Services, Values and Functions of Peri-Urban Areas in a Nexus Approach

This paper presents emerging questions and some perspectives based on the comparison between the first results of applicative researches and innovative projects developed by the authors. Researches and projects approach the topic of Peri-Urban areas integrating different competencies from different disciplinary backgrounds and developing planning and design solutions at different scales. The paper underlines in the first part the emerging questions from the territorial dynamics and the needs referred both to professional or disciplinary sphere (in terms of innovation in the approach, methods, tools.) and to governance and institutional sphere (in terms of innovation of competencies and institutional framework). The second part presents the main conceptual model on which the innovative applications developed are based (ecosystem services and green infrastructures). The final part underlines perspectives and main key issues for the development of integrated projects of Peri-Urban areas. The goals is to underline the emerging (and urgent) issues that can support an effective innovation in the planning, implementation and management at regional and local levels towards the improvement of the resilience proprieties of territorial systems.