Experimenting with Circularity When Designing Contemporary Regions: Adaptation Strategies for More Resilient and Regenerative Metropolitan Areas of Amsterdam and Naples Developed in University Studio Settings

Libera Amenta and Lei Qu
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Libera Amenta: Department of Architecture (DiARC), University of Naples Federico II (UNINA), 80134 Naples, Italy
Lei Qu: Department of Urbanism, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), 2628 BL Delft, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 11, 1-24

Abstract: This paper aims to demonstrate how ‘research by design,’ which is an approach bridging research, design, and planning, can help unpack the complexity of today’s metropolitan challenges by considering the resource flows and processes that were omitted by traditional ways of planning. This is crucial for circular developments. By reporting the experience of two university design studios across Europe, this paper can contribute to a better understanding and imagination of desirable future scenarios of resilient regions. The experiments carried out in the Regional design studio: ‘Spatial Strategies for the Global Metropolis’ held at TU Delft are described alongside with the exercises carried out in the design studio ‘Laboratory of Urbanism’ of the MAPA Course, held at DiARC UNINA. Both courses focused on the regeneration of wastescapes as a fundamental part of holistic adaptation strategies for more resilient and circular regions. Climate change issues related to resilience thinking have been interwoven with other complex challenges such as the co-existence of wastescapes and land scarcity as well as spatial injustice. Through a ‘research by design’ approach, these different aspects are brought together to achieve a holistic approach for urban resilience.

Keywords: ‘research by design’; resilient cities; wastescapes; adaptive reuse; urban metabolism; circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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