The Fluid City Paradigm

This book presents a new paradigm of knowledge and action withrespect to urban waterfronts and the “fluid city paradigm,”explaining its methodological framework and describing an integrated andcreative planning approach in which waterfront regeneration is pursued as a keyurban-renewal strategy. It focuses especially on the WATERFRONT project (“WaterAnd Territorial policiEs for integRation oF multisectoRial develOpmeNT”), whichwas funded jointly by Italy and Malta with the goal of developing commonguidelines, strategies, and operational tools for the planning of coastal areas,based on cross-border exchange of experiences. In the described approach, thewaterfront is recognized as having a broad identity, acknowledging thecomplexity of the relationship between seaport and town and taking into accountthe physical and environmental components of human settlement, infrastructure,and productive and recreational activities. It highlights details of theprocess of renewal in theport city of Trapani, with discussion of theimplemented actions, plans, and programs. The book also examines the practicesadopted to transform city–port relationships across Europe in pursuit ofinnovative and sustainable development.