Climate adaptation and livability for the environmental enhancement of urban spaces. A proposal in a case study

The phenomenon of heat islands and the consequent increasing overheating of urban spaces in summer with peak phenomena especially in urban contexts with a Mediterranean climate has so far been dealt with mainly strategies at large-scale through regional, periurban and urban forestry policies and interventions. The indications of strategies in Italy, defined by the national plan for adaptation to climate change, encourage interventions from the region to urban spaces, but do not strass enough the importance of urban local spaces networks - small scale linear or punctual urban spaces (squares, streets, pocket parks ...), connected in a grids which are the basic environmental structures to guarantee continuity of comfortable spaces in the city. The correct and bioclimatically conscious reconfiguration of urban spaces in the frame of a sustainable urban regeneration can contribute to the reduction of the UHI and at the same time improve the livability of the urban public space. Fortunately, attention to these issues on the part of public administrations is growing, as confirmed, for example, by the collaboration in Italy between the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Milan Polytechnic. The paper reports an environmental design educational experience focused on the reopening of the Navigli (historic canals network of Milan) as a flywheel for the regeneration of urban spaces. The site is near the Martesana canal in the North – East popular area of Milano, which urgently needs comfortable and livable urban spaces. The connection between green and blue spaces is the key to sustainable urban regeneration. The paper reports the methodology used for the environmental analysis of the specific urban areas and the strategies to satisfy simultaneously thermal comfort and livability requirements.