Bridging innovation, nature and tradition: assessment of strategies for rural tourism development in Maramureş (Romania)

In the frame of EU rural policy, always more oriented towards environmental concerns and green livelihoods, Romania stands out for the predominance of rural areas and high nature value farming. The country has to face the challenge of joining the modernization process of rural farming systems with the valorization of local assets. Tourism has emerged as one of the main drivers of change and contributors for a sustainable exploitation of local resources. Rural tourism (RT) can foster the enhancement of the territorial capital (TC), the preservation of public goods (PGs) and the promotion of a more environmental oriented livelihood. The research focuses on a case study area, two valleys from Maramureş, where environmental approaches as diversification strategies are partially explored. The work investigates the role of tourism initiatives for the promotion of green oriented practices. The first part of the work is based on a literature review and interdisciplinary analysis of secondary data to identify the key issues: from rural development policy, to the concept of TC, of PGs and RT. The Romanian development programmes and related strategies are investigated; afterwards the characteristics of the County and the role of RT as diversification and valorisation policies is considered. The second part is based on the collection of primary data through interviews to different local stakeholders (farmers owners of rural guesthouses, local administrators, networks and artisans). The main frequencies are analyzed, a cluster analysis is computed to evaluate the similarities within the most representative groups and a comparative analysis is carried out between the two Valleys. The frame of the analysis is based on a set of indicators following the dimensions of the TC, to assess the characteristics of the local stakeholders and to outline the perception about the local PGs and on the adopted strategies to manage the territory. Final considerations are elaborated and few scenarios are outlined, giving relevance to the importance of improving awareness and creating embeddedness among public-private local stakeholders and resources as a tool for a socio-economic and environmental development of the area.

Social housing: interventions of densification in urban regeneration (1995-2010). Critical analysis of strategies adopted in Milan, London, São Paulo

The prospect of the continuous multiplication of life styles, the obsolescence of the traditional typological diagrams, the usability of spaces on different territorial scales, imposes on contemporary architecture the search for new models of living. Limited densities in urban development have produced the erosion of territory, the increase of the harmful emissions and energy consumption. High density housing cannot refuse the social emergency to ensure high quality and low cost dwellings, to a new people target: students, temporary workers, key workers, foreign, young couples without children, large families and, in general, people who carry out public services. Social housing strategies have become particularly relevant in regenerating high density urban outskirts. The choice of this research topic derives from the desire to deal with the recent accommodation emergency, according to different perspectives, with a view to give a contribution to the current literature, by proposing some tools for a correct design of the social housing, by ensuring good quality, cost-effective, and eco-sustainable solutions, from the concept phase, through management and maintenance, until the end of the building life cycle. The purpose of the thesis is defining a framework of guidelines that become effective instruments to be used in designing the social housing. They should also integrate the existing regulations and are mainly thought for those who work in this sector. They would aim at supporting students who have to cope with this particular residential theme, and also the users themselves. The scientific evidence of either the recent specialized literature or the solutions adopted in some case studies within the selected metropolitan areas of Milan, London and São Paulo, it is possible to identify the principles of this new design approach, in which the connection between typology, morphology and technology pursues the goal of a high living standard.

Methods and tools to foster territorial approaches for the assessment of food supply chains

The challenges of the current global food systems are often framed around feeding the world's growing population while meeting sustainable development for future generations. Globalization has brought to a fragmentation of food spaces, leading to a flexible and mutable supply chain. This poses a major challenge to food and nutrition security, affecting also rural-urban dynamics in territories. Furthermore, the recent crises have highlighted the vulnerability to shocks and disruptions of the food systems and the eco-system due to the intensive management of natural, human and economic capital. Hence, a sustainable and resilient transition of the food systems is required through a multi-faceted approach that tackles the causes of unsustainability and promotes sustainable practices at all levels of the food system. In this respect, a territorial approach becomes a relevant entry point of analysis for the food system’s multifunctionality and can support the evaluation of sustainability by quantifying impacts associated with quantitative methods and understanding the territorial responsibility of different actors with qualitative ones. Against this background the present research aims to i) investigate the environmental, costing and social indicators suitable for a scoring system able to measure the integrated sustainability performance of food initiatives within the City/Region territorial context; ii) develop a territorial assessment framework to measure sustainability impacts of agricultural systems; and iii) define an integrated methodology to match production and consumption at a territorial level to foster a long-term vision of short food supply chains. From a methodological perspective, the research proposes a mixed quantitative and qualitative research method. The outcomes provide an in-depth view into the environmental and socio-economic impacts of food systems at the territorial level, investigating possible indicators, frameworks, and business strategies to foster their future sustainable development.