The past and future of the Tiber river: urban and infrastructure transformation

This paper analyses the relationship between the infrastructures, the settlement system and the Tiber River course, it means between infrastructures and landscape. The selected sample area is within the Metropolitan City of Rome, in particular in the Municipality of Monterotondo. The area chosen for the project is located near the river and enhances the role of public space in the “Monterotondo Scalo” area, an urban settlement between two major infrastructures that take on a critical role, namely the Salaria Road - identified as a public space as a sort of commercial road - and the Tiber River - not visually perceptible but invasive with its floods that make the impassable road artery. The project strategy consists in defining a "connective" relationship between the urban centres and the natural green areas, which can become basic elements for the revision of the urban plan. The main aim is to enhance the territory in its landscape and to put all resources in a network of widespread public use. The specific aims consist in analysing the Resources and Values of the area; identifying suitable tools for a successful process; promoting effective communication techniques for stakeholder involvement and setting up positive relationship between urban and river land. The enhancement of the landscape values of this case-study focused attention on the concept of the re-appropriation of places under the European Landscape Convention. Moreover, for all proposals two kinds of evaluation process can be set up: “in itinere”, through the regular supervision of process progress and coherence, and “ex post”, through a questionnaire on the consistency between forecasts, proposals and process implementation.