Privileged places in the city: urban quality, livability, sustainability

Abstract

The pandemic emergency that we have been experiencing since March 2020 has greatly changed the way we live in cities and in our homes. We have found ourselves confined for months, each in their own homes, avoiding public contact and moments of conviviality. In an almost surreal scenario, with deserted, depopulated and silent towns, the "limits" of urbanization have been further emphasized and deep inequalities highlighted. The effect has not been caused only by the pandemic but is a consequence of the current model of development of cities that has shown - more than in the past - a greater urban social unease, a greater gap between rich and poor, a greater detachment between urban centers and peripheral areas due to the lack of services and equipment of primary importance, essential to ensure and satisfy the welfare of the community and the quality of housing. This study investigates the quality of public spaces in some urban realities - international and national - that have become examples of sustainable urban regeneration, places of sociality, culture, creativity and hospitality