Towards an Inclusive City-System And User's-Oriented Interventions: Udine (IT), a Case Study

The contribution proposes methodologies and strategies for a conscious and inclusive urban planning. It anticipates some experimental results related to the urban fabric of the city of Udine (Italy). The purpose of the research is to recognize the multiple needs of different categories of users and to offer design strategies for social and sustainable development, allowing the access and use to services “for all”, fairly and without creating diversity. In fact, the word equity differs from equality: the fair project distributes services to a specific type of user in an uneven, but rightly measured way. The proposed approach is based on the Human-Centered Design, where the attention is shifted from the concept of “user” to the concept of “person”, who participates directly in the analysis and in the design processes. The pilot research - carried out on a sector of the city - is divided into two phases: a first quantitative mapping and a second qualitative analysis connected to the participation of users with different abilities and ages. The first phase recognizes the intended use of buildings on the road section and localizes on the cartography ramps and pedestrian crossings while reporting – objectively - the critical issues of urban accessibility. In the second phase, users with kinetic, and vision difficulties have been involved. The participating subjects walk the streets of the designated blocks and - subjectively - signal and evaluate the critical issues and barriers that they encounter. The interpolations of the objective and subjective data acquired lead to the definition of incremental design strategies retraining accessible routes and urban connection through an inclusive urban planning. This should be considered in social, economic, and environmental terms and pursued through universal architectural design strategies, aimed at improving the city, which belongs to everyone.