Mass and lightness: urban quality along the Aurelian Walls in Rome. Walking through walls

Abstract

This study focuses on the system of the Aurelian Walls with reference to Rome’s regulatory plan, which indicates its role as green infrastructure in service of the areas adjacent to the historical centre of Rome. A proposal is made to reinforce the system with an environmental focus as an opportunity to regenerate open spaces for interaction, using the mass of the walls as an environmental device as well as a memory and symbol of historical Rome. The objective is to reuse the wall as an urban contour line to generate humidity and thermal comfort by virtue of the insertion of green elements and functional devices in areas of the city pervaded by stone, cement, and asphalt.

Keywords

• Climate change
• Outdoor comfort
• Urban heat island
• Urban regeneration