Design for climate change. Landscape's strategies for Rome's adaptation

The paper will show the progress of some ongoing research on the climate adaptation of Rome in the Department of Architecture and Design of Sapienza, in collaboration with the High National School of Architecture Paris-La Villette (Research Team « Architecture, Milieu, Paysage ») and with the Climate Office of Rome. Research's aim is to define landscape design strategies to support Rome's climate adaptation, through interventions that root in the contexts, integrating cultural, social, environmental, and climatic differences of a complex and historically stratified city like Rome. The recognition of different urban parts is significant in relation to the climate crisis, according to different climate footprints, vulnerabilities and risks (environmental, social, cultural) and above all different possibilities for action and reduction of local and indirectly global climate impact. The differences in climatic behaviour of the different parts of the city are assumed as possible drivers of local adaptation measures, suited to the contexts, going beyond generic and standardized measures. Fundamental element of the research is the transdisciplinary approach. It keeps together the environmental, cultural, economic and social dimensions defining effective strategies from a technical point of view (through targets and measurable indicators useful for monitoring the results) without forgetting the spatial and aesthetic quality, to trigger processes of empowerment, education, community training and involvement. Research's innovation also lies on overcoming neutral measures, adopting a pro-active approach. Landscape project, is herefore taken as a tool to overcome playing defence, using only restrictions, mitigations and compensations. It's about playing offense, implementing the recent Nature Restoration Law (June 2024) promoting recovery of biodiversity and resilient nature, restoring degraded ecosystems, even urban ones, limiting local (and global) warming, preventing natural disasters. The multidisciplinary research group collaborates with the institutions that are working on the Rome Climate Plan (“Climate" Office of Rome) and research institutes responsible for climate monitoring on a national scale (National Environmental Information System Service_ISPRA Institute for Protection and Environmental Research). Development and monitoring of the social and perceptive impact of new cultural aesthetic values connected to climate adaption measures are developed in collaboration with the AMP-ENSA of Paris la Villette PLV - in Paris