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Sustainable Cities: A Reflection on Potentialities and Limits based on Existing Eco-Districts in Europe

Author

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  • Marta Bottero

    (Politecnico di Torino, Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Viale Mattioli 39, 10125 Torino, Italy)

  • Caterina Caprioli

    (Politecnico di Torino, Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Viale Mattioli 39, 10125 Torino, Italy)

  • Giancarlo Cotella

    (Politecnico di Torino, Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Viale Mattioli 39, 10125 Torino, Italy)

  • Marco Santangelo

    (Politecnico di Torino, Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Viale Mattioli 39, 10125 Torino, Italy)

Abstract

The need for more sustainable cities has become a primary objective of urban strategies. The urgency for a radical transition towards sustainability in a long term-vision has brought with it several new concepts, such as smart urbanism, and models, such as smart city, eco-city, sustainable neighborhood, eco-district, etc. While these terms are fascinating and visionary, they often lack a clear definition both in terms of theoretical insight and empirical evidence. In this light, this contribution aims at defining a conceptual framework through which to further substantiate the blurred concept of eco-district and sustainable neighborhood. It does so by reviewing the concepts of smart urbanism and sustainable neighborhood/eco-districts in the literature, including also references to other well-known sustainability-oriented models of urban development. It then explores whether several indicators, emerging from the analysis of exemplary case studies of sustainable neighborhoods in Europe, can be used to clearly identify the characteristics of a sustainable approach at the district scale. The analysis, built on a review of existing literature, allows for both the clarification of several issues related to these fields of inquiry, as well as for the identification of the potential bridges to link these issues.

Suggested Citation

  • Marta Bottero & Caterina Caprioli & Giancarlo Cotella & Marco Santangelo, 2019. "Sustainable Cities: A Reflection on Potentialities and Limits based on Existing Eco-Districts in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-22, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:20:p:5794-:d:278089
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    15. Marta Bottero & Elena Comino & Federico Dell’Anna & Laura Dominici & Maurizio Rosso, 2019. "Strategic Assessment and Economic Evaluation: The Case Study of Yanzhou Island (China)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, February.
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    7. Patricia Janoskova & Katarina Repkova Stofkova & Martina Kovacikova & Jana Stofkova & Kristina Kovacikova, 2021. "The Concept of a Smart City Communication in the Form of an Urban Mobile Application," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-16, August.
    8. Liansheng Hu & Yongqin Xi, 2023. "Evaluation of Effective Factors in Achieving Ecological City in the Direction of Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-16, April.
    9. Rubina Canesi & Giuliano Marella, 2022. "Towards European Transitions: Indicators for the Development of Marginal Urban Regions," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-20, December.
    10. Domenico Enrico Massimo & Vincenzo Del Giudice & Alessandro Malerba & Carlo Bernardo & Mariangela Musolino & Pierfrancesco De Paola, 2021. "Valuation of Ecological Retrofitting Technology in Existing Buildings: A Real-World Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-35, June.
    11. Caprioli, Caterina & Bottero, Marta, 2021. "Addressing complex challenges in transformations and planning: A fuzzy spatial multicriteria analysis for identifying suitable locations for urban infrastructures," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    12. Marta Bottero & Federico Dell’Anna & Vito Morgese, 2021. "Evaluating the Transition Towards Post-Carbon Cities: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-28, January.
    13. Biao He & Lianxin Zhu & Xiaomei Cai & Jun (Justin) Li & Hong Zhu, 2020. "Examining the Impacts of Mega-Events on Urban Development Using Coupling Analysis: A Case Study of the Boao Forum for Asia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-14, January.
    14. Federica Rotondo & Francesca Abastante & Giancarlo Cotella & Isabella Maria Lami, 2020. "Questioning Low-Carbon Transition Governance: A Comparative Analysis of European Case Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-17, December.
    15. Alys Solly & Erblin Berisha & Giancarlo Cotella, 2021. "Towards Sustainable Urbanization. Learning from What’s Out There," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-23, April.
    16. Marta Bottero & Chiara D’Alpaos & Alessia Marello, 2020. "An Application of the A’WOT Analysis for the Management of Cultural Heritage Assets: The Case of the Historical Farmhouses in the Aglié Castle (Turin)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, February.
    17. Vasja Roblek & Maja Meško & Iztok Podbregar, 2021. "Impact of Car Sharing on Urban Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-19, January.

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