**4. Contemporary experimentations**

After World War II, the illusory belief in the technological system's supremacy led architects to forget their past environmental tradition. This trend continued until the 1970s–1980s, when the international oil crisis and environmental disasters (global warming, 1986; the hole in the ozone layer, 1985; the Chernobyl disaster, 1986; etc.) showed clearly the environment's weaknesses. This induced technicians to rethink the global development model in favour of a more sustainable one. Bioclimatism in architectural and urban design practices, which had in Rudofsky's vernacular research (1964) [71] and Olgyay's architectural regionalism (1963) [72] two anticipatory events, caught on again. Scientific and technological progress that had occurred during the last few decades, allowed integration of the design process with important external 'environmental' contributions of interrelated disciplines (technical physics, fluid dynamics, microclimatology, computer engineering, etc.). According to the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), «[computer information models] allow us to shift the ultimate performance of a building away from the mechanical room and back into the permanent attributes of the design» [73]. Complexities resulting from this interdisciplinary perspective call for an update to the current process without being overcome by them.

On this topic, Monserrato's master plan tests a methodology (**Figure 5**) through which to integrate both environmental data and analyses, starting from the design's initial phases. It has been supported by Heliodon and ENVI‐met software that act as useful 'feedback' tools able to verify qualitatively the environmental behaviour of the project's concept. In particular, the environmental analyses focused on the microclimatic consequences of urban form, taking into consideration different climatic data (air temperature, relative humidity, wind directions and velocities, hours of sunlight and direct solar radiation) and form parameters (aspect ratio and the sky view factor). Analyses were conducted in relation to winter and summer solstices, characterized by the most extreme environmental conditions during the year. The initial urban proposal has been gradually modified and re‐evaluated several times in relation to the main criticalities that have emerged from analyses' results and bio‐climatic diagrams' information (Olgyay). Nevertheless, modifications respect the master plan fundamentals and collaborate in the improvement of its overall performance.

**Figure 5.** Diagram of design methodology.

architects worldwide. The last phase was during his attempt to lead the field towards an Italian approach to urban microclimate design and closed with the publication of his most frequently cited work, *La Città di Domani, Come il clima plasma la forma urbana e l'architettura: la sanità e l'igiene cittadina, Vol. 1* (1943) [65]. This work, which is the first complete treatise on the matter, marks him out as an absolute pioneer, even if his influence on architecture and urbanism has

Although most of Vinaccia's theories were already known in distinct international scientific sectors (climatology, physics, astronomy, etc.) he was perhaps the first to organize these into a systematic approach, also thanks to his education as an architect, which contributed to a more humanistic idea of architecture and planning. In this light, it is important to highlight the author's attempt to found a new scientific discipline, called *Polisclimatology*, in‐between planning and microclimatology. His nature as a 'polyhedral' architect, able to manage design's various aspects that were related to distinct disciplines, made him an absolute innovator and

After World War II, the illusory belief in the technological system's supremacy led architects to forget their past environmental tradition. This trend continued until the 1970s–1980s, when the international oil crisis and environmental disasters (global warming, 1986; the hole in the ozone layer, 1985; the Chernobyl disaster, 1986; etc.) showed clearly the environment's weaknesses. This induced technicians to rethink the global development model in favour of a more sustainable one. Bioclimatism in architectural and urban design practices, which had in Rudofsky's vernacular research (1964) [71] and Olgyay's architectural regionalism (1963) [72] two anticipatory events, caught on again. Scientific and technological progress that had occurred during the last few decades, allowed integration of the design process with important external 'environmental' contributions of interrelated disciplines (technical physics, fluid dynamics, microclimatology, computer engineering, etc.). According to the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), «[computer information models] allow us to shift the ultimate performance of a building away from the mechanical room and back into the permanent attributes of the design» [73]. Complexities resulting from this interdisciplinary perspective call for an update to the

On this topic, Monserrato's master plan tests a methodology (**Figure 5**) through which to integrate both environmental data and analyses, starting from the design's initial phases. It has been supported by Heliodon and ENVI‐met software that act as useful 'feedback' tools able to verify qualitatively the environmental behaviour of the project's concept. In particular, the environmental analyses focused on the microclimatic consequences of urban form, taking into consideration different climatic data (air temperature, relative humidity, wind directions and velocities, hours of sunlight and direct solar radiation) and form parameters (aspect ratio and the sky view factor). Analyses were conducted in relation to winter and summer solstices, characterized by the most extreme environmental conditions during the year. The initial urban

not been considerable, due to the unfavourable context in which his studies evolved.

his ideas extremely contemporary in our own time.

current process without being overcome by them.

**4. Contemporary experimentations**

50 Sustainable Urbanization

The case study concerns a new urban expansion around the Academic Citadel area, in Monserrato (Sardinia, Italy). The main goals of the master plan were the reconnection of the University with the city centre, starkly separated by Highway 554; the urban sprawl's con‐ tainment and, finally, the respect of local agricultural tradition. With these aims, the project designed an anti‐sprawl territorial system, which encircles the existing Citadel with a new urban district (1.4 km<sup>2</sup> ) linking it to the north‐west city's edge (**Figure 6**). The blocks are arranged on the perimeter of the area along the existing position that is already in common with the historical city centre, the Citadel and the waterways system. The Citadel and the new expansion are interconnected by a wide central park, towards which the 'c‐shaped' blocks open their inner courts. Their connection is achieved through a podium, which bends back on itself, defining two different public spaces. The park's layout makes a direct reference to the previous rural pattern, with past tracks of land's plots, which host pedestrian and cycle paths bordering different green areas (lawns, gardens, etc.) (**Figure 7**). The blocks' dimensions are contained between 50 and 200 m, and the maximum height remains constant, opposing the increasing altitude of the terrain. Functions and the infrastructure network are designed in order to assure mixed use within the 400 m.

**Figure 6.** View of the master plan.

Environmental analyses evaluated environmental criticalities, taking into account man's thermal comfort in open spaces. Results recognized that the worst performances occurred during the summer season, when north‐west blocks reached high wind velocities and high solar radiation values in courtyards, which were exposed to direct sunrays for most of the day. Uncomfortable conditions were also confirmed by Olgyay's diagrams, in which this cluster of blocks moves away from average seasonal values.

**Figure 7.** Monserrato plan.

expansion are interconnected by a wide central park, towards which the 'c‐shaped' blocks open their inner courts. Their connection is achieved through a podium, which bends back on itself, defining two different public spaces. The park's layout makes a direct reference to the previous rural pattern, with past tracks of land's plots, which host pedestrian and cycle paths bordering different green areas (lawns, gardens, etc.) (**Figure 7**). The blocks' dimensions are contained between 50 and 200 m, and the maximum height remains constant, opposing the increasing altitude of the terrain. Functions and the infrastructure network are designed in order to assure

Environmental analyses evaluated environmental criticalities, taking into account man's thermal comfort in open spaces. Results recognized that the worst performances occurred during the summer season, when north‐west blocks reached high wind velocities and high solar radiation values in courtyards, which were exposed to direct sunrays for most of the day. Uncomfortable conditions were also confirmed by Olgyay's diagrams, in which this cluster of

mixed use within the 400 m.

52 Sustainable Urbanization

**Figure 6.** View of the master plan.

blocks moves away from average seasonal values.

In order to mitigate environmental weaknesses, the initial design has been modified, focusing on the northern part. Specifically, modifications concerned the blocks' height, which was raised in order to protect courtyards from the cold mistral, the introduction of a portico in each courtyard aimed at increasing shadows, and, finally, greenery's variation and implementation. The 'updated' master plan has been tested again in order to verify the variations' efficacies, confirming the performances' improvement. The additional vegetation, together with the portico, collaborate in reducing wind velocities without obstructing airflows. At the same time, the insertion of the latter increased shadows on courtyards' surfaces, reducing direct radiation by 20% and sun hours by 25–30% (**Figure 8**—above).

Referring to the transformation process adopted in several contemporary urban designs, such as the ZAC Bercy (Paris) by the architect J.P. Buffi [74], the work defined a set of restrictions in order to preserve the master plan's overall strategies and shape. Typological and morpho‐ logical rules did not represent such blocks' final configurations, but they did have the task of explaining clearly to designers the spatial relationships among parts, guiding their successive work on single blocks (**Figure 8**—below). The restrictions list of Monserrato metadesign coupled general rules with technical datasheets that referred to specific blocks. The former are structured in six main sections (1. edges; 2. blocks; 3. special blocks; 4. pedestrian routes and courtyards; 5. park and gardens; 6. roads), whereas the latter include special, additional rules combined with explanatory drawings.

**Figure 8.** Design's comparison of sun hours analysis (above) and examples of design general rules (left) and datasheet (right) (below).
