Leggere e progettare gli spazi pubblici attraverso Space Syntax

In recent years, the configurational analysis has gained widespread interest and recognition for its reliability as a technical analysis of urban space. This kind of analysis were born as a continuation of previous graph studies, with the objective to research in the architectural field possible relationships between the configuration and the human behavior. In this paper, I will introduce a specific configurational analisys as a useful tool to understand and design public spaces: the Space Syntax methodology. Space Syntax is a set of techniques for analysing spatial layouts and human activity patterns in buildings and urban areas which links space and society. Using Space Syntax to understand and design public spaces it is possible to show how the layout of space influences the social, economic and environmental performance of the places and how spatial layout impacts on the way that people move and interact. This methodology can be also used to design proposals that foster social conviviality, enhance economic activity and reduce criminal behaviour. In fact, the spatial layout of the places has a very important influence on human behaviour in order to connect or segregate people; involve them into social and economic relationships; increase real estate value or damage investments; guarantee safety or encourage criminal behaviour. Working between global and local scales, Space Syntax goes across fields that are often divided such as architecture, planning and urban economics, running forecast models and hepling people to see how spaces can be designed to optimise their functional performance.