Supervalley Soil Regeneration and The Architecture of Agrarian Space

This doctoral research explores the transformative potential of agrarian spaces as drivers of ecological transition in post-metropolitan regions, using the paradigmatic case of the Alpine-Padano-Adriatic mega-region. Through an interdisciplinary approach integrating urban design, environmental sciences, and transition theory, the thesis repositions the agrarian space as a central component of contemporary urban systems, transcending traditional urban-rural dichotomies. The research develops an innovative methodological framework combining research by design, future studies, and interdisciplinary collaboration, enabling both analytical rigor and creative exploration. The "Super Valley" project proposes an agro-ecological planning and design framework that operates at the intersection of a spatial grammar (environmental-cultivation system design) and urban-rural metabolic linkages. The thesis demonstrates how transitioning to hybrid environmental-cultivation systems can align with EU Nature Restoration Law objectives while regenerating biophysical systems and creating novel bio-based territorial supply chains and economic opportunities. This transformation establishes new contiguous operational landscapes that bridge urban-rural divides through regional circular resource flows. The research opens new pathways for landscape architects and urbanists as transition and decarbonization professionals, positioning urban-landscape planning and design as crucial disciplines in facilitating complex socio-ecological transformations and transitions at scales that can meaningfully impact climate and biodiversity goals.