Gli spazi di transizione, elementi tradizionali a supporto dell’abitare condiviso

Public spaces are currently experiencing a phase of deep transformation. The design of a public space should be able to recover the characters that traditionally guaranteed relational value to urban spaces in a specific context and to favour the sense of community. The modern functionalism clearly separated indoor from outdoor space and the advent of the car led to consider the street as a mono-functional element strictly dedicated to transport. Thus, the attention to the design of urban spaces at human scale and their effects (the social role) have been gradually forgotten. Mediterranean architecture is traditionally characterized by the presence of transitional spaces in which thermal conditions are intermediate between the inside and the outside ones. Since a complex network of different public spaces constitutes the structure of traditionally Mediterranean cities, the presence of intermediate spaces (porches, galleries, patios) creates semi-public environments that act as unifying elements and promote a gradual transition between areas with different functions and levels of privacy. The potentially comfortable area they provide makes possible to experience protected zones that extend the living space and favour social relations. Therefore, it is still possible in the contemporary city to find the dimension of human contact and to trigger a renewal that takes in account the traditional architecture of a specific context adopting a climatically responsive approach. The vitality of urban spaces is strictly dependent on the configuration of the boundary between public and private (Jacobs, 1961), and it is confirmed by the ability of a space to provide not only thermal comfort but also psycho-physical well-being and social liveability. In this sense, this paper tries to investigate how transitional spaces can become fundamental architectural elements for the achievement of a renovated urban quality: mitigating climate, favouring social relations and giving back to the public spaces a new measure.