Ecological and Digital Transition in Cities

This open access book delves into the intersection of ecological, technological, and social dynamics at the core of urban transition and the relevance of urban planning and design in addressing the pressing challenges faced by cities and regions in the 21st century. This book is held at “Networks, Markets & People” Communities, Institutions and Enterprises toward post-humanism epistemologies and AI challenges, May 22–25, 2024, Reggio Calabria, Italy. The papers included in the book follow two main drivers. The first is dedicated to discussing the concept of ecosystem services exploring the role of policy and governance mechanisms in promoting the integration of ecosystem services into urban planning and design practices. The second presents various data-driven perspectives, methodologies, frameworks, and case studies for measuring ecosystem services in cities, ranging from traditional methods to cutting-edge digital mapping and modeling techniques. The book primarily targets academics, researchers, and students (undergraduate, postgraduates, Ph.D. students) providing interesting insights on the topic that can be useful for urban planning and design course in the urban studies, architecture, and engineering fields. It targets also policymakers, experts, professionals, and consultants active in the urban planning and design field involved in managing the transition of regions and cities 

Francesca Moraci. PhD, Architect, She is Full Professor in Urban Planning at the Università degli Studi Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, where she has led several national and international researches. She is currently Scientific Responsible of the Pilot Project 4.6.1 and the Goal 4.6, within the Tech4You Innovation Ecosystem, funded by the NextGenerationEU, and for the UNIRC research unit for the ECO-SET (A Multidisciplinary approach to plan ES for cities in Transition) Research Project funded by the the NextGenerationEU. Director of the STuTeP – Territorial and Urban Strategies for Planning - Research Laboratory, she teaches Urban Planning and Design within the Architecture Degree Program (in Double Degree for international students). She is the author of almost 200 scientific publications, including monographs, journals articles and essays, as well as websites and other online publications.

Carmelina Bevilacqua. PhD, Architect, She is Associate Professor in Urban Planning at the LaSapienza University of Rome. Principal Investigator in several EU (7th FQ, Horizon 2020) and National (PRIN, PRIN-PNRR) funded Research Projects on the overall topic of urban regeneration and economic development. She is currently Principal Investigator for the ECO-SET (A Multidisciplinary approach to plan Ecosystem Services for cities in Transition) Research Project funded funded by the NextGenerationEU. Her research interests focus on the role of data-driven planning perspective for the facilitation of cities and regions transition and the sustainability of urban transformation. She teaches urban design within the Architecture Degree Program at LaSapienza University. She has organized and participated in several international conferences and meeting on the topic, and she is author of over 100 scientific publications, including monographs, journal articles and essays, as well as websites and other online publications.

Pasquale Pizziment. PhD, Urban Planner, He is Fixed-Term Researcher (RTDA) in Urban Planning at the Università degli Studi Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria. He is Principal Investigator for the PLANET (Planning Ecosystem Services for cities in transition) research Project funded by the the NextGenerationEU. Former Marie Curie Individual Fellow he participated as MC early stage and experienced researcher in several EU-funded (7th FP – Horizon 2020) Research Projects. His main research interests focus on urban regeneration and the planning of cities transition by exploring data-driven planning approaches for investigate urban complexity, the urban dimension of knowledge and innovation dynamics and the role of urban governance and planning in managing the complexity of the current urban transformations. He is author of several scientific publications on the topic and Instructor for the course Urban Transitions, Regeneration, and Urban Informatics within the Architecture Degree Program (in Double Degree for international students) at the University of Reggio Calabria for the 2024 and 2025 academic years.