Abstract

An urban organism or a settlement network is ‘sustainable’ if its configuration is closely linked to the structure of its territory. It is therefore difficult to propose possible new configurations – including those linked to systems of rural or urban green space – without taking into account an analysis of their relationship with the territorial structure. It is hard to define a territorial or urban layout as an abstract paradigm to be applied wherever needed, without taking into account ‘self-sufficient’ model to a spatial structure that has its own ‘vocation’ and ‘individual characteristic’. It is hard to believe that such new urban or settlement configuration could be ‘sustainable’ if it needs an enormous amount of infrastructure, energy and maintenance costs. A ‘sustainable system' should be instead related to a ‘homogeneous region’, whose features are compatible with functions of the urban or settlement network we want to establish, as well as to the ‘vocation’ of their own environment. To avoid the ‘Dubai model’ we need a paradigm for settlement development, which is closely linked to the potential of the area in which it is located. To this end, we need to analyse ‘virtuous’ and ‘sustainable’ examples in various historical-territorial contexts. This research leads us to regain not only ‘metropolitan’ but also ‘regional’ models: systems of medium/small settlements as parts of larger networks, located close to regional and international hubs where the agrarian structure played a significant role in defining the urban morphology, and which demonstrate the integration of work-place and dwelling. We can find such networks of small rural settlements in different geographical contexts. Among these, a case study is particularly interesting: the so-called ‘Dead Cities’ in the Limestone Massif of Northern Syria. Here the territorial model is a valley-bottom agricultural system in which the medium-sized / large distribution and trade centres (such as Ma'arrat an Nu'man, Idlib, and Aleppo) represent the ‘nodes’ (hubs) of the Syrian land-use system and the ‘poles’ (peripheral hubs) of the centres on the Limestone Massif (which now have been resettled by new residents and farmers). This system represents a 'paradigm' of possible sustainable 'new urban configurations' for non core areas.

Autore Pugliese

• Neglia Giulia Annalinda

Tutti gli autori

• NEGLIA G A

Titolo volume/Rivista

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Anno di pubblicazione

2014

ISSN

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ISBN

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Numero di citazioni Wos

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0

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

2017-04-22 03:20:59

Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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