Precision Wildland Designing Third Landscape Within the Smart City

Abstract

In the context of a Smart City, shifting from its traditional narrative, technology may be intertwined with nature to preserve biodiversity and manage the reclamation of the abandoned spaces, where spontaneous nature thrives. To do so, is proposed the concept of Precision Wildland, thus similarly to what is done with precision agriculture, the informal landscape is mapped, managed, emphasized and ultimately tested in a precise context, the one of railyards redevelopment.

The need for reconsidering this practice is given by the increasing relevance around Europe of former closed-off sites, habitats for undisturbed nature, now open for redevelopment interest.

The end goal is to elaborate a proposal that promotes an open-end result, not pushing for a precise outcome but with a precise approach towards the existing, adjusting and reacting to the unfolding of the site’s development. To achieve this it is deemed crucial the understanding of the site condition and changes through the aid of digital technologies and tools.

Ultimately is proposed a redefinition of the redevelopment process and design, avoiding the complete destruction of existing nature during the construction phase and allowing instead the coexistence of spontaneous nature and formal design, defining their interaction in the in-between spaces and foreseeing different degrees of intervention and ways to design with the unexpected.

Keywords: Smart city, Informal landscape, Railway yards