Italian Piazze: Models for Public Outdoor Space in Sustainable Communities
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Western Washington University Western CEDAR WWU Graduate School Collection WWU Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarship 2013 Italian piazze: models for public outdoor space in sustainable communities Mark K. (Mark Kevan) Pederson Western Washington University Follow this and additional works at: https://cedar.wwu.edu/wwuet Part of the Geography Commons Recommended Citation Pederson, Mark K. (Mark Kevan), "Italian piazze: models for public outdoor space in sustainable communities" (2013). WWU Graduate School Collection. 266. https://cedar.wwu.edu/wwuet/266 This Masters Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the WWU Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarship at Western CEDAR. It has been accepted for inclusion in WWU Graduate School Collection by an authorized administrator of Western CEDAR. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ................................................................................................................................................ Italian Piazze: Models for Public Outdoor Space in Sustainable Communities By Mark K. Pederson Accepted in Partial Completion Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science ________________________ Kathleen L. Kitto, Dean of the Graduate School ADVISORY COMMITTEE ________________________ Chair, Dr. Nicholas C. Zaferatos ________________________ Dr. Gigi Berardi ________________________ Dr. Paul A. Stangl ............................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................ MASTER’S THESIS In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s degree at Western Washington University, I grant to Western Washington University the non‐exclusive royalty‐free right to archive, reproduce, distribute, and display the thesis in any and all forms, including electronic format, via any digital library mechanisms maintained by WWU. I represent and warrant this is my original work, and does not infringe or violate any rights of others. I warrant that I have obtained written permissions from the owner of any third party copyrighted material included in these files. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of this work, including but not limited to the right to use all or part of this work in future works, such as articles or books. Library users are granted permission for individual, research and non‐commercial reproduction of this work for educational purposes only. Any further digital posting of this document requires specific permission from the author. Any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, is not allowed without my written permission. Mark K. Pederson February 15, 2013 ............................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................ Italian Piazze: Models for Public Outdoor Space in Sustainable Communities A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Western Washington University In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Mark K. Pederson 15 February, 2013 ............................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................ Abstract .............................................................................................................................................. Fundamental to the design of sustainable neighborhood spatial units, is an understanding of the relationship between sustainability, public outdoor space, and the production of social capital. Thoughtful and purposefully designed public outdoor space can act as a venue for the production of social capital essential for resilient and sustainable communities. The morphology of a public outdoor space plays a critical role in its success as effective infrastructure for the development of community social capital. This research is concerned with urban public outdoor space and the identification and analysis of the spatial and morphological features which maximize the social utility of that space. These design variables are examined through the physical analysis of a regional group of exemplary Italian piazze. In this study, the U. S. Green Building Council’s L.E.E.D. for Neighborhood Development Rating System is critically examined and suggestions are made for modifications to its treatment of public outdoor spaces. Preliminarily, the underlying structure of the LEED ND, in regard to the criteria’s typology of public outdoor space, is examined and suggestions made for its strengthening. With that typology in place, a systematically selected sample of Italian piazze is used as prototypical of those physical characteristics seen as fundamental to effective public outdoor space. This research focuses on the criticality of planar dimension as a basis for operative pubic outdoor space design. Also important to a comprehensive understanding of spatial design is the inclusion of other morphological features that contribute to effective public outdoor space. These additional attributes, corner morphology, sectional proportion and planar area, are also examined and evaluated. Specific recommendations are made for improvements in the LEED ND criteria based on the developed typology and the analysis of the shared physical features of the selected piazze. Particular attention is given to those elements in the morphology of effective public outdoor space directly related to the human perceptual experience. ............................................................................................................................................... C o m m u n i t i e s iv ................................................................................................................................................ Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................................. Abstract ..................................................................................... iv Research Problem ........................................................................ 1 Research Methodology .................................................................. 8 Social Capital and Public Outdoor Space ........................................ 12 The LEED N. D. Rating System and Public Outdoor Space ................ 15 The Concept of Public Outdoor Space through History ..................... 21 The History of the Theory of Proportion and Dimension ................... 31 A Modern Theory of Public Outdoor Space Design ........................... 43 The Italian Piazze ....................................................................... 47 The Theoretical Framework ......................................................... 69 Planar Area ............................................................................... 71 Planar Proportion ....................................................................... 75 Planar Dimension ....................................................................... 79 Corner Morphology ..................................................................... 85 Sectional Proportion ................................................................... 90 Theoretical Conclusions ............................................................... 96 Recommendations for Modifications to the LEED ND Criteria ............ 99 Bibliography ............................................................................ 107 Figure Attributions .................................................................... 114 ............................................................................................................................................... C o m m u n i t i e s v ................................................................................................................................................ List of Maps ............................................................................................................................................... Italy Piazze Locations ...... 01 Italy Piazze Locations Detail ...... 02 ............................................................................................................................................... List of Piazze Planar Drawing and Data Sheets ............................................................................................................................................... Piazza Drawings and Data ...... 01-09 ............................................................................................................................................... List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................... Initial Piazze List ...... 01 Piazze Final Study Selections Notations and Geographic Data ...... 02 Piazze Citation Sources ...... 03 Piazze Rank Planar Area ...... 04 Planar Area Frequency ...... 05 Piazze