Course description
The course focuses on cities considered as complex systems where natural, socio-economic and built environments co-evolve. Through interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches (economics, environmental sciences, urban planning, political science, etc.), it aims at exploring how cities work and change in terms of configurations of people, places and activities, as well as infrastructures and building projects, assuming a general framework of sustainable development.
The purpose of this course is threefold:
1) to provide students with the basic concepts and theories relevant to understanding the major forces that drive the changes and challenges affecting cities in the current era of global change;
2) to familiarize students with the range of planning instruments, approaches and governance arrangements involved in the contemporary urban policy-making process (comprehensive plans, strategic plans, mega-events, mega-projects, culture-led urban development, bottom-up social initiatives, etc.);
3) to introduce students to the most relevant tools, methods and frameworks for the analysis of contemporary urban challenges (public policy analysis and Geographic Information Systems).
The course is divided into three modules.
Module 1 (Feb 26 - Mar 28) introduces students - from a theoretical perspective - to cities, global changes, urbanization processes and planning policies. Module 2 (Apr 2 - Apr 18) introduces students to the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a fundamental tool for analysing, mapping and communicating researches on complex places. Thanks to a small Digital Lab, participants will learn how to manipulate raster and vector images, as well as contextualize historical and current statistical data and cartography. In module 3 (Apr 30 - May 30) students will be introduced to the case-study; the module is structured as a real design workshop experience where students will acquire practical skills through the analysis of selected challenging “hot-spots” within the Municipality of Venice, where over the last years conflicts among residents and tourists have become particularly evident. Students will be organized in work groups and from the very start of the module they will work together with the aim of critically investigating the underlying complexity of the area, as well as proposing policy initiatives aimed at balancing the residents’ needs with those of tourists.
Guided field trips will be organized in order to let the students become familiar with the case-study and profit from specific meetings with the relevant stakeholders involved in the planning and management of the area; in addition, guest speakers will be invited to give lectures on issues related to the topics addressed in the course.

Requirements
Students are expected to do the required readings and to attend class regularly, as attendance is compulsory (maximum 15% absence is allowed, see VIU Program Regulations). Required readings will be designated on a weekly basis according to the themes listed in the course outline.
Given their different countries of origins and backgrounds, students are encouraged to participate and discuss actively during the lessons in order to enhance a regular exchange of points of view, ideas and perspectives.
With reference to the development of the case-study, continuous tutoring will be offered by the professors.
The use of any kind of phones, tablets and computers (if not explicitly required by the professor) is strictly prohibited during the class hours.
Penalty grades will be assigned to students who fail to observe these rules. This means that unexcused absences, lateness, low participation in class discussion, disrupting classes and the use of technological devices if not required will reduce the final grade.

Exams
Two evaluations will take place during the course:
1. Mid-term evaluation: an individual in-class written test based on open questions concerning the lessons of module 1 (Apr 18);
2. Final evaluation: the presentation/discussion of the group works (May 30) and the individual submission of a paper (10.000 characters including spaces) with a personal investigation/reflection on specific issues addressed in the group works (paper to be submitted by May 30, 6 pm).

Students will have the chance of taking the exam just once and not have the possibility of taking the exam on alternative dates.

Evaluation method
• Group work: 40/100;
• Individual written test: 50/100 (30 points on intermediate and 20 points on final);
• Attendance/class participation/interaction: 10/100.

Course timing

There are 2 lessons per week (90 minutes each).
Schedule for lessons: Tuesday and Thursday 17.00 – 18.30.

A field trip to the study areas will be organised, possibly on May 10.

Course outline

Module 1 (Feb 26 - Mar 28)

Tuesday, February 26
Course introduction
Matteo Basso, Margherita Turvani

Thursday, February 28
Urbanization and formation of cities
Matteo Basso
References: S. Kim, “Urbanization”, The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, Second Edition.

Tuesday, March 5
Global cities
Matteo Basso
References: Begg I. (1999). Cities and Competitiveness, in “Urban Studies”, May, 36, pp. 795-809; Sassen S. (1991). The global city: New York, London, Tokyo, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, pp. 3-15; Moulaert F., Rodriguez A. and Swyngedouw E. (eds) (2005). The globalized city: economic restructuring and social polarization in European cities, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 1-7.

Thursday, March 7
The birth of urban planning (mid XIX century)
Matteo Basso
References: Hall P. (2002). Cities of tomorrow: an intellectual history of urban planning and design in the Twentieth Century,3th edition, Malden, Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 218-261.

Tuesday, March 12
The consolidation of urban planning (1945-1970)
Matteo Basso
References: Hall P. (2002). Cities of tomorrow: an intellectual history of urban planning and design in the Twentieth Century,3th edition, Malden, Oxford: Blackwell.

Thursday, March 14
The crisis of urban planning (since 1970)
Matteo Basso
References: Hall P. (2002). Cities of tomorrow: an intellectual history of urban planning and design in the Twentieth Century, 3th edition, Malden, Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 343-361.

Tuesday, March 19
Goals, approaches and tools of urban policy since 1980 (mega-projects, mega-events, culture-led urban development) - 1
Matteo Basso
References: Chalkley B. and Essex S. (1999). Urban development through hosting international events: a history of the Olympic Games, in Planning perspective, 14(4), pp. 369-394.

Thursday, March 21
Goals, approaches and tools of urban policy since 1980 (mega-projects, mega-events, culture-led urban development) - 2
Matteo Basso
References: Flyvbjerg B., Bruzelius N. and Rothengatter W. (2003). Megaprojects and risk. An anatomy of ambition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1-10; Altshuler A.A. and Luberoff D. (2003). Mega-projects. The changing politics of urban public investment, Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, pp. 844.

Tuesday, March 26
Climate change and the city
Guest-speaker: dr. Filippo Magni (IUAV)
References: material provided by the guest-speaker

Thursday, March 28
New goals, approaches and tools of urban development
Matteo Basso + ETCV (guest-speaker)
References: material provided by the professor and the guest-speaker

Module 2 (Apr 2 - Apr 18)

Tuesday, April 2
Economics & cities
Margherita Turvani
References: S. Kim, “Urbanization”, The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, Second Edition.

Thursday, April 4
GIS Digital Lab
Matteo Basso
References: material provided by the professor

Tuesday, April 9
GIS Digital Lab
Matteo Basso
References: material provided by the professor

Thursday, April 11
Tourism and the city -1
Guest-speaker: prof. Mara Manente (CISET)
References: material provided by the professor

Tuesday, April 16
Tourism and the city - 2
Guest-speaker: dr. Sabrina Meneghello (CISET)
References: material provided by the professor

Thursday, April 18
In-class written test (mid-term exam)

Mid-term break (April 22-26)

Module 3 (Apr 30 - May 30)

Tuesday, April 30
Introduction to the study areas + the public policy analysis approach
Matteo Basso
References: material provided by the professor

Thursday, May 2
GIS Digital Lab
Matteo Basso
References: material provided by the professor

Tuesday, May 7
Design workshop
Matteo Basso, Margherita Turvani

Thursday, May 9
Design workshop
Matteo Basso, Margherita Turvani

Friday, May 10
Field-trip to the study areas
Matteo Basso

Tuesday, May 14
In-class first revision of work groups
Matteo Basso

Thursday, May 16
Design workshop
Matteo Basso

Tuesday, May 21
Design workshop
Matteo Basso

Thursday, May 23
Design workshop
Matteo Basso

Friday, May 24
Final in-class revision of group works
Matteo Basso

Thursday, May 30
Final in-class presentation of group works
Matteo Basso, Margherita Turvani