Città Giardino Aniene. A persistent experience of quality in urban design.

Pandemic has enlightened unsuitability of strict urban models in giving response to an alternative way of living. In particular, the arising demand of quality in domestic and collective spaces calls for a new understanding of the future urban form. Moving from the case-study “Città Giardino Aniene by Gustavo Giovannoni, 1924”, our paper inquires the settling principles of this urban expansion experience. Most specifically, we will focus on the theory of “ambientismo” and argue that revaluating the relationship between building typologies and urban morphology could be a right star- ting point to deal with the emerging urban mutations. The project stemmed from the dwelling emergency after the first world war and delineated a new expansion gripped on the historical urban centre. Despite its assumptions, the proposal represented a qualitative response rather than a quantitative one and was based on a service system, a large public park and a low-density urban structure. We will focus on the endured built excerpts of the original project to retrace the role of the three elements above-mentioned over their changing process up to the present time. In particular, we will deepen the spaces between built and non-built, considering the social scenario around. Through this analysis, we want to point out the importance of a qualitative approach in urban design, which is fundamental to recognize the identity value of a part of the city plot. Thereby, we aim at fostering the debate on this relevant topic for contemporary studies and suggesting a possible reading key in urban transformation.