Urban Rubp by Minnu Susan Korah

URBAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN STUDIO - (053249) PROF. FABIANO LEMES PROF. EMANUELA TORRIGIANI Tutors: Israa Mahmoud, Doruntina Zendeli, Anna Giulia Castaldo

GROUP 10

TEAM

Jan Cegnar

Anda Lavinia Gabor

Minnu Susan Korah

Midhun Madhu

Guglielmo Sgarbi

RAILWAY BELT

INTRODUCTION he former railway yards occupy a free area of approximately 1 million square meters, 65% of T which will be destined for green areas. Connect the former railway yards and redevelop them into public spaces.In order to solve the lack of green network in the city and solve the fragmentation, the project attempts to link rural to peri-urban and urban areas to make a continuous ecological corridor for ecosystem services. The strategy consists in connecting new paths to network of existing and proposed territorial environmental systems including the railway belt. Another aim behind the circular line is to increase the connectivity of the Milan by having a link of railway around the periphery of Urban areas so as to avoid people in going to the city centre and then to reach the destination.Proposed line is crossing and have connectivity to all 5 metro lines and cutting 6 wedges. The proposal envisions a green ring that cross the whole city. A big urban park connecting the seven abandoned railway yards. They will maintain their original function with the adequate modernization of the infrastructure. They will rather establish ecological connections along the railroads. And those ecological corridors will acts as a sound barrier and buffer area around the city and promotes the pollination and green infrastructure. Focuses on: • • • •

Revitalize abandoned areas of the city Rebuild green infrastructure Promote sustainable mobility Build a connection between the city centre and the periphery

CONTENT

KEY INFORMATION FROM POLICY DOCUMENTS

SYSTEMIC ANALYSIS OF THE RAILWAY BELT

URBAN CHALLENGES, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS

RE-NATURING SAN CRISTOFORO

PTPC

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

ISSUES

SWOT

PTM

LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY

CHALLENGES

CONCEPTUAL DIAGRAMS

PPR

BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE

STRATEGY

MASTERPLAN

PGT

TRANSPORT

SDG

NBS

NAVIGLI

BUILT - UP

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

ACCORDO SCALI

SOCIO-CULTURAL

NBS

SYNTHESIS

SYNTHESIS SWOT CONCLUSION

ALGAE AND MOSS

01 REVIEW AND SYNTHESIS OF KEY INFORMATION FROM POLICY DOCUMENTS

PTPC PIANO TERRITORIALE DI COORDINAMENTO PROVINCIALE

Focuses on: • • • • • •

Landscape – Environmental Compatibility Rationalization and Sustainability of the Mobility System Strenghtening of the Ecological Corridors Reduction and Qualification of the Land Consumption Raising the quality of the Environment Increase the Social Housing

Scale 1:125000

PTM PIANO TERRITORIALE METROPOLITANO

• The PTM provides a framework that continues into the probable future of the territories, overcoming the current opacity and leading to public awareness of future arrangements, such that they may intervene with possible conscious, participatory, and monitoring actions. • In the current situation, it is essentially impossible to understand what is going to happen geographically in territory outside of the individual municipality and, in particular, to evaluate exend the land consumption or environmental damage that will occur in the time horizon of action of the municipal plans. • The theoretical scenario of the plans implemented would see the urban density of Lombardy rise from 14 to 16%, with an increase in the urbanised surface area of more than 500 km2, which represents 15% more than the current urban extension extracted from the DUSAF (just over 3300 km²).

Scale 1:125000

LEGEND Riverside landscapes Guided landscape routes Panoramic roads Brownfield Highways Main roads Secondary roads Railway stations Railway network

PPR

Parks and gardens

PIANO PAESAGGISTICO REGIONALE

National regional parks Natural parks

• The Region-al Landscape Plan (PPR) is a specific section of the PTR, regulating the landscape of the same, while maintaining a complete unity and identity. • The landscape guidelines and prescriptive measures are developed in close and reciprocal relation with the priorities of the PTR in order to safeguard and enhance the areas and systems of major regional importance: lakes, rivers, canals, irrigation and reclamation networks, mountains, historic centers and nuclei, geosites, UNESCO sites, routes and places of scenic value and landscape enjoyment.

PGT PIANO DI GOVERNO DEL TERRITORIO

Piano di Governo del Territorio di Milano 2030, sets the goals towards Milan 2030 in a phase of growth of the city under the demographic profile. The growth is destined to extend also in view of the Olympics of 2026, however it was decided to update rules and regulations to aim to make growth more equitable, widespread and sustainable. The three points it focuses on are: Focuses on: • Environment and climate change • Suburbs and neighborhoods • Right to housing and controlled rents

Scale 1:50000

NAVIGLI Reopening of Navigli: • Re-opening the Navigli canals means resurfacing the historical track of end ‘800. The realization will consist in a continuous system made by a canal and a cycling track that will bring new urban quality in a homogeneous way from the periphery all the way inside the city center. • The primary objective is to restore the city’s water supply. New pipings will be used along with the re-use of the existing ones where possible. The waters of Naviglio Martesana will eventually be reconnected to Darsena, Vettabbia and to the irrigation canals network of south Milan. • The first phase of the project calls for the opening of five sections totaling 2 kilometers. From an urban, environmental, cultural, economic, and touristic standpoint, this development goal is durable and sustainable for the city. • Only in the second phase of the project will the canals be completely reopened, with a length of 7,7 kilometers. • The prevision is the creation navigable itineraries, suitable also for cycling, between Ticino and Adda rivers, in a green and touristic network that extends out of the city into the region.

ACCORDO SCALI RAILWAY AGREEMENT

The proposal envisions a green ring that cross the whole city. A big urban park connecting the seven abandoned railway yards. They will maintain their original function with the adequate modernization of the infrastructure. They will rather establish ecological connections along the railroads. And those ecological corridors will acts as a sound barrier and buffer area around the city and promotes the pollination and green infrastructure. Focuses on: • • • •

Revitalize abandoned areas of the city Rebuild green infrastructure Promote sustainable mobility Build a connection between the city centre and the periphery

Scale 1:50000

POLICY SYNTHESIS MAP Regenerating degraded places, regulating land consumption and connecting various ecological systems are all recurring themes in the numerous policy documents examined. The focus of the policies is connection and regeneration. At various scales. Milan intends to achieve this. The upcoming Circle line will provide greater connectivity and qualify adjacent cities to act as poles of attraction on a regional scale. It will combine ecological impact requirements such as connecting large green areas and waterways with a special focus on reopening the Navigli at strategic points. Potential ecological corridors will be enhanced and integrated with a more direct connection to the city.

REGIONAL

Scale 1:125000

A more localised action directed to the railway belt was also considered. Many issues were considered, such as heat island of the city against the presence of greenery and waterways. Special attention was paid to the channelling of wind to mitigate the city’s negative effects also in terms of pollution. The proposals therefore see a future scenario of combining the elements for a more sustainable future with less ecological impact by considering neighbouring areas and including an important ring infrastructure such as the train for the city of Milan.

RAILWAY BELT

Scale 1:50000

02 SYSTEMIC ANALYSIS OF THE RAILWAY BELT

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE The green infrastructure in Milan is dispersed around the city, with various pocket green spaces within the metropolitan area that evolve to agricultural land as it approaches the outskirts. Parks, gardens, and green corridors are the most prevalent green places in the city, whereas larger parks, green corridors, forests, and farms can be observed on the outskirts. Milan is transitioning from a grey to a green metropolis, mostly to combat climate change and enhance the quality of life for its residents. By 2030, local governments intend to plant millions of trees, as well as establish green corridors in various districts of Milan. These initiatives will boost current green spaces by 30%, lowering carbon dioxide levels and reducing climate change.

REGIONAL

Scale 1:125000

Key Features: • • • • •

Presence of many active urban and neighbourhood parks Presence of many sport facilities Richness of the flora biodiversity due to the mixture of natural environments and landscapes Agricultural landscape belt in contrast with the built environment Many brownfields and abandoned areas create a fragmentation of the green and of the built but give opportunities for further developments.

RAILWAY BELT

Scale 1:50000

Populus deltoides

Alnus incana

Ginkgo biloba

Carpinus betulus

Betula utilis

Ulmus pumila

EXISTING TREES

Acer campestre

Acer pseudoplatanus

Prunus serrulata ‘Kanzan’

Acer campestre

Pterocarya fraxinifolia

Liriodendron tulipifera

Robinia pseudoacacia

Aesculus hippocastanum

Quercus rubra

Tilia hybrida

LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY STRUCTURE The ecological network found in the railway belt is made up of fragmented core areas. Park areas and void regions to the north and south of the Lambro River could potentially serve as core areas, with some locations serving as stepping stones. When traveling north-west and south-west along the railway line, the agricultural Matrix dominates the landscape. The crop boundaries are now in place. The ability to improve the diversity of trees and create linear corridors that connect the many core locations in the area, but they may operate as stepping stones in their existing state. Some linear streets inside the Urban fabric city matrix may act as linear corridors, but their lack of connectivity to core districts isolates and disconnects these elements. The railroad infrastructure severs the ties between the city matrix and the primary core locations.

Scale 1:50000

BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE Key Features: • Point of ecological interest and relevance at the junction between the natural water course of river Lambro and the re opening of Navigli-artificial canal • The landscape along river Lambro results more natural whereas along the canal develops in a more built and artificial environment • Some irrigation canals are still open but most of them has been put underground or drained to leave space to the urban development • Delicate area because of flooding especially along Lambro river • Presence of water treatment plants and waste barrier

REGIONAL

Scale 1:125000

Key Features: • Urban fabric slightly permeated by the presence of waterways, only underground canals present • Direct contact with railway belt ring between Naviglio Grande, Naviglio Pavese and Naviglio Martesana • Contact between city and Naviglio Grande, Naviglio Pavese and Naviglio Martesana more anthropic • River Lambro and Lambro Meridionale more natural contact with co-presence of greenery • Presence of the Lambro river with natural presence also leading to small and medium-sized ponds

RAILWAY BELT

Scale 1:50000

LEGEND Cycleway Roads Main roads Highway Railway network

TRANSPORT The city of Milan is built around circles. A reference point for urban planning and a historical legacy of the city’s evolution. The transportation system is made up of three primary components. • The public roadways (shared by vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and trams) • The railway and the highways • An underground subway On a municipal scale, the latter two are the principal routes into and out of the city. Although it has a little footprint in the landscape, an underground subway is also part of the network. Its development has an influence on the scenery.

REGIONAL

Scale 1:125000

LEGEND Cycleway Roads Main roads Highway Railway network Railway stations Metro network Metro stations Tram network Tram stations Abandoned areas

Key Features: • • • •

The area of interest is highly accessible and well connected The infrastructure is developed at the scale of the city and at the scale of the territory Circle line makes the main spots connected without making the city crowded Many access points of different scale and importance, relate the different transportation infrastructures between themselves creating a consolidated system • Railway belt is not a continuous journey, it is fragmented having as its final destination the railway stations in interest: Milano Certosa, Milano Lambrate, Porta Romana and San Cristoforo

RAILWAY BELT

Scale 1:50000

CONNECTIONS The city fabric is divided by the railway line, visually and physically. The most problematic parts are the railway yards, huge spaces of mostly empty train tracks. Furthermore, there are few bridges on the navigli which is the reason for more separation. The absence of connections in the southern part of the railway belt is more pronounced. A division that is even more marked due to the presence of the Naviglio Grande and Lambro Meridionale. Most connections take place transversely to the railway belt and in the two-way direction.

Scale 1:50000

BARRIERS Key Features: • Except for the west side of Milan, the city is surrounded on three sides by a circular line. Because the railway line runs through elevated land in several parts of the city, particularly near the Lambrate river, vehicle and pedestrian connections are disrupted, and people must travel further to reach the opposite side of the belt. There are very few roads crossing in the area near San Cristoforo where the Navigli flows parallel to the railway. This means that some form of development is required to address the problem • This barrier, which is visible on this map, is not just stopping human movement but also ecological growth at some points

Scalo Farini

Scalo Greco-Pirelli

Scalo Lambrate

Scalo Porta Romana

Scalo Porta Genova

Scalo San Cristoforo

LEGEND Commercial Industrial Brownfield Degraded areas Agricultural fields Cascinas Public and private service facilities Technological systems Airport

BUILT-UP

Houses Hospitals Cemeteries Construction sites

Key Features: • • • •

Starting from the city center numerous presence of degraded areas Continuing in a circularly we can see the numerous points of new construction in progress Band that also includes most of the industries and technological services Agricultural fields and farmsteads located outside the city, visible limit from where they start after the band of industries

Sport and leisure activities Obliterated military areas Railway network

REGIONAL

Scale 1:125000

LEGEND Commercial Industrial Brownfield Degraded areas Agricultural fields Cascinas Public and private service facilities Technological systems Airport Houses Hospitals Cemeteries Construction sites

Key Features: • • • •

The density of the built environment fades out toward the rural periphery The area is prevalently commercial and doesn’t lack in services and facilities Mixed presence of important big companies and small businesses The more industrial area is located outside the boudaries of the axis and it is prevalently developed • The area is also rich of educational, cultural and religious buildings

Sport and leisure activities Obliterated military areas Railway network

RAILWAY BELT

MILANO CERTOSA

LAMBRATE

PORTA ROMANA SAN CRISTOFORO

Scale 1:50000

SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS Key Features: • Because of the variety of the built environment functions, the local community is rich of different ethnicities, age groups and social classes • The local community is active and the area attracts a lot of people from other areas of Milan towards the city center because of its connectivity and recreational facilities • Because of the mixture of different uses, well spread and integrated, it can be said that the area is active 24/7 all year round • The area is also rich of educational, cultural and religious buildings

Scale 1:50000

LEGEND Commercial Industrial Brownfield Degraded areas Agricultural fields Cascinas Public and private service facilities Technological systems Airport

SYNTHESIS MAP

Houses Railway network Highway Main roads Metro network

After combining all the analyses, one can clearly see the relationship between the green and water systems around the railway belt and their overlap. Another clear theme is the relationship between the highway, the railway belt and the industrial areas. In a total band of 500 m on both sides along the railway belt it can be seen what happens in the proximity: prevailing concentration of industrial and commercial activities, homogeneous urban fabric, presence of abandoned areas. Railway belt as a division also of the sector from tertiary in the city centre to secondary beyond the railway lines. There is also a notable absence of services along the San Cristoforo part of the station.

Scale 1:50000

SWOT ANALYSIS Taking stock of the situation, we tried to make a survey for strategic planning to evaluate all categories in interest. Notable and most important for our strategy is the category of infrastructure, which offers many opportunities but unfortunately the current state has only few advantages. An environment that envelops and connects our railway belt is also a great opportunity to be exploited to aspire and achieve the goal of a greener and more sustainable Milan.

Systemic analysis of the axis, with a focus on urban and ecological systems

Policy Documents

Exisitng railway line and spaces at the seven abandoned yards

Green corridor passing along the circle Green Spaces lane and can be connected along the railway belt

Water

Transport

Built-Up

Well connectivity and Green grey connection along the lane

Not well connected green patches

More sustainable green spaces insisde the Decreasing the heritage value of city landscapes

Existing water network connections

Contamination and floods due to urbanisation

Reopening of Navigli have the pottential to Due to urban growth, the land value make the urban area strengthen in blue increasing rapidly infrastructure

Transport through the city and further by different means of transport

Use disused railway and metro stations. Uncoordinated and discontinuous transport Large number of people who could only between the various means in the city use public transport to move through the city

Urban fabric rich in opportunities and services

Dense but disconnected city fabric. Almost Attracting ways and plans to redevelop the Dense residential urban fabric that is non-existent gap between urban fabric and city and degraded areas towards becoming even more dense leaving no agricultural area sustainability space for green areas

Because of the variety of the built Socio-Cultural environment functions, the local community is rich of different ethnicities, aspects age groups and social classes.

Noise and traffic in many urban centres

If the public service does not make it possible to get through the city efficiently and quickly, there is a preference for and increased use of the car and consequent noise and air pollution.

The local community is active and the area attracts a lot of people from other areas of Migration towards other parts of Italy milano towards the city center because of its connectivity and recreational facilities.

By localising the evaluation of all categories of the systemic analysis we can see that the shape of our railway belt is a great junction point in almost every part for the rest of the region and is easily accessible from the city centre along its entire length. Industrial areas near the railway line are a good opportunity to exploit for new services and renaturisation. There are many points where parks and regional parks approach or meet, creating natural spots with biodiversity but threatened by air and noise pollution.

Scale 1:50000

CONCLUSION The landscape ecology can be divided into green and blue. The blue infrastructure can be found on the east as the Lambro river. Also, to the west, south west as a system of navigli and canals. The blue ecosystems are an a bad condition because of pollution and separation. The green infrastructure around Milan is scattered and need to be connected. Large core areas are often isolated by the urban fabric. There are also a lot of smaller green areas along the railway circle line, which connected, can form a larger green corridor. This corridor also intersects and comes close to blue ecosystems which can together create a wider array of Nature-based Solutions.

Scale 1:50000

03 THE NEXUS BETWEEN URBAN CHALLENGES – ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS

ISSUES IDENTIFIED Most of the issues on the railway overlap, such as air and noise pollution. The big problem are the brownfields and water pollution near the river and canals. Division of the city because of not enough passages is also an issue near the railway stations. Major parks and regional parks together with waterways are located outside the city centre as if blocked and unable to pass the railway belt. Connections through railway belt with bridges and zero interest in green corridors.

Scale 1:50000

CHALLENGES The challenges for the Railway circle line can be summarized in three categories: Climate issues, Disconnection, Pollution. They can further be divided and made more specific with some of them overlapping. With our proposal, we try to address all challenges by proposing a single, multifaceted proposal.

STRATEGY Our strategy is to create a new ecological corridor along the Railway line. This is done in a few steps, firstly we make the railway line favorable for biodiversity and connection with the green areas, but also providing passages for people. Then we connect this with the existing blue corridors to close the gap to the west and further connect it to the rural landscape. We plan to achieve this through the implementation of different NBS.

Scale 1:50000

SDG The current situation of the world drives us to further emphasis our designs with the SDG challenges to contribute to the sustainable development of communities. For this, the project must address the targets that suits its local context. The focus is on the well-being of the human while co-existing with the species that once drove off by the expansion of the city. The intervention must take in to account the urban character and complexity of the area.

Focuses on: • 6. Considering water, it was decided to protect and preserve everything concerning man’s relationship with it but also for biodiversity by increasing quality and reducing pollutants, especially along the navigli. • 15. Great importance was attributed to the relationship with the soil by reducing the degradation of the natural environment as well as the soil itself even in some parts of the city. • 11 - 13. Considerable attention has been given to the city as a whole, as a community trying to ensure a near future where the quality of life improves with more accessibility to transport, as well as to green spaces. Aiming at an increasingly sustainable future by implementing resilience considering climate effects. • 3 - 9. Good health is the basis for a high quality of life. Therefore, it is also important to improve infrastructure and to be more careful about the consequences of harmful chemicals.

Scale 1:50000

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES The SDG’s Challenges will be addressed through the ecosystem services chosen. Assuring their inclusion in our Green and Blue infrastructure plan, and then in the project, will ensure its success in terms of contributing to global sustainability challenges as well as local ecological. Milan, like many other cities, suffers from pollution, limited biodiversity, and the built environment, which contributes to the heat island effect, as well as the railway belt, which acts as a barrier to the entire urban region. These ecological services will aid in the mitigation of these problems. Out of the ecosystem services, our crew was able to identify 11 of them. CO2 and air filtration, food, heat island regulation, soil purification, water, pollination, water regulation, photosynthesis, recreation & tourism, and mental & physical wellness will all be areas of focus. These services will be prioritized over others, but other services may be impacted and enhanced as a result.

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS The chosen NBS’ make an overall reference of solutions to implement quality from different points of view. Open green spaces for a greater quantity but at the same time quality of living spaces for the community. Green corridors as a resilient solution for different issues for the city, increasing environmental benefits together with urban forestry. Raised beds as a solution to urban farming that can be profitable and a social opportunity in the city. Then a series of water related solutions for how to deal with flooding and water pollution. And a series of solutions considered to be implemented on buildings.

MESO SCALE

Ecological forest corridors

Green railway belt

MICRO SCALE

River and stream renaturation Community garden

NANO SCALE

Urban forest Natural play grounds

Rive

Ecological forest corridors

Green railway belt

MICRO SCALE

River and stream renaturation

Community garden

Urban forest

Natural play grounds

NANO SCALE

River flood plain Greening streets

Retention ponds Green roof and green facade

Green railway belt Community garden

River and stream renaturation Natural play grounds

Urban forest River flood plain

Greening streets Natural play grounds

Green roof and green facade River flood plain

Bio windows or bio curtains Retention ponds

Green roof and green facade line Green barricade along the railway

Bio windows or bio curtains Moss walls with seating

Algae canopies and pavillions

NANO SCALE

04 RE-NATURING SAN CRISTOFORO

STRENGHTS Green areas around the site area Parco Agricolo Sud Riparian vegetation along water canals Blue areas around the site area Naviglio Grande and Lambro Meridionale Wind corridor

SWOT

WEAKNESSES Industrial areas

Railway line Pedestrian access to the site area

A more focused assessment of the situation in our project area was carried out. Major assets such as the Parco Agricolo Sud and the surrounding vegetation are blocked by barriers such as the railway line and the Naviglio Grande. The area has a substantial presence of pollutants of which water, soil and acoustics are the main sources. However, the area presents many opportunities such as the future M4 metro station and the building in the project area.

OPPORTUNITIES Cycle an pedestrian path along Naviglio Grande

M4 SEIMILANO

New metro station M4 New residential area, project by Mario Cucinella Architects San Cristoforo Railway Station , project by Aldo Rossi

THREATS Water pollution Soil pollution Acoustic pollution Flooding risk

SEIMILANO

M4 M4

CONCEPTUAL DIAGRAMS

CREATING A GREEN SPINE AND BUFFER ZONE

CREATE ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIONS

REOPEN AND EXPAND THE RIVER

CREATING AN ATTRACTOR

STRATEGY

Legend:

MASTERPLAN

17 16 15 14 1

8 7 6

2 3

5 3

Scale 1:5000

3 1 1

2 2

METRO STATION FOCUS

VERTICAL PURIFIER FOCUS

1. Metro station 2. Phytodepuration island 3. Ever flowering island

1. Vertical purifier 2. Anphytheatre

4 3 2

1 1

HILL FOCUS

RIVER EXPANSION FOCUS

1. Artificial hill 2. Green bridge connection

1. Noise barrier 2. Railway 3. River Lambro Meridionale

Legend: Noise barrier River daylighting and retention Algae Research Center Urban Forest

NBS Specific NBS were designed for targeted action for various issues in our project area. Starting with the presence of the railway along the entire length of our area a specific action against noise pollution was taken. Then two different watercourses intersecting at two different levels make the area vulnerable to flooding, so a solution was thought of to counter it. And then two buildings with two different functions: the first a research centre for algae as a new technology together with moss for greater carbon sequestration, and the other a tower as a landmark but above all as a filtering system for pollutants. Both use these two new technologies as part of the building’s composition.

Tree Lined Streets Vertical Purifier

NBS MAP

NOISE BARRIER

RIVER DAYLIGHTING AND RETENTION

ALGAE RESEARCH CENTER

VERTICAL PURIFIER

URBAN FOREST

TREE LINED STREETS