Karoline Fischer Landscape and Urban Planning
Collection of works 2015 - 2021
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Hello, I am a landscape urbanist and a strategist interested in ecologically and socially resilient territories. My cultural, academic and working multi-disciplinary backgrounds allowed me to develop a systematic approach over contemporary challenges within cities and territories, as well as an inter-scalar capacity of analysis, planning and designing. I care for approaching each project site from a reflection on its past, attention for its users and environmental features, as well as a strong vision for its future. I n every project, I aim at promoting synergism between nature and humans. My major goal is to contribute to shaping more environmentally and socially just cities through my work and research. In the next pages, I hope the reader will find reflected my passions for research and planning.
KAROLINE FISCHER
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SUMMARY OF PROJECTS
MASTERPLANNING
INFRASTRUCTURES
LECCO: SUSTAINABLE CITY AT 360°…….….page 04 LAND Italia, 2020-2021
CURITIBA METROWAY LINEAR PARK……………………page 15 Institute of Research and Urban Planning of Curitiba, Curitiba (Brazil), 2014-2016
THE BIONE GREEN-BLUE RAY…………………page 06 LAND Italia, 2021 RADIANT PERIPHERIES…………………….….…page 08 Università IUAV di Venezia (Italy), Fall 2017-2018
ENVIRONMENTAL RECOVERY AND MITIGATION THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGENERATION OF MAGNODENO QUARRIES………………………………………………..……page 17 LAND Italia, 2021
REGIONAL AND TERRITORIAL PLANNING + RESEARCH BY DESIGN PLANNING FOR COEXISTENCE IN VULNERABLE TERRITORIES……………………………………..page 10 European Post-Masters in Urbanism Thesis, presented in June 2019
CULTURAL LANDSCAPES VIA SALENTINA…………………………………………………page 20 Re-forming Salento Workshop, Università IUAV di Venezia (Italy), September 2017
LANDSCAPE NETWORKS OF SYNERGISM TOOLKIT…………………………………….………page 13 TU Delft (The Netherlands), 2018
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LECCO, SUSTAINABLE CITY AT 360° Strategic Environmental Landscape Masterplan Type of project: Strategic Masterplan Client: Municipality of Lecco (IT) Year: 2020-2021 Team: LAND Italia Srl. Andreas Kipar, Matteo Pedaso, Martina Eba, Karoline Fischer, I collaborated as senior urban planner.
The strategic Environmental Landscape Masterplan of Lecco was drawn to be a frame of reference for projects aimed at redeveloping the city and enhancing its natural resources. It is conceived as a tool to apply for European funding calls for urban and environmental regeneration in accordance with the new European Green Deal, which has placed ecological transition at the centre of the 2021-2027 programme. Between the lake and the mountains, Lecco is rich in natural, landscape and cultural resources. However, its urban and infrastructural development during the past century has neglected its landscapes and its different identities, creating a disorganised, grey city without a uni ed design. In today's Lecco, nature is near, but not tangible in daily life. In the construction of a new image for the city, it is necessary to start by reconnecting its landscapes and structuring a network of green public spaces that unite the lake, city, hills and mountains, starting with the rediscovery of its rivers and 14 historic districts. A system of green and blue infrastructures through which citizens can enjoy and rediscover the identity and natural values of their area.
Five strategies for Lecco:
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THE BIONE’S GREEN-BLUE RAY The landscape and environmental enhancement of the Bione river Type of project:Strategic Masterplan Client: Municipality of Lecco (IT) Year: 2021 Team: LAND Italia Srl. Andreas Kipar, Matteo Pedaso, Martina Eba, Karoline Fischer, Ilaria Giubellino
The project is about reinterpreting the rivers of Lecco as green rays, ecological corridors that cross the urban fabric connecting the existing green areas, also through a network of itineraries that tell the story and vocations of the territory crossed-by. The river is no longer seen as a mere linear element, but is represented by open and built spaces, areas of cultural value and public spaces with transformational potential. The river becomes a “design laboratory”, as an opportunity to recover its historical meaning and an opportunity to start processes of urban regeneration, reconquest of public space and approach to nature and contact with water.
The new river section Today: a river suffocated and hidden
Tomorrow: a green-blue continuous system
I collaborated as project leader.
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The ve guide lines are: 1. The revitalization of the historic centers crossed by the river; 2. The creation of a sports itinerary that connects the lakefront with the mountain context; 3. The renaturalization of the banks of the Bione towards the creation of a linear park; 4. The creation of greater pedestrian and cycle permeability.
The new landscape section
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RADIANT PERIPHERIES New scenarios to requalify the periphery of Oderzo Type of project: Urban and Territorial Development European Post-Masters in Urbanism University IUAV, Venice Client: Municipality of Oderzo (IT) Year: 2017 Team: Karoline Fischer and Rajat Uchill
View project video at: www.behance.net/gallery/64227469/Radiant-Peripheries-project-movie Oderzo is a medium-size Italian city in the Veneto region with a dispersed settlement, that faces challenges in which the role of the car is questioned. This project was developed during my degree in the European Post-Masters of Urbanism at IUAV, in which the challenge was to explore, in a participative process, future ways of living in Oderzo by transforming its peripheries. The scenario construction was the tool that made possible the exploration of future time based on present trends and resources. The focus on the mobility issue guided the development of a scenario in which the radial roads, that connect the centre to the peripheries, and the public spaces along them were redesigned in order to create a more pedestrian-friendly, less car-dependent city and creating public spaces that enhance quality of life for its citizens.
Menthor: Paola Viganò
Project scenarios: What if… the urban radial was transformed in a shared space?
What if… existing buildings were recycled to improve urban dynamics?
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Masterplan - Colfrancui radials
Project Section
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PLANNING FOR COEXISTENCE IN VULNERABLE TERRITORIES Strengthening ecosystems, building socio-territorial resilience in Paranaguá Bay Type of project: Territorial planning| Research by design European Post-Masters in Urbanism Thesis Year: 2019
Between the Atlantic Ocean and the last continuous remnant of the Atlantic Rainforest, Paranaguá Bay region, in Southern Brazil, is one of the few urban territories in the world that have the privilege of detaining nature as it was shaped in its genesis. Both regional economy and culture are supported by its diversi ed ecosystems, that offer the basis for the traditional groups subsistence, support port activities and regulate natural events. However, the increasing pressures from urbanisation, infrastructure expansion and the global market are causing the fragmentation and degradation of its ecosystems. As a consequence, the population is more exposed to environmental risks, and the regional economic development is declining.
Menthor: Paola Viganò
Acknowledging that unsustainable ways of living and producing in this territory are threatening its unique biodiversity and are undermining their own progress, how can planning and design promote the harmonious coexistence between nature conservation and regional socio-economic development?
Pressures on ecosystems > Interpretation of the current situation
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STRATEGY - ’XL’ SCALE
The territory as a resource: Strengthening ecosystems, building resilience The transformation of Paranaguá Bay region into a territory of coexistence relies upon two strategic systems that support one another and are based in three perspectives: the human activities, the natural ecosystems and the spaces/infrastructures that connect them. The rst strategic system is supported by the natural habitats, topography, waterways, rural spaces, and the borders of urban areas and conservation units. It aims to strengthen the territorial ecosystems by creating connectivity where infrastructure and human activities fragmented the landscape, as well as by constructing spatial gradients in which more sustainable economic models and new ecologies can develop. The second strategic system explores the potentialities of the human systems and how they may contribute to reinforcing the landscape ones. New mobility networks between urban areas and the rural settlements reinforce territorial identity, the traditional communities economic activities, and provide access to urban services. They further support new densi ed urban areas and interventions in territorial landmarks, which are transformed to house multi-functional spaces.
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STRATEGY - ’S’ SCALE / EXPLORING POSSIBILITIES IN VULNERABLE AREAS Through an inter-scalar approach, possible scenarios are created in strategic vulnerable areas, in order to explore how the strategic systems can transform the spaces where people live and produce. The strategies proposed explore how the territorial systems can support nature-based design alternatives to build resilience and allow a more sustainable regional development.
01_RIVER VALLEYS
Current situation Mono agricultural activities are causing biodiversity loss and increasing exposition to natural disasters as well as diminishing economic resiliency in the territory.
Scenario What if agroforestry created the conditions for new economic activities for the local population and diminish exposition to environmental risks?
02_COASTAL AREAS
Current situation Low density urbanisation is increasing and causing environmental fragmentation and exposition to risks.
Scenario What if urban space was redesigned in order to carry new green and resilient infrastructures?
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03_SLOPES
Current situation Urbanisation and deforestation in slope areas increase slide risks and threatens the local population.
Scenario What if public space in slope areas could accomodate new blue infrastructure in order to diminish risks?
LANDSCAPE NETWORKS OF SYNERGISM TOOL-KIT How can water and tra c networks allow a more synergetic relationship between productive activities and ecology in the South Wing automated landscapes? Type of project: Regional planning
View full project at https://www.behance.net/gallery/83656669/Landscape-Networks-of-Synergysm-Tool-kit? tracking_source=project_owner_other_projects
European Post-Masters in Urbanism, University of technology Delft (TU DELFT)
The research aimed to explore and speculate on the opportunities and risks for the metropolitan region of The Hague and Rotterdam, were transformations driven by automation technologies are disrupting production, logistics, labour markets, and well-established ideas of work.
Year: 2018
During this Region development, innovative technologies have always allowed its further economic and urban growth. More recently though, automation has substituted the traditional territorial logics, created a more specialised landscape, provoked the fragmentation of its natural elements, augmented the dependence on electricity and produced more mechanical barriers to contrast the existing ooding risks.
Menthors: Roberto Rocco, Victor Munoz
Before > technology and productivity constructing the traditional Dutch landscapes
Nowadays > in-door production in automated landscapes
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The tool-kit To contrast the challenges created by the new development model in this region, the strategy is based on three typologies of ‘corridors’ that contain different spatial interventions. The road and water networks are interpreted as the new carrying infrastructures for the new regional development which de ne the areas of transformations, the ‘elastic bands’, where the application of the tool-kit of interventions aims at re-building the relations between urban areas, the productive landscape and vulnerable areas to climate change.
Agroforest
Re-naturalisation of waterways
The strategy ‘Elastic Bands of Ecology and Production’
Flood retention
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Raingardens
Connectivity
Wetlands
CURITIBA’S METROWAY LINEAR PARK Landscape design for the transformation of public space and a new mobility model Type of project: Infrastructure
At the Municipality’s Institute of Research and Urban Planning, I had the opportunity to work and learn from some of Curitiba's most in uent urban planners, that dedicated their professional lives to the construction of the 'ecological' capital of Brazil.
Team: Municipality of Curitiba Fernando Popp, Daniela Tahira, Karoline Fischer
All projects developed with the team were guided by a strategical and integrated vision of urban planning and the belief that our work was to provide people with quality urban spaces and architecture that ful l their needs and bring people together.
Year: 2014/2015
As part of the city's Mobility Plan, the landscape project for the new metropolitan North-South subway line envisioned a linear park that connects two extremes of the city through multi-functional and green public spaces.
I collaborated as junior urban planner
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Several public spaces were designed along the mobility axis that responds to local needs and corresponding to the adjacent building functions Urban vegetable garden
Children’s play area
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THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGENERATION OF ‘VAIOLO ALTA’ QUARRY Scenarios of recovery and re-functionalisation of the Vaiolo Alta quarry Type of project: Environmental recovery and mitigation
From an extractive pole to a naturalistic polarity: after the end of the productive cycle in the Moagnodeno quarries, the environmental recovery project aims at providing the inhabitants and visitors of Lecco a new immersive experience, a place for contemplation and sport.
Client: Municipality of Lecco (IT)
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Increase the naturalistic ecological potential of the quarry environment
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Create new opportunities for fruition and a new identity at the Vaiolo Alta quarry
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Insert the quarry in the green-blue rays system of Lecco and in the network of urban itineraries
Year: 2021 Team: LAND Italia Srl. Andreas Kipar, Matteo Pedaso, Martina Eba, Karoline Fischer, Ilaria Giubellino I collaborated as project leader.
THE REQUALIFICATION OF THE QUARRIES AS AN APPLICATION OF THE MASTERPLAN STRATEGIES
The quarries of Lecco inserted in the geographical area of Monte Magnodeno dialogue with territorial systems of landscape, historical and cultural importance. They represent, within the strategic masterplan, a possible piece of development and connection between these systems.
STRATEGY - CONCEPT 17
THE RHYTHM
SKY
THE GEOLOGY VORTEX
FOREST
THE PAUSES
Ring natura
ROCKS
Ring avventura
Percorso della geologia
WATER
SOIL
Cavea della roccia
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THE ITINERARIES
CURRENT SITUATION
DAY SCENARIO
NIGHT SCENARIO 19
VIA SALENTINA Reclaiming Rurality, Regaining Salento Type of project: Cultural landscape European Post-Masters in Urbanism, IUAV Re-forming Salento Workshop Year: 2017 Authors: Karoline Fischer, Maricruz Gazel, Adriano Amenta, Marco Andreatta, Zhouyigi Chen, Francesca Strafella.
Taken place during the development of an integrated urban plan for the municipalities of Presicce and Acquarica, the workshop was an occasion to question about Salento territory’s future, imagining how the landscape would change considering current environmental, social and economic challenges, and what would be the strateqies to face these transformations. Via Sallentina is a road from the Messapic Era, which in Roman times connected Leuca harbor and Appia road, very important for the economy and commerce of Salento peninsula. Presently, the road is a reference landscape axis, as it crosses centenary olive trees, heritage elements and the traditional agriculture elds, important images of the region's identity. But this territory is under transformation. Facing the Xylella Fastidiosa bacteria threat, that already devastated a good amount of olive elds, landowners and the residents started worrying about the agriculture production future, as it is based on olive cultivation and the region's economy depends on it. Other facts that contribute to the current scenario are: Increase of local unplanned tourism Climate change Considerable job demand Olive trees plantation is diminishing productivity Heritage in abandonment or underused.
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SCENARIO 1. What if we do nothing? What may occur if we do nothing? What if Salento landscape renounced to the olive trees, so threatened by Xylella? We would have a deserted and unproductive landscape, where the heritage elements would be the only thing left, but would remain without a use.
Unproductive elds and existing abandoned heritage elements.
SCENARIO 2. What if olive production is market driven? What if olive oil is no longer cultivated and we drive the production to global market? Economy may be bene ciate but in that way we would be producing a landscape with identity and renouncing the territory.
Fields populated by highly productive greenhouses
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SCENARIO 3. What if olive trees are replaced? What if we replace the sick trees and construct an innovative and more sustainable productive landscape also valorising heritage elements? It’s possible if we also create news forms of waste management and enrichment of diversity production.
Olive elds, new crops and valorisation of heritage
SCENARIO 4. What if olive trees remain? What if we want to maintain the olive trees as traditional elements in the landscape? To achieve that, the sick trees area replaced for an intermediate crop as the soil recovers and policies of reutilisation of heritage are implemented.
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Karoline Fischer LANDSCAPE URBANISM FISCHER.KAROLINE@GMAIL.COM +39 348 7997082
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