Progetto di spazi e indeterminatezza. Intenzionalità e comportamenti nel corpo della città

This contribution examines the relationship between urban space design and human behavior within cities, emphasizing the interdependence between inhabitants and their environment. With a focus on both human and urban bodies, it draws on theories from urban studies and sociology, critiquing functionalist and hyper-functionalized urban designs for their prescriptive and often restrictive nature, which limit the freedom and diversity of urban experiences. By drawing on empirical studies, such as William Whyte's “Street Life Project,” the role of behavioral observation in informing urban planning and design is underscored, advocating for a design philosophy that embraces indeterminacy: allowing urban environments to support diverse uses and interactions, thereby fostering urban choreographies, and a more dynamic and vibrant urban life. “Looseness”, “open-mindedness”, “plurality”, and “minority” are all existing design postures and approaches which, however, should be re-discovered, updated and hybridized in order to support the complexities of contemporary urban life.