The aim of “Volare” is to work out a feasibility study, able to comply with general objectives of the Fondazione Cariplo’s tender “Connessioni Ecologiche”. Which relates the enhancement of the environmental heritage through the realization, the development and the strengthening of terrestrial and fluvial ecological corridors. “Volare” will enable the connection of important natural areas in order to maintain the biodiversity.

The realization of this ecological connections will be integrated in the northern part of the Lambro river, which covers the territory in the valley of Milano and includes the areas of the communities of San Donato Milanese, San Giuliano Milanese and Melegnano. The territory where “Volare” should be performed are defined from the PTC (Piano Territoriale di Coordinamento) of Milano as “area with a high relevance for the river terrain” and “area of relevance for the river terrain” congruent downstream the Lambro river and the Vettabbia river.

The plan norm describes the “Volare” territory as areas, which are characterized with the presence of elements with a geomorfological, natural, fluvial or historical interest. The landscape was created by the natural flow of water, the morphology, the nature, the culture and the historical architecture. Landscapes who have a need for appreciation can also be included in the project, the intervention process can up value this zones.

The intention of the feasibility study is to examine the conditions for the realization of ecological connections along the corridors. A special focus is on particular critical parts like the housing areas in Melegnano, where the Lambro passes a highly urbanized area and loses thereby it’s naturalness.

It is necessary to check also the planned infrastructure projects, that could be potentially concurrent with the “Volare” project. Especially the milanese part of the Lambro river gets a big attention regarding the integration of connections in the vast area. Relating to the Lambro there exist numerous ability plans, which were put in a internal system of the project supported by Cariplo with the title “The open spaces, the natural agricultural areas, the Lambro and the metropolitan region around Milano. An Example of activating an ecological network”.

text by Legambiente Lombardia

Download more information on VOLARE here.

From October I 2015 he is Professor (Full Professor, Scientific Disciplinary Sector ICAR/20 Urban and Regional Technique and Planning)) at the Department of Civil, Environmental Engineering and Architecture.

He is presently the Official Professor of the Module of Strategic Planning of the Integrated Course of Strategic Environmental Planning and of the Course of Regional and Urban Planning at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Cagliari, and the Coordinator of the Undergraduate and Magisterial Degree Programs at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Cagliari.

He was the Coordinator of the Panel for the Assessment and Evaluation of Public Investments of the Sardinian Regional Administration in the period 2007-2013.

He was the Coordinator of the Graduate Committee of Environmental and Territorial Engineering of the University of Cagliari in the period 2012-2015.

He is the President of the Faculty Committee of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Cagliari.

Since 1993 to 2012, Professor of Landscape ecology at Genoa University, degree in Landscape Architecture. Since 1988, Professional in Milano as a Landscape architect working in the fields of landscape planning, strategic assessment and landscape architecture.

Member of few scientific and professional associations, actual President of the IALE Italian Region (International Association for Landscape Ecology).

Since 2001 to 2004, Delegate member at the Transport and Urban Development COST Action C10 “Outskirts of European cities”, European Research Area: structural aspects.

Consultant for several Italian regions and provinces on the themes of landscape and environment, among which:

Scientific Responsible of the workgroup “Ecological network and green System” inside the regional general Plan of Liguria.

Scientific responsible for the “River Contracts “ a participated process for the development of the basin strategic plan and the governance the Olona, Seveso and Lambro river basin. (Lombardy Regional Agency for Agricoltural and Forestry Services. ERSAF)

Since 2006 to 2011 and again in 2014, Landscape Committee’s Vice President of the Milano Province, now Metropolitan City.

Among the most important projects we remember the project participated of the “rice fields Park” in Milan, winner of the prize Pays Med in 2010 and the landscape project of the Expo 2015 waterways.

Author of more than 100 publications.

The seminar will explore the influence of open space design on the planning practices, shifting the urban question from the form of the built environment to the performance of the connections and the links that the design and the project can produce.

Speakers:

\\ Maria Alessandra Secchi, Politecnico di Milano
Voluntary Geography. Recent planning studies in the Swiss city

\\ Andrea Arcidiacono, Silvia Ronchi, Politecnico di Milano
River Ecological corridor in the Milan metropolitan area. Project Volare, Southern Lambro

\\ Antonio Longo, Politecnico di Milano
The openess of open spaces

Discussant: Cristina Catalanotti, Yiquing Zaho

Keywords: open spaces design, urban planning, regional and metropolitan networks