URBAN SOS | Riccardo Russo

why/thesys/? What are the pressures/problems facing a specific urban site? how are these affected by global climate and sustainability issues? What are the creative solutions to address these problems, which may include greater public regulation, stimulating private investment, community based action or voluntary sector initiatives? BUG, distressed cities, distressed coasts, sea as opportunity, sea as part of the urban pattern, sea as aurban action, incrveasing density, quality of life, environmental pollution, effects of global arming-increasing of sea level, ecological degradation, mirrored action: working on the seaside (water) to help the ground. Mixing cityplanning with individual initiatives and informal pro cesses in order to give a balanced answer to the urban pressure on the coast. Coasts reaction symbol of social and ecological consciousness formal+informal process. When 80% of a country perimeter is made up of coasts, sea distression is not (only) a landscape problem how the site is managed or governed. Physical, social and organisational issues that affect the site. Clear analysis of pressures and problems facing the selected site within its urban context how/sinthesys/! As many cities on the edge of the Adriatic Riviera, Rimini and its surrounding strip is structured following mainly the seaside direction. The project' s aim is to develop a mirrored action: working on the seaside (water) to help the ground, mixing cityplanning with individual initiatives and informal processes in order to give a balanced answer to the urban pressure on the coast, trying to start a reaction to the heavy phenomenon of empty summerhouses. In a very pratical way the problem to be solved is the presence of empty summerhouses sourronded by empty gardens. This situation is often understimate, but it wastes lots of space and money, and keeps on filling the voids of the riverside city. This private dimension of space is emphasized also by the lack of public feeling in the beach, the most symbolic landscape of the area. At the moment sea is only a background, a sterile attractor for tourists. The strategy starts from many fenced voids around empty summerhouses, that in winter could rent their gardens to host these temporary "beach huts", taking care of the garden themselves. Beside this action there' s another mirrored one in the sea, with platforms that work in two dimensions. Down: musels cultivations to purificate water; up: wooden huts given to scientific/landscape organisation, working during all the years, garrisons of social and ecological consciousness. In summertime the huts can be moved from the gardens to the platforms, where they can create a new "urban" dimension, linked to sealife and re-balancing the position of the beach, a new centrality. Sea is not only a background anymore, but gives the possibility to help the ground, experiencing new common spaces.