Monica Moscatelli

Decommissioned airfields are increasingly recognized as strategic sites for ecological regeneration, climate adaptation, and the creation of new public spaces. However, research on their transformation has predominantly focused on the environmental performance of Nature-based Solutions (NBS), often overlooking the role of inherited spatial morphology in structuring regeneration processes and outcomes. This paper proposes an AI-assisted, morphology-based proto-ontological framework for analyzing and designing post-airfield architecture. The framework was developed through the inductive and comparative analysis of a corpus of 32 urban post-airfield regeneration projects, from which recurrent inherited morphologies, transformation actions, spatial devices, and NBS were identified and structured into a relational sequence. The framework was then applied to two contrasting case studies: Maurice Rose Airfield Park (Frankfurt) and Xuhui Runway Park (Shanghai); these were selected for their different transformation logics. The results show that similar airfield morphologies can generate markedly different climatic, ecological, social, and memory-related outcomes depending on how they are transformed and linked to NBS. The study demonstrates that inherited airfield morphologies are not passive remnants but operative spatial structures, and that NBS should be understood as spatially embedded and form-generating design components. The proposed proto-ontology offers a transferable analytical model and a basis for future computational and generative design applications.

The regeneration of urban streetscapes through Nature-based Solutions is crucial for achieving climate neutrality and resilience. However, design research is limited to date and needs to impact current design and planning practices. Ongoing research attempts to go beyond present gaps to define an operational methodology and guidelines to mainstream streetscape’s climate-resilient nature-based regeneration. The research adopts a Research-by-Design approach, structured in three integrative phases: (i) Research of Design, (ii) Research through Design, (iii) Research for Design. The contribution will go through the first two phases by applying and cross-testing the operational methodology in two neighbourhoods in Matera, Italy and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Heritage plays a pivotal role in sustainable tourism development along pilgrimage and historical routes, shaping the identity and character of these places. This study aims to investigate the relationship between heritage and tourism along the Darb Zubaydah pilgrimage route in Saudi Arabia, exploring strategies for developing sustainable tourism that preserves cultural and natural heritage while promoting local economies and community engagement. This research employs a mixed-method approach, integrating data collection and observational research along the Darb Zubaydah route, the main historic Hajj pilgrimage route connecting Kufa in Iraq to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. The chosen case study is analyzed through four heritage sustainable criteria: cultural, environmental, spatial, and economic development, through a cross-sectional analysis of the aspects related to safety measures and risk management. The results demonstrate that including the four criteria in the development of the pilgrimage route leads to defining strategic solutions to enhance this tourist trail for pilgrims, promoting the cultural landscape and heritage by strengthening the sense of identity via a sustainable approach. This study wants to contribute to Vision 2030 to enhance the development of tourism by revitalizing the Islamic, Arab, and national cultural heritage, offering insights into sustainable tourism practices that can be applied to other cultural routes globally.

In a dynamic era of architectural innovation, Saudi Arabia is pioneering a unique approach to preserving its rich heritage. By integrating traditional Saudi architecture into 3D-printed structures, the nation is forging a path that harmoniously blends the past and the future. This paper aims to show the potential of 3D printing in incorporating aspects of the local culture into construction. Through an analysis of the literature review, this research selected three international case studies to analyze how cultural identity has been integrated and how it evolved into buildings through 3D printing technology. The results demonstrate that aligning 3D printing with authentic local cultural identity can significantly improve the built environment. This direction favors a synthesis between sustainability and cultural heritage, giving rise to the creation of innovative architectural structures that are rooted in the territory at the same time. This cultural reflection in innovative architecture aims to lead Saudi Arabia to reflect on the importance of its heritage while also ushering in a new era of sustainable construction, ensuring that the cultural fabric of the Kingdom remains vibrant for generations to come.

Purpose: This study aims to demonstrate how women's involvement in urban planning and design in Gulf cities improves urban space's inclusivity and strengthens identity through cultural heritage revitalisation. It also promotes the participation of women in architecture and city-making by showcasing how shaping urban spaces offers local communities opportunities for social interaction and a more inclusive environment.Design/methodology/approach: The paper critically compares two case studies in the Gulf region—one in the United Arab Emirates and the other in Bahrain—according to four inclusion criteria: context connection, cultural sensitivity, community engagement and choices of amenities. These inclusion criteria are also applied to an experimental project by women architects' students in Saudi Arabia to inspire the future female architects of the Gulf region. From urban to architectural scales, the project offers a glance into the heritage design by women architects.Findings: In light of this critical analysis, this study highlights the sensitivity to issues related to the revitalisation of urban areas by women architects. The case studies identified show the role of the female architect in making architecture and linking cultural heritage with contemporary themes. These projects stitch the past with the present and link cultural identity with aspects related to sustainable architecture. Therefore, valorising women's architectural experience is necessary to contribute to sustainable urban development in the Gulf region and beyond.Originality/value: The present study addresses the importance of the role of women architects in the Gulf region. The research promotes the full and equal participation of women in the architecture and construction of the city to recognise their achievements by increasing their involvement in the work in a more integrated and balanced way.

Integrating the energy issue in the regeneration of neighbourhoods influences the entire metabolism of the urban settlement. It opens up a reflection, within the disciplines of the project, on approaches, methods, and tools to make the energy transition operational in space. The complexity of the energy transition requires a holistic, multidisciplinary and integrated approach to design, capable of addressing energy transition processes at the neighbourhood scale. By adopting a method that interprets the landscape as a complex techno-natural infrastructure, the Al Safarat neighbourhood in Riyadh will be considered a possible experimental laboratory for the energy transition of the districts of the Gulf cities.