Prof. Roger Diener, Prof. Marcel Meili, Milica Topalovic, Christian Mueller Inderbitzin, Mathias Gunz, Rolf Jenni
Exercise types: ‘e’ or ‘e+i’
Group work in Basel and in research location
Start: Tuesday, 23. February, 2010, 10 AM at ETH Studio Basel, Spitalstrasse 8, 4056 Basel

During the past several years we have learnt a lot about the transformation processes of contemporary cities under globalization pressures. But what is the impact of these forces on territories, beyond the clear gravitational fields of metropolitan centers? To answer this question, this year we ventured into the territory between Rome and the Adriatic coast, looking for its specific forms of urbanisation. The project continues the ETH Studio Basel’s territorial researches in Switzerland (1999-2005) and the Nile Valley (2009), both clearly showing ways in which densely populated environments develops toward new types of urban spaces: traditional natural or rural areas turn into urbanised territories characterized by a multilayered occupation of landscape, overlapping structures and meanings.

The vital part of this research was a joint two-week expedition, moving along the old consular road Via Salaria, from Rome and Roman Campagna, to the Apennine nature parks and to the emerging continuous metropolis along the Adriatic Coast. Each team of 2 to 3 students operated individually en route in their territory. At Studio Basel, we shaped our results into this common book.