The Bergamo 2.035 project continues — an interdisciplinary research initiative promoted by the University of Bergamo and Fondazione Pesenti, with scientific collaboration from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and in partnership with the Municipality of Bergamo.
Research theme for the 2017 academic year: urban safety.
The course Responsive Environments: city eMOTION looks to the future of the built environment from the perspective of “responsive” technology, with a strong focus on sustainability and the longevity of environments and objects capable of actively interacting with people.
The program examines the future of the built environment through innovative applications of augmented reality technology, emphasizing sustainability and the durability of environments and objects that can actively engage with users.
At the core of the research program is the human being and their environment, spanning from the micro scale (body sensors, development of smart products) to the macro scale (buildings with enhanced functionalities, computerized infrastructures, communication networks).
New models, technologies, and techniques are explored for designing innovative architectural spaces, systems, interfaces, and “responsive” environments.
The research conducted during the course addresses the challenges related to integrating digital technologies into cities, exploring opportunities and impacts on the spatial structure of the built environment and the experience of citizens within the urban context—both physical and virtual.
Key research questions include:
1. What is the impact of digital technology on the experience of the built environment?
2. What transformations will the new spatial intelligence of cities promote?
3. How can “responsive” environments facilitate the creation of new forms of interaction with the city?
4. How can the mechanisms and operational dynamics of existing urban environments promptly respond to the needs of users and contexts?
Urban Safety
With a focus on the city of Bergamo, this year’s main research theme is urban safety, addressing the relationship between the objective measurement of safety indicators in urban environments and the subjective perception of safety in both physical and digital spaces.
The course ultimately aims to investigate the complex interaction between user behavior and new technologies in “responsive” urban contexts, opening the door to new, unexpected research and design opportunities, generating stimuli and solutions for innovative urban development at multiple scales.
In this regard, Bergamo — a typical medium-sized European city — offers an ideal case study for pilot interventions that can be replicated in other urban contexts.
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