Riattivare gli spazi pubblici urbani sottoutilizzati. Multifunzionalità, flessibilità e uso temporaneo / Reactivating Underutilized Urban Public Spaces. Multifunctionality, Flexibility, and Temporary Use

This paper investigates the reactivation of underutilised urban public spaces through bottom-up, temporary, and participatory approaches, emphasising their civic and social value. A selection of case studies illustrates multifunctional interventions that address contemporary needs for accessibility, sharing, safety, and well-being. The analysis focuses on urban street furniture and spatial devices that embody design principles of flexibility, reversibility, and temporariness, enhancing usability and inclusivity.. The methodology begins with a categorisation of open space, interpreted through Kevin Lynch’s urban image framework, and investigates future scenarios for public space design, including temporary transformations, flexible management, and collaborative networks. The paper highlights removable and adaptable interventions as catalysts for social, cultural, and economic functions, fostering interaction, urban vitality, and collective identity.