The role of the neighbourhood ‘social-building’ unit as a tool for the construction and transformation of the contemporary city. Two case studies in Venice and Tokyo

Abstract

Recently we are observing a profound re-evaluation of the neighbourhood concept which takes a very wide turn in the contemporary debate on urban issues. This paper suggests a comparative analysis of two apparently very different realities to propose some considerations on the neighbourhood units and their phenomenological implications. The selection of the neighbourhood structures is based on the comparison of two representative urban structures: Venice and Tokyo. Despite the geographical and cultural differences of the plots, both seem to play a crucial role in urban settlements’ dynamics, thus preserving life comfort quality and good social interactions among the inhabitants. The analysis, conducted throughout the Urban Morphology tools and Geographical Information System (GIS), shows the relationship between private and public spaces within the elements that define the concept of neighbourhood unit as a construction and transformation tool for the contemporary city- considering social and environmental behaviours. Finally, a synoptic table will illustrate the fundamental elements that characterise the form of the analysed case studies, defining similarities and differences that give to the two urban structures their own identity and proposing a methodology to define a new approach for the XXI century city’s scenario.