chapter viii a selected case study: the village of santo

Chapter VIII. A Selected Case Study: The Village Of Santo Stefano al Mare, Italy

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Chapter VIII

A Selected Case Study: the Village of Santo Stefano al Mare, Italy

Things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their

children; we will tell to the coming generation, the glorious deed of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

Psalm 78:3, 4

1. Introduction

In order to verify the concrete application of the proposed temporal framework, this chapter

introduces the village of Santo Stefano al Mare as selected case study whose historical

evolution is provided in appendix B.

Santo Stefano al Mare is located on the Ligurian West Coast, Mediterranean Sea, Italy. It is

inhabited by around 2,230 residents; but during the summer, people living in Santo Stefano al

Mare are around 4,500.

Today the economy of the village is mainly based on floriculture and tourism. The village of

Santo Stefano al Mare has been selected as a proposed case study for the following reasons:

• Good access to data and information

• Good knowledge of the area (the author of this thesis is in charge of the municipal

Planning and Building Office)

• Moderate size of the area

In the following section, an outline of the present social, political, economic, and physical

characters of the village of Santo Stefano al Mare is provided. It is aimed at introducing the

reader to the reality of the village for a better understanding of the application of the temporal

analysis.

This chapter proposes an introduction to the analysis of four green public spaces, which differ

in location with respect to the old centre of the village, size, and age. In particular, the

following sections provide an introduction to all four public gardens by describing them in

relation to the urban evolution of the village.


227

In this chapter, the temporal analysis developed in chapter 7 is applied to the play garden in

front of the primary school. The temporal table and the temporal diagram are applied both in

the backward-historical analysis of the past and in the forward-planning for the future

directions. The integral application of the temporal table in the two defined directions (past

and future) is possible because of the opportunity given by the municipality in 2006. In that

period, the administrators decided to finance a laboratory of participatory planning in the local

school. The aim was a shared project for the garden. Thanks to this opportunity, it has been

possible to come up with planning solutions that reflected the students’ needs and

expectations. In temporal terms, the participatory planning experience provided useful and

necessary information for the application of the temporal table in the forward direction.

In the next chapter, the temporal analysis is applied to the other three green areas just within

the historical temporal phase-backward direction. This analysis is aimed at defining the

succession of events along the T6 temporal line that have shaped the temporal meaning of

each area.

As suggested at the beginning of this thesis, the main aim is the building of a framework that

could support urban planning procedures grounded in Dooyeweerd’s cosmonomic

philosophy. The temporal table defined in chapter 7 could be a useful framework to be

applied as it proposes an integrated approach to planning questions. By the application of the

temporal table-backward direction- the four proposed green public areas are analyzed in order

to define their evolution within the urban system. The historical-temporal analysis applied in

the case study is aimed at defining the role played by each green area in the collective system

of orientation and sense of identity. The temporal table–forward direction- applied to the play

garden in front of the public school suggests possible future planning directions.

2. The Village of Santo Stefano al Mare: Citizens’ Voice

One of the goals the present local administrators (list of candidates called new winds) put in

their politic program, as they came into office in 2005, was to give attention to the social

development of the village through decisions and actions shared by all citizens or, at least, by

most of them.

This political leaning emerged during the electoral campaign. Such a behavior was new to the

local community, and it was well appreciated by all categories of citizens. The latent need of


228

the community to be involved in decision processes that could change their present and, in

particular, their future came to the surface for the first time in 2004 when the local

administration that was to office in that period decided to intervene in one of the main squares

of the village. The project was developed by a group of architects, and it was aimed to the

realization of a square as an urban structure, a place of social interrelation, not just a big

parking area as it had been untill that moment. Under a town-planning point of view, this was

surely a good initiative.

The analysis of the current town-planning legislation makes evidence on the discrepancy

between the planning purposes and the actual urban structure of Santo Stefano al Mare. The

project of the new square that is located in front of the local Town Hall, was an attempt to

redesign the spatial identity of that place by starting from the existing urban signs.

The good intent of the group of architects was evident, but there was unfortunately a sore

point. All plans and projects were developed without involving interested categories of

citizens or without considering their opinion. The community was not informed about the

project, and when the news came out, the citizens reacted very strongly. They immediately

organized a petition in order to protest against this project, especially the shopkeepers and the

residents of the old centre of the village.

The main argument of protest was that the reduction of parking areas was considered by

shopkeepers to be a potential cause for future reduction of the number of customers who will

prefer the new shopping centres built near the town and by the residents as cause for the

reduction of the possibility of parking their car near home. Citizens expressed their protest

also through articles on local newspapers. They wanted to be heard! The administrators

decided to go on with their plans and decisions without considering enough what was

occurring around them. Perhaps given the current state of affairs, it was impossible to change

direction; but this decision represented the beginning of the end! In fact after a few weeks, the

increasing general discontent brought the administration down.

This experience was very significant for the whole community. It was a sign that citizens

needed and wanted to play a more leading and active role in the local politics and that they

wanted to be involved somehow. Something in the social structure had changed, and future

local administrators had to consider this. Today the new square has been built following the


229

debated project. The new local administration has found alternative solutions to meet the

citizens’ needs with regard to the parking question, and nobody seems to miss the old parking

area. The citizen’s voice had finally been heard!

This event was meaningful for the community life. It provided evidence of the lack of

communication between local politicians and citizens. Meaningful changes had occurred

within the urban and community system, and this was the result of a lack of coherence within

the systemic temporal equilibrium. The weakest ring of the chain was evidently the

communicative aspect.

The renewed place is today very appreciated and frequented by the community. This is due to

many aspects, primarily its central location with respect to the old centre of the village. It is

possible to affirm that the project was developed by the team of architects as grounded in the

local context. For this reason, the new square has become an active part of the urban structure.

The renewed square focused on the question of the open spaces within the village. Evident

decay of some open spaces in the urban area was under everyone’s eye.

This chapter analyzes the question of four green urban areas in the village of Santo Stefano al

Mare in order to define how problems arose and the causes for the degradation of the areas.

The application of the historical-temporal analysis to this case study provides meaningful

information on the actual situation and on future possible actions to be taken.

3. Green Public Areas in the Village of Santo Stefano al Mare

As stated in the introduction, Santo Stefano al Mare is located on the West Ligurian Coast.

The population is around 2,230 but in summer and during holidays, it grows to 4,500.

This is a clear indication of the tourist traffic whose impact on the urban structure is evident

nowadays.

The main green public areas are located in the south side of the village, very close to the

seaside. They consist of four areas, each of which has a different origin in time and plays a

different social and urban role. As suggested in the introduction, the aim of this chapter is to

provide an analysis of these four green areas in order to define their social meaning and


230

historical-temporal evolution within the urban context. The four green areas are analyzed with

respect to their location, from the west to the east side of the village.

The first green public area analyzed is the one in front of the local primary school. In figure 1,

the four green areas are represented with reference to their location within the urban context.

By starting from the west side of the village, the green public space is a play garden in front

of the local primary school (1). Next to Marco Polo Road, a public garden was realized not far

from the seaside, very close to a residential area (2). The play garden next to the main church

is located at the heart of the village (3). Baden Powell Square is in front of the Town Hall (4).

The application of the temporal analysis to these areas presupposes the definition of the

events that have caused meaningful change within the urban structure. As suggested by

appendix B, the most meaningful events that have defined the formative-historical evolution

of the village have succeeded along the T6 temporal line as described in the following figure:

1. PRIMARY SCHOOL

2. GARDEN NEXT TO MARCO

POLO ROAD

3. PLAYGARDEN NEXT TO

THE CHURCH

4. BADEN POWELL SQUARE

Figure 1: location of the green public areas. Source: regional map (1996)


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NOW1: 1150–1200 During this period, the community lived on the hill called Monte Santo Stefano. It was a well-organized settlement, and it was ruled by the Benedictine monks. They lived on agriculture and kettle breeding.

NOW2: 1200–1237 The inhabitants went down the hill and colonized the seaside near the mouth of Tower River. Houses were built, and an urban settlement developed as independent from the one on the hill.

NOW3: 1237–1350 The religious domain went out of the village. The monks ruled a wide territory whose boundaries became broader during this period.

NOW4: 1350–1500 The economy changed. Sea commerce and transport with near villages developed. The first urban settlement next to the Tower River’s mouth became well structured.

NOW5: 1500–1600 The parish church and a number of tower buildings were erected. The urban structure of the village along the seaside developed.

NOW6: 1600–1850 The community increased. A number of chapels and little churches were built all around the main urban settlement. Near Santa Caterina River, the existence of family groups is documented. They were organized in a small rural community.

NOW7: 1850–1872 During this period, the seat for the local primary school and for the Town Hall was in a building next to the parish church. The church was the centre of the religious, political, economic, and social life. The village turned into a municipality, and its domain included the next village of Riva Ligure.

NOW8: 1872–1916 The railway network was realized across the village of Santo Stefano al Mare. During this period, foreign, rich, and noble families came to the Ligurian west coast on holiday. Tourism increased.

NOW9: 1916–1932 A new road was built in the northern side of the village. It was called Aurelia, and it was a more comfortable connection to the next villages and to Sanremo, which had become a well-known tourist destination. During this period, the anti barbarian tower (today seat of the Town Hall) was donated to the community by the owner Enrico Alberto D’Albertis, a rich man from Genoa. The tower was used as hospital for war-wounded people.

NOW10: 1932–1950 The building, today seat of the primary school, and the garden in front of it were inaugurated. The building became seat of the school and of the Town Hall. The latter moved into the anti barbarian tower in 1987. Part of the political and social centre of the community moved from the heart of the village to the west side.

NOW 11: 1950–1985 In the west side of the village, near the school and the Town Hall, a small harbour was realized.

NOW12: 1985–2000 The Marina was built in the east side of the village. A new promenade along the seaside connected the west to the east side of the village.

NOW13: 2000–2005 A new town scheme came into force. The railway line was dismissed to make room for the new cycle lane. The past administrators dismissed because of the restoration of the square in front of the Town Hall.

NOW14: 2005–2008 A new administration was elected. The community asked for more comfortable and livable green public areas.

T6 historical temporal line

120

0 1

150

123

7 1

350

150

0 1

600

185

0 1

872

191

6 193

2 195

0 1

985 2

000 200

5 200

8

NO

W1

NO

W4

NO

W2

NO

W3

NO

W6

NO

W5

NO

W7

NO

W8

NO

W9 NO

W1

0 NO

W1

1 NO

W1

2

NO

W1

3 NO

W1

4

Figure 2: succession of “nows” along the T6 temporal line. Source: author’s elaboration.

Table 1: meaningful events defining the historical evolution of the urban system of Santo Stefano al Mare. Events described in appendix B.


232

The four green proposed areas were realized in different periods. They are located in sites

within the urban structure that evolved by following different directions. Figure 2 describes

the succession of phases (nows) that have characterized the evolution of the village of Santo

Stefano al Mare. Table 1 provides a list of the most meaningful events as suggested by the

historical outline provided in appendix B. Figure 2 addresses the following considerations:

• The evolution of the urban settlement and of its community took place in a time period

of around 860 years (1150–2008). The local spatial and social identity is rooted in a

past religious and economic domain. The evolution of the urban structure took place

through a constant interrelation of the local community and the spatial territorial

character of this corner of coast. The space became place in a long and difficult

anthropical process.

• The succession of nows along the T6 temporal line beats a medium-quick rhythm

between 1150 and 1600. During this period, the settlement on the hill was gradually

abandoned, and a new urban settlement developed along the seaside. This caused

meaningful change within the territory and in social life.

• Between 1600 and 1850, there was a constant development of the urban structure. No

meaningful change caused a change of configuration of the urban modal system.

During this period, the community increased and family groups inhabited the west

part of the territory near Santa Caterina River.

• Between 1850 and 2008, the urban system developed by following increasing

rhythms. In 1850 Santo Stefano al Mare became a municipality; and since that period,

a number of important public works influenced the evolution of the urban structure.

The succession of historical moments of evolution can be represented by the following graph

that has been introduced in chapter 8, which describes the succession of “nows” by indicating

the driving modalities for change:


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Figure 3: Urban evolution temporal diagram. Succession of change and driving modalities. Source: author’s

elaboration.

The temporal succession of nows along T6 line is defined by meaningful change taking place

within specific modalities. Figure 3 represents this succession. The blue circles indicate

change within modalities. At its very beginning, the village of Santo Stefano al Mare was a

human settlement on the hill where it developed for one century. The graph in figure 3 shows

that in the period of eighty-seven years, the evolution of the human settlement was caused by

change within the spatial modality. Later, economic interests drove the monks to expanding

their religious domain. The spatial boundaries of the territory of Villaregia (ancient name for

Santo Stefano al Mare) changed. This period is indicated by the axis between N2 and N3 on

which two driving modalities are defined (the spatial and the economic ones). Figure 3

describes the evolution of the village as follows:

• Meaningful change within the spatial aspect took place in a period of eighty-seven

years (from 1150 to 1237). The anthropical process was at dawn, and the community

needed to structure their living context from the bottom. The natural environment was

structured as a place to live in.

• After this period, the community was well organized, and it expanded its domain.

Meaningful change within the economic modality (up the red line defining the

formative evolution of the settlement) is related to meaningful change within the

CIT

IZE

N’S

S

UB

JEC

TIV

E

SP

HE

RE

SO

CIA

L

AS

PE

CT

S

FIE

LD

OF

A

CT

ION

creedal

moral

spatial numerical

kinematic

physical biotic

sensitive logical

lingual

formative

social

economic

aesthetic juridical

50

87

450 YEARS

T6 HISTORICAL

TIME

0

N1 N3 N4 N5 G

RO

UN

DIN

G

AS

PE

CT

S

200 350 700

722

766

782

800

835

850

855

858

N2 N7

N8

N6 N9

N10

N11

N12

N13

N14


234

spatial modality (that is down the red line). This indicates that change (economic and

spatial one) was due to deliberate human action. The expanding domain caused a

change in spatial boundaries. The passage from a spatial driving modality (Now2) to

economic and spatial driving modalities (Now3) is an indication of the relation

between the need for expanding spatial boundaries and the immediate expectations of

richness and power.

• The passage from Now3 to Now4 was defined by change within the economic aspect.

The tension between the spatial and the economic modality is an indication of the

existing balance between the community and the environment, between the natural

and the social spheres.

• Until 1850, the urban structure evolved in a continuous harmonic relation between

natural environment and social sphere. The succeeding nows were of fifty, one

hundred, and 250 years length. This indicates that the urban evolution took place in a

quite expanded time period.

• Now7 is defined by change within the juridical modality and, by consequence, within

the logical and spatial ones. An important event happened. The territory of Santo

Stefano al Mare turned into a municipality. The administrative, social, and spatial

character of the village changed. The importance of Now7 is represented by the axis

of seven hundred years. On it, three blue balls indicate that the three main spheres

(environmental, subjective, and collective/social ones) are temporally interconnected

in defining change.

• After N7, the succession of “nows” increased in temporal rhythm. Periods of change

became shorter. The community was well structured in terms of space and societal

organization. The subjective and collective identity, characterizing the community of

the village, was rooted in a long evolution of the urban context as part of the

environment. The territory belonged to the community, and the community lived in

total harmony with it.

• In the period between 1872 and 1916 (Now8), the railway network was built across the

village. The driving modality for change was the kinematic one. This led to a change

in spatial terms, which influenced the subjective and collective perception of the

urban environment.

• Meaningful change within the kinematic aspect took place between 1872 and 2000.

The kinematic aspect, as driving modality for change, influenced the urban evolution

with a quick rhythm.


235

As suggested by figure 3, the village of Santo Stefano al Mare developed in a harmonic

relation between the environmental, the subjective, and the social spheres. The succession of

historical periods of evolution, drove modalities within the three spheres.

The rhythm of the temporal succession of the historical periods of evolution is represented by

the yellow line in figure 3.

The graphical representation of the succession of historical phases along the T6 temporal line

helps in the analysis of the four proposed green public areas. Each area has a specific

temporal location along the T6 axis and a specific spatial location within the urban context.

The following proposed figures “locate” the succession of nows within the spatial boundaries

of the village. They provide a graphical representation of the historical evolution of Santo

Stefano urban system:


236

Human settlement

Santo Stefano hill

Mediterranean Sea

Genoa

Now1(1150-1200): the downing of the anthropical process

Mediterranean Sea

Tower river

S. Caterina River

Genoa

Now2 (1200-1237): human settlement on the seaside

Riva Ligure

Mediterranean Sea

Genoa

Now3 (1237-1350): the religious domain expanded

Aregai river

Mediterranean Sea

Genoa

Now4 (1350-1500): sea commerce and transport

Mediterranean Sea

Genoa Antibarbarian tower

Parish church

Tower buildings

Now5 (1500-1600): evolution of the urban structure


237

Mediterranean Sea


Parish church

Tower buildings

Now6 (1600-1850): family groups along S. Caterina river

Mediterranean Sea


Parish church

Tower buildings

Now7 (1850-1872): the village turned into a Municipality

School and Town Hall

Mediterranean Sea Genoa

Antibarbarian tower

Parish church

Tower buildings

Now8 (1872-1916): the railway network across the village. Tourism increases.



Antibarbarian tower

Parish church

Tower buildings

Now9 (1916-1932): a new main road north of the village. More comfortable transport.



238


Antibarbarian tower

Parish church

Tower buildings

Now10 (1932-1950): a new seat for the school and the Town Hall in the west side of the village. Dislocation of public services.

School and Town Hall Green area

Now11 (1950-1985): a small harbour in the west side of the village.

Now12 (1985-2000): a small harbour in the west side of the village.


Antibarbarian tower


Harbour


Antibarbarian tower


Harbour The Marina

The Promenade


239

Figure 4: the evolution of the village of Santo Stefano al Mare. Graphical representation. Source: author’s

elaboration.

The village of Santo Stefano al Mare has evolved through a constant balanced relation of

man-natural environment. The very first settlement on the hill was gradually abandoned in

order to colonize the seaside. The sea was seen as a natural boundary, a spatial limit that very

early became field for commerce and transportation. Santo Stefano al Mare is the result of a

constant and balanced anthropical process that is characterized by human adaptation to the

hard natural environment. The balanced character of this process is described by the trend of

the yellow line in figure 3 (constant succession of driving modalities for change with respect

to the red axis—T6 temporal line).

4. The Application of the Temporal Analysis to the Case Study: The Play Garden in

Front of the Primary School

In this section, the application of the temporal analysis is proposed for the play garden in front

of the primary school. The analysis presupposes

• the definition of the temporal location along the T6 line. The building of the area is

described as an event in a succession of nows;

• the application of the temporal table provided in chapter 8 in the backward direction;

• the definition of the effects on the urban context by consequence of the building of the

green area;

• the spatial and temporal “location” of the green area within the urban context and the

definition of the temporal relations existing within the urban modal system;


Antibarbarian tower


Harbour

The Marina

Now13 (2000-2005) Now14 (2005-2008): the railway line was dismissed. The cycle lane was built. A new administration. Ask for comfortable green areas.

The Promenade


240

• The definition of the possible future planning actions;

• The application of the temporal table in the forward direction and the definition of the

possible immediate and after-changes as consequence of the action taken.

The historical temporal analysis—backward direction—provides a definition of the proposed

green area in terms of its spatial location with relation to the temporal evolution of the whole

urban system. The aim is to delineate the peculiar multiaspectual temporal character of the

play garden in order to understand how problems arose and to determine the possible

directions of future planning.

The play garden in front of the primary school is indicated by the circle 1 in figure 1. It is an

open space next to the seaside in the very west side of the village. It has a regular shape, and it

is surrounded by fences that “close” and embrace the space creating a restoring and quiet

corner. This area has been a public garden for a long time since the actual school building was

the seat of the local Town Hall. The historical outline, provided in appendix B, indicates that

this area dates back to 1932.

Photo 1: a today view from the public garden to the primary school.

With reference to the evolution of the urban structure of Santo Stefano al Mare that is

graphically represented in figure 2, the building of this green area can be located along the T6

temporal line as follows:


241

T6 historical temporal line

120

0 1

150

123

7 1

350

150

0 1

600

185

0 1

872

191

6

1932

Bui

ldin

g of

the

gree

n ar

ea

in fr

ont o

f the

sch

ool

195

0 1

985 2

000 200

5 200

8

NO

W1

NO

W4

NO

W2

NO

W3

NO

W6

NO

W5

NO

W7

NO

W8

NO

W9 NO

W1

0 NO

W1

1 NO

W1

2

NO

W1

3 NO

W1

4

In 1932, the west side of the village was a border

area where a group of families lived in few

residential houses. Santo Stefano al Mare had

become a municipality in the second half of the

nineteenth century, and its domain was extended to

the next village of Riva Ligure. The building of a

new seat for the school and the Town Hall was an

attempt to dislocate public services and to create a

connection between the west area of the village and

the old centre. This important event took place after

the building of the railway network and the Aurelia

Street, both of them crossing the village. As

proposed in figure 4, the evolution of the urban

structure in 1932 is described by the following

graphical representation:

Figure 5: the temporal location of the building of the green area in front of the local primary school. Source: author’s elaboration.


242

Figure 6: Now10 (1932-1950). A new seat for the school and the Town Hall in the west side of the village.

Dislocation of public services. Source: author’s elaboration.

The green public area in front of the new Town Hall was the first, in terms of time, to be

realized within the urban structure. It was a representative space rather than a place for

everyday meetings. The building of the green area was not aimed at satisfying the citizens’

need for open spaces. Despite the urban structure was well defined, the economy of the

village was based on agriculture and fishing. The inhabitants spent quite the whole day

outdoor, in the countryside or on the seaside. They lived in symbiosis with the natural

environment.

Before applying the temporal table in order to analyze the effects derived by the building of

the green area, the definition of the S Temporal issues, in relation to each modal aspect, is

required:

Aspects S Temporal Issues

Numerical ---

Spatial Distances between spatial boundaries: The territory of the village is defined by two rivers, Santa Caterina in the west side and Aregai in the east side. Along the seaside, the ancient promenade connected the west side to the parish church. A new road was built in 1916–18 in the northern side of the village. A new railway network crossed the centre of the village. Location and footprint of the buildings with respect to the urban space: The old centre was a well-defined and compact-building nucleus. In the west side of the village, few residential houses characterized the urban space. In 1932 the village was composed of two urban nuclei. Spatial relation between natural and anthropical environment: Between the two existing urban nuclei (the centre of the village and the district near Santa Caterina River), the field along the seaside was partly cultivated. The natural and the anthropical environment were interrelated. The first one was wider than the second one with respect to the municipal territory.

Kinematic Spatial character of a location while going through it: Transport had become more comfortable and quick by consequence of the building of the new road and the new railway network. The railway network crossed the old centre of the village, creating a separation, a “wound.”

Physical Laws and norms of physics that regulate cause-effect processes: The building of Aurelia Street, as well as the building of the railway network, implied important works. It had a great impact on the environment and on the physical structure of the soil.


Antibarbarian tower

Parish church

Tower buildings



243

Biological Equilibrium of the organisms in the environment: The building of the new road caused the alteration of a piece of environment. Ancient rural properties disappeared in order to make room for the road. The building of the railway network interested the urban area. Ancient houses were demolished, and some small gardens and orchards disappeared. Natural balance: the natural balance was not altered.

Sensitive Memory and pattern recognition, which defines subjective background and influences subjective perception of the surrounding environment: The evolution of the urban structure, the existence of two separated building nucleus, the new road, and the railway network, together with the hills and the sea, define the surrounding environment.

Analytical The analytical modality is defined by the S temporal issues of the sensitive one.

Historical

Lingual Coexisting elements of utterance in order to form clear messages: Symbols and signs are visible in the territory. The municipality informed about the building of a new road and the railway network. In Santo Stefano al Mare, there was also a railway station where people could inform about the train timetable.

Social Shared background knowledge: The community shared its common background. The nucleus in the west side of the village evolved independently from the old centre. Although it was connected to the next village of Riva Ligure, the sense of identity as citizens of Santo Stefano al Mare was very deep.

Economic Conservation of resources in terms of relation of needed available resources: The economy had changed. Agriculture was slowly turning into floriculture. The community lived mainly on local products. Quite each family had a garden and produced vegetables.

Aesthetic Equilibrate relation of citizen-surrounding urban context: The community lived in relation with the countryside and the seaside. Agriculture and fishing were not just economic activities, but also an occasion for spending time in open air. The community lifestyle is grounded in a deep relation with the natural environment.

Juridical Laws, rules, and norms in charge influencing planning activity: No planning law was in charge in that period. The first national planning law dates back to 1942. Before that period, building activity was not subject to licence.

Ethical Background, family, friendship, education: The family played an important role in the community life. Religion influenced private and social life. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the religious foundation Queen Margaret established the local nursery school. It exists and operates nowadays.

Creedal What is right and what is wrong in terms of choice for action: The citizen shared the administrators’ decisions. The important works (the new road and the railway network across the village) were seen as modernization of the village. The community’s expectations were about a more comfortable and modern lifestyle.

Table 2: S. temporal issues defined at 1932. Source: author’s elaboration.

The S. Temporal issues that have been provided in table 2 define the context within which the

proposed green area has been built. The analyzed green area is located in the west side of the

village. Many of the important events that have defined the evolution of the urban context did

not influence directly this side of the village, which maintained its character of a boundary

area. The historical-temporal analysis of the “now” between 1932 and 1950, named Now10 in

figure 3, is provided by the application of the temporal table:

FIRST PHASE – HISTORICAL ANALYSIS backward direction NOW10: 1932/1950

Change: the building of a green public area in front of the Town Hall and primary school aspect of the built environment—biotic, analytical, and juridical

Modalities A Issues of the built

environment

B Temporal issues

BA

C Temporal issues

S


244

(Source: Prof. Lombardi’s thesis)

(before and after function) (simultaneity function)

Numerical Population (human), amount of various resources available, number of species and their population levels, statistical census offices

-Increasing or decreasing of population: subject to change; more people in the district. The public building, seat of the school and the Town Hall, dislocated public service from the old centre to Santa Caterina area. More affluent citizens and scholars during the day. -increasing or decreasing of resources available: subject to change. The public building was realized in place of private gardens. This reduced the rural activity that people still played in the area. T0: reduction. No numerical data are available.

_ _ _

Spatial Layout, shape, building footprint, location, proximity, terrain shape-flat, mountainous, etc., neighbourhood area, urban area, district area, etc.

_ _ _ -distances between spatial boundaries: geometrical distances: not subject to change. Social distances: subject to change. The dislocation of functions “reduced” the distances between the old centre of the village and the district. -location and footprint of buildings with respect to the urban space: subject to change. The new public building and the green area change the structure of the urban district. The urban structure of the village is still characterized by two nuclei. -spatial relation between natural and anthropical environment: not subject to change. The natural environment is wider than the urban structure.

----------------------- Immediate change: -the definition of the urban structure of Santa Caterina area -a nonmeaningful reduction of private gardens After-change: No meaningful spatial after change has been registered till now. The building of the new seat for the school and the Town Hall and the building of the green area in front of it have not caused meaningful change in spatial terms through time.


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Kinematics Infrastructures, roads, motorway, railways, cycling roads, pedestrian streets, car parking, transport and viability, wildlife movement, mobility, accessibility

-change of location, succession of places during movement: subject to change. The public building and the green area change the environment around the main promenade, the road to the next village Riva Ligure. T1: hours spent for going from the old centre to Santa Caterina District. Increasing value.

-spatial character of a location while going through it: subject to change. The new public building and the green area change the spatial configuration of the district.

---------------------- Immediate change: a new urban configuration for the district (a building and a green public area in place of private gardens). After-change: no meaningful kinematic after change has been registered till now.

Physical Energy for human activity, energy for biotic activity, physical environment, structure of ground on which to build, building materials, components, buildings, districts, settlements

-increasing or decreasing of energy by consequence of a certain cause (waste disposal): subject to change. The building of the school and Town Hall and the building of the new green area cause immediate influence on the structure of the ground. T2: immediate impact: now (change from a before to an after situation)

-laws and norms of physics that regulate cause-effect processes: subject to change. The new public building is an intervention causing a not meaningful impact on the soil. The area is flat and the building does not imply important excavations. Despite the area is in proximity of the sea, no water table has been found. Immediate change (some physical relations are immediately altered.) After-effects: no after effects of physical alteration of the soil has been caused till today.

Biotic Food shelter, housing, air and air quality, water and water quality, hygiene, green areas, pollution, soil quality, biodiversity, habitat diversity and quality, resilience of ecosystems (ability to recover from imbalances), health and health services, hospitals, gyms BUILDING OF THE GREEN AREA

-time needed for a certain specie (animal or vegetal one) to develop or to regenerate: not subject to change. The intervention has no great impact on the natural environment. -succession of stages of growth: not subject to change T3: not relevant

-equilibrium of organisms in the environment: not subject to change -natural balance: not subject to change Immediate effects: the area was not subject to immediate change in biological terms. After-effects: the area was not subject to after-effects in biological terms.

Sensitive Feelings engendered by living there, feeling of well-being, comfort, fitness noise, security, safety, privacy, provision of peaceful surroundings, e.g., motorway noise that prevents bird song operating, counselling services, asylums, houses for domestic animals

-perception of surrounding environment (facts and events) and subjective immediate response (sense of well-being, orientation and identity): subject to change. The spatial definition of the area (by the building of the new Town Hall and school) changes the citizens’ perception of the urban context. T4: quantitative temporal

-memory and pattern recognition which define subjective background and influence subjective perception surrounding environment: subject to change. The built Town Hall and school and green area become signs and symbols of the community life. Immediate effects: new signs and symbols within the surrounding environment


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dimension

overlap the existing ones (a new building, less private gardens, new public green area in front of the seaside). After-effects: new patterns recognition becomes part of the subjective orientation system.

Analytical Clarity with which issues are aired in the community, letting people clearly know facts and issues, quality of analysis for planning and evaluation, diversity, functional mix, knowledge, tendency to understand rather than react to issues, schools, universities, education services, research THE BUILDING OF THE SCHOOL

-ordinate succession of events: subject to change -subjective and collective priorities: subject to change -attitude to choice: subject to change -logical analysis: subject to change The new public building and the green area have modified the citizens’ way of inhabiting the urban space. New priorities influence attitude to choice. T5: qualitative temporal dimension

-memory and pattern recognition: subject to change. The logical aspect has the same simultaneous character of the sensitive aspect. They both are rooted in past formative evolution. Immediate effects: the new road changes citizens’ “use” of the urban area. After-effects: new priorities in order to satisfy emerging needs, will influence personal choices

Lingual, communicative

Ease of communication in the community, quality of communication (truthfulness, etc.), lingual networking, Symbols transferring, information provision, monuments, signs, advertising, the media

-time spent to communicate with respect to means of communication: subject to change, but not meaningfully. People have occasion to meet and verbally communicate. The public building is an attempt to dislocate services, not to introduce new ones. In the new green area, people can stay and have a rest after school or after work. -temporal identity and evolution of symbols and signs for one’s sense of direction: subject to change. New advertisings are placed to indicate the new public services. T7: little increasing value

-coexisting elements of the utterance in order to form clear messages: subject to change. Immediate change: new symbols and signs are available for language. More elements of the utterance coexist. After-change: new patterns of language develop.

Social Social relationship and interaction, recreational places, social climate, cohesion, plurality, competitiveness, collaboration, authority structures, social Register, clubs and societies

-time spent to socialize -time spent to share; subject to change. The new public building and the green area are occasions for meeting and socialize. The change is meaningful within the area (people meet there instead of in the old centre

-shared background knowledge The temporal dimension resides in the formative evolution of the community. The community has a rural and seafaring identity. People were used to work hard during the day and to meet in the evenings. Immediate change: more connection between the old centre and the west side of the village;

FUTURE PAST PRESENT: the new garden


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of the village), but it is not relevant in global terms (it is just a dislocation of functions). T8: little increasing with reference to the global situation

more occasion to share common background for the citizens After-change: new possible directions for sharing common background

Economic (frugality, use and care of resources)

Use of land, use of replacement of renewable resources, use of nonrenewable resources, recycling schemes, attitude to finance, efficiency, financial institutions, offices, banks, stock markets, industrial plants

-time spent to recycle -time spent for recovery -time forecast for economic return of a specific activity -long or short term for jobs Not subject to change T9: not relevant

-conservation of resources in terms of relation of needed available resources: not subject to change Immediate change: not relevant After-change: not relevant

Aesthetic (harmony)

Beauty, visual amenity and landscape, architecture and design, architectonic style, decoration, social harmony, ecological harmony and balance, art galleries, theatres

-time spent in theatres and art galleries. Not subject to change -time spent for natural environment (private and public green areas, gardens, open spaces, trekking, outdoor activities): subject to little change. The green area offers an occasion for people to meet. The community has a rural and seafaring identity. The inhabitants owned fields in the countryside or private gardens near home. They spent many hours in the open air, and a new green public open space was not their primary need. T10: amount of hours (quantity). Not relevant

-several things together contribute to the harmony. An equilibrate relation of citizen-surrounding urban context is grounded in a satisfying response to subjective and collective needs and expectations through time. Immediate change: new occasions for spending free time. After-change: the building of the green area did not influence on the citizens’ lifestyle.

Juridical (what is due)

Laws and law-making, especially with regard to property, ownership, regulation and other policy instruments, contracts especially for building, rights, responsibilities, inequities, property market interests, democracy, participation, tribunals, administrative offices, legal institutions, political structures

THE BUILDING OF THE TOWN HALL

-expiry date for planning instruments: not subject to change -prescribed time within which to start and to end buildings: not subject to change -expiry dates in building and planning office procedures: not subject to change -time horizons for programs and plans: not subject to change T11: length of time (quantity) not relevant

-laws, rules, and norms that are in charge and that influence planning activity simultaneously: not subject to change. The first planning law dates back to 1942. Immediate change: none After-change: none

Ethical General demeanour of people toward each other, goodwill, neighbourliness, solidarity, sharing, equity, health of the family, voluntary centre

-time spent for one’s neighbourhood: not subject to change -statistical variation of number of voluntary centres: not subject to change

-background, family, friendship, education; these elements all together define the ethical subjective and collective sphere: not subject to change Immediate change: none After-change: none


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T12: amount of hours (quantity) not relevant

Creedal, pistic

Loyalty to the community, general level of morale, shared vision of what we are (e.g., I shop, therefore I am; I am responsible to God), aspirations (e.g., to car ownership), shared vision of the way to go (e.g., Science-technology-economics will solve our problems), religious institutions, churches, synagogues

-time spent for religious activities: not subject to change -time horizon for subjective expectations - time horizon for collective expectations Subject to change. The new public services in the area, as well as the green area, make the inhabitants to expect an increasing involvement in the village activity. They expect the renovation of the road system crossing the area, which was in that period not comfortable. T13: temporal horizons for expectations; not registered

-what is right and what is wrong in terms of choice for action. The concepts of right and wrong are rooted in subjective and collective identity (social, religious, economic, political, etc., which coexist in a citizen and in his community): subject to change Immediate change: attitude toward the new public building and the green area. The citizens agree with it. After-change: expectations for a new way of living.

Table 3: now10 temporal table. Source: author’s elaboration.

Table 3 addresses the following considerations:

• The public building and the green area were conceived as a unitary project. The

dislocation of public services made the area near Santa Caterina River more

frequented during the day.

• As described by figure 3, the driving aspects for change in this historical period

(Now10) are the biotic, the analytical, and the juridical ones.

• With reference to the three main spheres (environmental, subjective, and social or

collective ones) the application of the temporal table has shown that

• the building of the school, Town Hall, and the green area

had no great impact on the natural environment. Within

the five grounding aspects, no meaningful after-effect

has been registered since 1932 till today. The natural

environment was wider than the built one, and the new

building did not alter the equilibrium of organisms or

the natural balance;

• within the citizen’s subjective sphere (sensitive and

logical aspects), the project had a meaningful impact.

The subjective perception of the surrounding urban

context changed. New signs and symbols characterized

the environment, and the urban settlement in the west


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side of the village was more structured. The green area

was seen as a representative space in front of the public

building;

• the building of the green area did not play a relevant role

in changing the community lifestyle. The Town Hall and

the public school were seen as important events for that

period by the community, while the garden had a

secondary role.

The temporal analysis has demonstrated that the temporal identity of the green area in S.

Caterina District is connected to the one of the school building. Since 1932 the garden has not

been renovated, and its isolated and “out-of-time” character is visible still today. Despite the

flowing of time, its temporal character has not changed. No meaningful after-effects have

been registered since 1932 in terms of S temporal issues as table 3 shows. This indicates that

the green area is a “fixed” project in time not able to influence the existing temporal relations

within the urban modal order.

In 2006 the Administration financed a laboratory of participation project in the local school.

During a week, seventy students were educated to listen, smell, hear, watch, and touch the

garden in front of their school. Much useful information emerged from the laboratory. The

students described the garden as not safe, not suitable for them to play in because of the rocky

ground, the concrete benches, and the palm trees. They expected to have a garden on a

children scale.

The need for a play garden, manifested by the students during the laboratory, has

demonstrated that the discontent around the green area is grounded in its loss of a proper

social-temporal identity. The historical analysis indicates that a link to the social sphere

should be built. Applied to this little area, a sustainable future planning should provide to it a

social identity, a social function.

The following figure provides an understanding of the temporal relation defined in table 3:

Immediate

change

After-change

Creedal ● ● New expectations


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Ethical ----- -----

Juridical ----- -----

Aesthetic ● ----- No after-change within the aesthetic modality; loss of harmony for the scarce use of the green area

Economic ----- -----

Social ● ● New patterns of language within the shared common background

Communicative ● ●

Historical

Logical ● ● New pattern recognition; emerging needs and priorities

Sensitive ● ●

Biotic ----- ----- The five grounding aspects have not been meaningfully influenced by

after-change. Physical ● -----

Kinematics ● ------

Spatial ● -----

Numerical ---- ----- No simultaneous character

Table 4: immediate and after-change. Source: author’s elaboration.

The loss of after-change in the aesthetic aspect indicates that the building of the green area did

not affect the community life in a harmonic way. The garden was realized more for political

purposes (it was a representative area in front of the Town Hall) than as response to emerging

needs.

As suggested above, planning for the future in this area can follow two distinct directions:

� To restore the garden by preserving it as an hidden corner in front of the seaside. The

absence of meaningful after-changes within most of the aspects indicates the loss of

impact of the action taken (building of the green area).

� To intervene by projecting a new garden on a children scale as response to the

students’ expectation. The ideas emerged during the laboratory in 2006 suggested the

use of soft materials for the ground in order to make the garden accessible and safe for

disabled children and the planting of new coloured and aromatic species. The students

proposed a new area that could be experienced by the senses.

The students asked the municipality to intervene on the green area in a very short time

horizon. They expected to have a renewed, coloured, and aromatic garden to play in.


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Immediate intervention on the green public area is requested by most of the citizens—the

students, their parents, and the teachers.

Planning for the future of this area, in accordance with the citizens’ needs and expectations,

implies actions to be taken whose effects can be described by the following temporal table:

PROPOSED INTERVENTION IN THE AREA Forward direction

Action taken: renewing the garden Aspect of the built environment: biotic, physical

Modalities A Issues of the built

environment (source: Prof. Lombardi’s

thesis)

B Temporal issues

BA (before and after function)

C Temporal issues

S (simultaneity function)

Numerical Population (human), amount of various resources available, number of species and their population levels, statistical census offices

-Increasing or decreasing of population: subject to change; more users in the area -increasing or decreasing of resources available: not subject to change T0: expected increasing number of users.

_ _ _

Spatial Layout, shape, building footprint, location, proximity, terrain shape-flat, mountainous, etc., neighbourhood area, urban area, district area, etc.

_ _ _ -distances between spatial boundaries: geometrical distances: not subject to change Social distances: subject to change; more students in the garden and more occasions to socialize for them and their parents -location and footprint of buildings with respect to the urban space: not subject to change -spatial relation between natural and anthropical environment: subject to change. The new garden is a projected green space.

----------------------- Immediate change: -more people in the area create a new social space. Social distances become shorter. Possible after-change: 1. The new garden becomes a frequented place for a long time. 2. The new garden is frequented for a limited time period.

Kinematics Infrastructures, roads, motorway, railways, cycling

-Change of location, succession of places during movement:

-spatial character of a location while going through it: subject to


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roads, pedestrian streets, car parking, transport and viability, wildlife movement, mobility, accessibility

subject to change. The new garden changes the environment. T1: hours spent for going from the old centre to Santa Caterina District; increasing value.

change. The new green area changes the spatial configuration of the district.

---------------------- Immediate change: a new urban configuration for the district ( the project inserts new natural and building elements) Possible after-change:

1. More users in the garden require more parking areas.

2. No new parking areas are needed.

Physical Energy for human activity, energy for biotic activity, physical environment, structure of ground on which to build, building materials, components, buildings, districts, settlements USE OF SOFT MATERIALS

-Increasing or decreasing of energy by consequence of a certain cause (waste disposal): subject to change. The removed materials (waste) must be disposed of. Most of the existing materials consist of stone and wood. The use of different materials introduces new elements. In order to create less impact on the ground and on the biotic aspect, recyclable natural material should be used. T2: immediate impact: now (change from a before to an after situation)

-laws and norms of physics that regulate cause-effect processes: subject to change. The use of recyclable materials can mitigate the impact on the soil. immediate change: some physical relations are immediately altered. Possible after-effects:

1. Less after effects on the soil by the use of natural materials. 2. The use of non recyclable materials alters the soil.

Biotic Food shelter, housing, air and air quality, water and water quality, hygiene, green areas, pollution, soil quality, biodiversity, habitat diversity and quality, resilience of ecosystems (ability to recover from imbalances), health and health services, hospitals, gyms RENEWING OF THE GREEN AREA

-time needed for a certain specie (animal or vegetal one) to develop or to regenerate: subject to change. The project suggests the planting of new species. The existing ones (palm trees and fences) are removed. -succession of stages of growth: subject to change. New green species are planted in a newly realized “natural environment.” T3: subject to change from a before to an after situation

-equilibrium of organisms in the environment: subject to change; new plants, new organisms -natural balance: not subject to change Immediate effects: The area is different in natural terms. New green species are planted, and they create a new “natural environment.” Possible after-effects:

1. The new green species grow up in their new environment.

2. The new green species die because of the altered soil.

Sensitive Feelings engendered by living there, feeling of well-being, comfort, fitness, noise, security, safety, privacy, provision of peaceful surroundings, e.g., motorway noise that prevents bird song operating, counselling services, asylums, houses for domestic animals

-perception of surrounding environment (facts and events) and subjective immediate response (sense of well-being, orientation and identity): subject to change. The new garden is experienced through the senses (new coloured and aromatic plants, soft used building materials).

-memory and pattern recognition which define subjective background and influence subjective perception surrounding environment: subject to change. New elements introduced in the garden by the project. Immediate effects: new signs and symbols within the surrounding environment


253

T4: quantitative temporal dimension. It represents the duration of the sensitive experience.

overlap the existing ones. Possible after-effects:

1. New pattern recognition becomes part of the subjective orientation system.

Analytical Clarity with which issues are aired in the community, letting people clearly know facts and issues, quality of analysis for planning and evaluation, diversity, functional mix, knowledge, tendency to understand rather than react to issues, schools, universities, education services, research

-ordinate succession of events: subject to change -subjective and collective priorities: subject to change -attitude to choice: subject to change -logical analysis: subject to change The new green area has modified the citizens’ way of inhabiting the public space. New priorities influence attitude to choice. T5: qualitative temporal dimension.

-memory and pattern recognition: subject to change. The logical aspect has the same simultaneous character of the sensitive aspect. They both are rooted in past formative evolution. Immediate effects: the new garden changes citizens’ “use” of it. Possible after-effects:

1. New priorities in order to satisfy emerging needs will influence personal choices.

Lingual, communicative

Ease of communication in the community, quality of communication (truthfulness etc.), lingual networking, symbols transferring, information provision, monuments, signs, advertising, the media

-time spent to communicate with respect to means of communication: subject to change. People meet in the garden and socialize; oral communication. -temporal identity and evolution of symbols and signs for one’s sense of direction: subject to change. In order to make the garden safer and accessible to disabled people, new advertisings are placed. T7: increasing value; more time spent to communicate

-coexisting elements of the utterance in order to form clear messages. subject to change. Immediate change: new symbols and signs are available for language. More elements of the utterance coexist. Possible after–change:

1. New patterns of language develop.

Social Social relationship and interaction, recreational places, social climate, cohesion, plurality, competitiveness, collaboration, authority structures, social register, clubs, and societies

-time spent to socialize -time spent to share subject to change. More students and more parents meet in the new garden. T8: increasing; more time spent to socialize

-shared background knowledge The temporal dimension resides in the formative evolution of the community. The community has a rural and seafaring identity. People were used to work hard during the day and to meet in the evenings. Immediate change: more occasions for the citizens to share their common background. Possible after-change:

1. New possible directions for sharing common background

Economic (frugality, use and care of resources)

Use of land, use of replacement of renewable resources, use of nonrenewable resources, recycling schemes, attitude to finance, efficiency, financial

-time spent to recycle: subject to change if recyclable materials are used. -time spent for recovery:

-conservation of resources in terms of relation of needed available resources: not subject to change Immediate change: not relevant After-change: not relevant

FUTURE PAST PRESENT: the new garden


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institutions, offices, banks, stock markets, industrial plants

mot subject to change -time forecast for economic return of a specific activity: not subject to change -long or short term for jobs: not subject to change T9: little amount, not relevant

Aesthetic (harmony)

Beauty, visual amenity and landscape, architecture and design, architectonic style, decoration, social harmony, ecological harmony and balance, art galleries, theatres

-time spent in theatres and art galleries. Not subject to change -time spent for natural environment (private and public green areas, gardens, open spaces, trekking, outdoor activities): subject to change. The green area offers an occasion for people to meet. T10: amount of hours spent in the garden.

-several things together contribute to the harmony. An equilibrate relation of citizen-surrounding urban context is grounded in a satisfying response to subjective and collective needs and expectations through time. Immediate change: new occasions for spending free time Possible after-change:

1. The renewed green area influences the citizens’ lifestyle. 2. The renewed green area does not influence the citizen’s lifestyle.

Juridical (what is due)

Laws and law-making, especially with regard to property, ownership, regulation and other policy instruments, contracts especially for building, rights, responsibilities, inequities, property market interests, democracy, participation, tribunals, administrative offices, legal institutions, political structures THE BUILDING OF THE TOWN HALL

-expiry date for planning instruments. Not subject to change -prescribed time within which to start and to end buildings. Not subject to change. -expiry dates in building and planning office procedures. Not subject to change -time horizons for programs and plans: not subject to change T11: length of time (quantity) not relevant

-laws, rules, and norms that are in charge and that influence planning activity simultaneously: not subject to change Immediate change: none After-change: none

Ethical General demeanour of people toward each other, goodwill, neighbourliness, solidarity, sharing, equity, health of the family, voluntary centres

-time spent for one’s neighbourhood: subject to change. The new garden is accessible also to disabled people. -statistical variation of number of voluntary centres: not subject to change. There are more accessible places in the village. T12: amount of hours spent in caring for the community safety and sense of well-being.

-background, family, friendship, education. These elements all together define the ethical subjective and collective sphere. Subject to change. Immediate change: more accessible area, more care for disabled people Possible after-change:

1. New safer and more accessible areas are built. 2. No other similar interventions are proposed.

Creedal, pistic

Loyalty to the community, general level of morale, shared vision of what we are (e.g., I shop, therefore I am; I am, responsible to God), aspirations (e.g., to car ownership), shared vision of the way to go (e.g.,

-time spent for religious activities: not subject to change -time horizon for subjective expectations - time horizon for collective expectations

-what is right and what is wrong in terms of choice for action. The concepts of right and wrong are rooted in subjective and collective identity (social, religious, economic, political, etc., which coexist in a citizen and in his community):


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science-technology-economics will solve our problems), religious institutions, churches, synagogues

Subject to change. The renewed green area makes the inhabitants expect an increasing attention for safety and well-being. T13: temporal horizons for expectations; short term

subject to change Immediate change: attitude toward the new green area. The citizens agree with it. Possible after-change:

1. Expectations for more similar areas in the short term

Table 5: play garden in front of the school. Application of the temporal table-forward direction. Source: author’s elaboration.

The application of the temporal table-forward direction provided in table 5 defines some

possible immediate and after-changes occurring within the aspect as consequence of the

action taken. Immediate and possible after-changes can be summed up in the following table:

Immediate

change

After-change Expectation for the future

Creedal/Piistic ● ● Expectations for more similar

gardens

Ethical ● ●● 1. More similar areas (care for children and disabled people)

2. No more similar areas (the community gives no importance to more accessible areas by disabled people)

Juridical ----- -----

Aesthetic ● ●● 1. The new area influences the citizen’s lifestyle.

2. The new area does not play an important role in the citizen’s lifestyle.




Historical


Sensitive ● ●

Biotic ● ●● 1. The new green species grow up and proliferate

2. The new plants die because of the alteration of the soil

Physical ● ●● 1. Use of natural recyclable material; reduced effects on the environment


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2. Effects on the environment by the use of non recyclable materials

Kinematics ● ●● 1. More parking areas required 2. Existing parking areas are

sufficient. Spatial ● ●● 1. The new area is a frequented

site for a long time. 2. The new area is frequented

just for short periods. Numerical ---- ----- No simultaneous character

There is an immediate increasing of users

Table 6: play garden in front of the school. Immediate and possible after-changes by consequence of the action taken. Source: author’s elaboration.

As suggested in table 5 and table 6, the renewing of the garden in front of the primary school

defines a set of possible after-changes within most of modalities. These after-changes affect

the future of the area, as well as the future use of it, in two different directions (two possible

after-changes have been defined for each modality). With reference to the diagram provided

in chapter 7 figure 5, it is possible to analyze the possible effects as follows:

Temporal Table forward direction. Analysis of possible effects on the urban context,

by consequence of the renewing of the play garden in front of the primary school.

Driving modalities: physical and biotic DIRECTION 1- USE OF RECYCLABLE

MATERIALS BE Issues BA

Temporal Issues

S Temporal Issues

Immediate change

After-change

Numerical ● Spatial ● Kinematic ● Physical ● (1) * Biotic ● 2 * Sensitive ● 3 10 Analytical ● 4 11 Formative Lingual ● 5 12 Social ● 6 13 Economic Aesthetic ● 7 14 Juridical Moral ● 8 15 creedal ● 9 16

Table 7: analysis of possible effects. Source: author’s elaboration.


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As suggested in table 5, the driving aspects for the action taken (planning for the future by

renewing the green area following the students’ ideas) are the physical and the biotic ones.

Table 7 describes the succession of immediate and after-changes as consequence of the use of

recyclable and natural materials in the building of the projected garden. Number (1) indicates

the action-use of recyclable materials, which defines the following immediate and after-

changes:

Immediate

change

After-change Direction 1: use of recyclable materials

Creedal ● ● Expectations for more similar gardens

Ethical ● ●● 3. More similar areas (care for children and disabled people)

4. No more similar areas Juridical ----- -----

Aesthetic ● ●● 3. The new area influences the citizens’ lifestyle.

4. The new area does not play an important role in the citizen’s lifestyle.




Historical


Sensitive ● ●

Biotic ● ● The new green species grow up and proliferate.

Physical ● ● Use of natural recyclable material; reduced effects on the environment

Kinematics ● ●● 1. More parking areas required 2. Existing parking areas are

sufficient. Spatial ● ●● 1. The new area is a frequented

site for a long time. 2. The new area is frequented

just for short periods. Numerical ---- ----- No simultaneous character

There is an immediate increasing of users

Table 8: possible immediate and after-changes by consequence of the use of recyclable materials. Source: author’s elaboration.


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Table 8 shows that the use of recyclable materials mitigates the impact on the soil and, by

consequence, on the biotic environment. This does not influence in a decisive way the double

twofold possible after-change affecting the spatial, the kinematics, the aesthetic, and the

ethical modality. Despite the care for the natural environment, it is not possible to define

definitively the future implications derived by the renewed area on the urban context. The

following diagram can help in defining the possible future evolution of the green area within

the urban context:

Figure 7: the temporal diagram applied to the renewing of the play garden in front of the primary school. Immediate

and after-effects through time. Source: author’s elaboration.

The diagram in figure 7 describes the temporal evolution of the possible immediate and after-

changes along the T6 temporal line. In particular, the above diagram represents the scenario

of a future harmonic use of the garden by the community. It is supposed that the renewed

garden becomes part of the citizen’s everyday life, being able to affect their lifestyle. The blue

circles represent the immediate change occurring within the modal order by consequence of

the action taken (renewing the area by using recyclable materials). Very immediate effects

take place in the physical and biotic modalities, which are the driving ones. A period of about

six months is required for the other immediate effects to take place in the following

CIT

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N’S

S

UB

JEC

TIV

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SP

HE

RE

SO

CIA

L

AS

PE

CT

S

FIE

LD

OF

A

CT

ION

creedal

moral

spatial numerical

kinematic

physical biotic

sensitive

logical

lingual

formative

social

economic

aesthetic juridical

Six months

YEARS

T6 HISTORICAL

TIME

0

The starting of the building

GR

OU

ND

ING

A

SP

EC

TS

1 year

The kinematic modality as driving

in future change

Immediate change

After-change


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modalities. Six months is the time horizon estimated for the works to be completed. During

this period, the area is not accessible.

Figure 7 indicates that, after this period, an increasing number of users of the green area is

registered. This data is available in the numerical aspect. Because of its position at the bottom

of the pyramid of reality—the modal order—the immediate effect in this aspect influences

directly the following ones. The yellow arrow in figure 7 indicates the direction of before and

after, which defines the analogical relation between the aspects (the definition of this relation

has been provided in chapter 4 and chapter 5). The yellow arrow indicates the T0 direction.

As supposed in figure 7, an increasing number of users causes the need for more parking

areas. The green arrow indicates that this event—the need for more parking areas—causes

future change. In fact, the action of building new parking areas causes immediate effects

within the five grounding aspects. The kinematics modality becomes the driving modality for

future change in the area by the building of new parking areas. This implies new direct

immediate effects taking place at the ground of the modal system.

The temporal analysis of the possible future implications on the urban contexts, which derive

from the renewing of the green area, suggests considerations on

• an estimated time horizon for the effects to take place. In figure 7 new meaningful

changes are expected in about two years (very short time period);

• the definition of the driving modalities for future action

With reference to the renewal of the play garden in front of the primary school, the proposed

temporal analysis has suggested the following considerations:

1. The garden dates back to 1932. Until today, no relevant events occurred, which have

directly influenced the structure of the area. With respect to the temporal evolution of

the village, the play garden is quite a green corner in front of the primary school that

is a very important public service. Near the school, a new residential area has

developed, as well as a small harbour and a sport center. The district is very

frequented, although the garden is not.

2. In 2006 the municipality financed a laboratory in the school that was aimed at

planning new strategies for restoring the play garden. During a week, the students

were involved in the sensitive experience of the garden. Through the senses, they

came into contact with the soil, the existing green essences, the smells, and the


260

materials in the garden. Following the sensitive experience, the students, together

with the teachers and two architects, were asked for new planning ideas for “their”

garden. In this phase of the laboratory, the perceived was logically analyzed by using

sketches, checklists, examples, colours. The end result was a big map defining the

project of the new garden.

3. The renewal of the garden following the developed ideas can have a positive impact

on the urban context in environmental and social terms. The building of a stronger

social identity of the area and the increasing number of users makes the question of

the parking area coming to surface. An obtained modal equilibrium within the

analyzed subsystem—the play garden—requires action on the surrounding context.

The expected time horizon is very short, and it implies action in the grounding group

of modalities. This means that, in order to satisfy immediate needs, decision taken

should be aimed at preserving the capacity of the urban system to maintain its

coherence, for example by choosing strategic sites or proposing planning

alternatives.

Near the play garden, there is no location for new parking areas. The garden is well connected

to the center of the village and to the next village of Riva Ligure by the recent cycle lane and

by the promenade. The cycle lane was inaugurated in the last two years. With respect to the

analyzed play garden, the cycle lane it is not distant (see figure 4). A planning alternative

could consider the building of a route connecting the play garden to the cycle lane across the

residential area. This could improve the use of bicycles within the urban area.


261

Figure 8 is a graphical description of the location of the play garden with respect to the cycle

lane. The route actually exists, but it is not indicated by advertisings, and not many people are

informed about the possibility of reaching the seaside by that way. As a planning alternative

to the building of a new parking area, the redesigning of the route by the use of signs and

symbols can be a solution of no impact on the surrounding natural environment. The driving

modality for the future action to be taken is the communicative one.

If compared to figure 7, the planning alternative is graphically defined as follows:

Residential area

Sport centre Bowling club

Harbour

Play garden

School

New cycle route connecting the play garden with the cycle lane

Village centre

Riva Ligure

Figure 8: the play garden with respect to the cycle lane. Source: author’s elaboration.


262

The green arrow in figure 9 indicates that the driving aspect for future action is the lingual

one. Within this modality, the renewal of the garden causes long-term after-changes as

indicated by the red area; these effects are related to the building of a new system of signs and

symbols, which becomes part of the common shared language. The introduction of new

symbols and signs is to be intended as integrative of the existing ones in order to build a clear

and shared system of orientation.

5. Conclusions and Further Work

This chapter has provided the application of the developed temporal analysis to a case study.

The historical and urban evolution of the village of Santo Stefano al Mare, whose outline is

provided in appendix B, has been graphically represented by the definition of the succession

of the so-called nows. Figure 2, table 1, and figure 3 describe the historical evolution of the

village of Santo Stefano al Mare along the historical-temporal line since its origin till today.

CIT

IZE

N’S

S

UB

JEC

TIV

E

SP

HE

RE

SO

CIA

L

AS

PE

CT

S

FIE

LD

OF

A

CT

ION

creedal

moral

spatial numerical

kinematic

physical biotic

sensitive logical

lingual

formative

social

economic

aesthetic juridical

Six months

YEARS

T6 HISTORICAL

TIME

0

The starting of the building

GR

OU

ND

ING

A

SP

EC

TS

one year

The lingual modality as driving

in future change

Immediate change

After-change

Figure 9: graphical representation of the alternative planning solution of connecting the play garden with the cycle lane. Source: author’s elaboration.


263

The definition of the temporal phases through which the urban context has evolved is aimed at

locating the analyzed area—the play garden in front of the primary school—in time. The

temporal analysis defines the analyzed area by both temporal and spatial coordinates.

The temporal table, as well as the temporal diagram, has been applied to the play garden in

front of the primary school in its twofold direction—backwards and forwards. The backward

direction provides a temporal analysis of the area with reference to the past. By starting from

the definition of the S Temporal issues, which describes the formative evolution of the area

with respect to the urban evolution, immediate and after changes are defined. They provide

indications of the aspects that were affected by change more deeply. The application of the

temporal table-forward direction- was referred to the suggested action of renewing the area in

order to make it at a child scale. The forward analysis represents planning for the future of the

garden.

In the next chapter, the historical-temporal analysis provided by the temporal table-backwards

direction- is applied to the other three green public areas within the urban context of Santo

Stefano al Mare. The sensitive and the logical analysis, as well as the temporal table-forward

direction, have been left out. The application of the historical-temporal analysis of the past

evolution to the proposed green areas is a useful exercise in order to compare them to the play

garden in front of the primary school.

chapter viii a selected case study: the village of santo

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