Operative Topographies

The urban design studio OPEN SKY addresses Trento and its valley in the interrelation of urban, landscape and infrastructure levels. The special focus on the airport area and the southern valley part in general opens a series of spatial perspectives— related to current paradigms of Creative City, Productive City, and an overall vision of Polycentric Habitat. The methodology of research and design includes mapping, fieldwork, vision models, and urban design and architecture projects in a trans-scalar approach between valley section, urban pole, neighborhood, building elements. Smart modes in mobility, energy, resources are combined with the use of spatial capital, hybrid spatial relations in and beyond the valley, and hybrid programming of interventions. Working on scenarios for the airport area and the southern valley of Trento in OPEN SKY brought together students from the universities of Hannover, Genoa, and Trento; research and teaching was combined in the discussion of tasks and concepts, in the fieldwork and the international vision model workshop, in a conference in Trento in November 2016, and in the final presentations. OPEN SKY has been proven as large field of design, debates, and ideas, it is meant as open project that draws innovation and enhances visions for the Creative and Productive Cities in the Alps and beyond.