades.
• Through practical assignements , students will apply theory while learning how to analyze cities and territories, depicting their main issues and challenges, and identifying strategies of action. Assignements are carried out weekly by each students individually or in teams. The second of the two days of class, every week, is dedicated to assignemnts handout, desk reviews of students's work and in-class collective feedback session. Students should be constantly prepared to be actively engaged in the conversation and ready to share their work.

The class coves the basics of land use analysis and planning, growth management, planning in shrinking regions, urban and rural revitalization, planning for a circular economy and ecological planning. Here the list of arguments for each week:

• week 1 – introductory lessons
• week 2 – planning, between technical expertise and politics
• week 3 – normative framework
• week 4 – planning for mobility
• week 5 – land classification
• week 6 – planning Vs growth
• week 7 – the environmental revolution
• week 8 – mid-term
• week 9 – the process-based revolution (strategic planning, participatory planning, etc.)
• week 10 – planinng for circular economy
• week 11– best practices
• week 12 – best practices

1. Sachs, I., & Fraboni, M. (1988). I nuovi campi della pianificazione. Edizioni Lavoro.

2. Patrizia, G. (2001). Tecniche urbanistiche. Carocci, Roma.

3. Friedmann, J. (1993). Pianificazione e dominio pubblico. Dalla conoscenza all'azione (Vol. 145). Edizioni Dedalo.