Infrastrutture-attive: Ripensare il design urbano per una mobilità sostenibile e città rinaturalizzate

In the contemporary era, cities face complex urbanisation, climate change, and environmental impact reduction challenges. In this context, conventional urban infrastructures evolve into ‘active infrastructures,’ designed to dynamically interact with the environment, improve quality of life, and promote sustainability. Unlike traditional, active infrastructures adapt to environmental, social, and economic changes through advanced technologies, innovative materials, and ecological design. A key example is sustainable mobility, which includes electric and hybrid public transport, bright bike lanes, and sharing systems integrated with IoT and artificial intelligence. These solutions reduce the environmental impact of urban transport and promote accessibility. Another essential dimension is urban renaturation, which reintegrates natural elements into city spaces, creating hybrid ecosystems and improving climate resilience. Interventions such as linear parks, waterway rehabilitation, and green roofs support biodiversity and promote social and psychological well-being. The synergy between sustainable mobility and urban renaturation represents an opportunity to design multifunctional infrastructures that meet complex needs in densely populated contexts. Despite the challenges of cost and technical complexity, the long-term benefits of urban resilience, reduced emissions, and quality of life make these solutions a strategic investment. This article analyses how active infrastructure, combining sustainable mobility and renaturation, can transform cities into more liveable, resilient, and inclusive spaces, defining a new frontier for future urban design.