An Application of Analytic Network Process in the Planning Process: The Case of an Urban Transformation in Palermo (Italy)

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to test the multicriteria analysis application in favor of a selection process among alternative transformations of an urban area in the city of Palermo. The choice is referred to as a strategyoriented one aiming to create “new urban centralities” able to redraw all urban structures that start to activate renewal processes within the existing city. The application of multicriteria analysis technique, such as the Analytic Network Process (ANP) – BOCR model, is due to the need to represent the complexity of the decision problem characterized by interrelations among several elements described by many indicators from different levels. The case study is also an opportunity to verify how the multicriteria analysis can contribute to the decision in the presence of mixed information, such as quantitative and qualitative ones. The application of the sensitivity analysis allows knowing and considering the conditions that can modify the earlier ranking of alternatives.