The project for the historic center of Genoa : toward the integration of urban planning and design

Abstract

A current concern in planning and architecture is the apparent inability of either profession to provide quality urban environments. Frequently the problem is attributed to the gap that exists between the plan and planning process which manages the city, and the architecture and design process which creates its three dimensional form. This thesis presents a case study of intervention in the historic center of Genoa that suggests ways of thinking about city design which deal with with the gap between architecture and planning. The case is documented from the point of view of a participant in the intervention process. Following a brief description of the project context, the thesis documents the planning/design process acording to working phases. The concluding chapter places the case within the context of the Italian experience with city design and discusses the general problem of the relationship between architecture and planning. Finally, it evaluates the project case as an approach to urban intervention and hypothesizes as to its utility in other contexts.