Sustainability Crossing the City: Developing a Sustainable Infrastructures System for Genoa Urban Center

Sustainable development of infrastructures is becoming more and more relevant within a European and International framework where effective connections are pivotal in terms of social and economic systems’ growth. Nevertheless, as far as urban historical, dense and concentrated areas are concerned, intervention on urban infrastructures network could represent a very challenging task. In this sense, a quite iconic case may be represented by Genoa urban center. Here, the viaduct connecting the Eastern and the Western part of the city -Sopraelevata- proves to be outdated and not able to cope efficiently with con-temporary traffic flows and mobility needs. At the same time, it is perceived as a sort of urban landmark running along the former border between city and port areas, so that demolition is not welcomed by citizens; by the way, deep interventions would be needed to make it again an effective link suitable for vehicles connections. The rationale of the Genoese project was to define a double system of sustainable infrastructures. The existing one (the Sopraelevata) was dedicated to pedestrian and bi-cycle mobility, thus creating a new panoramic view on the city and the seaside both for tourists and residents, while a new submarine tunnel crossing the gulf was to be built to support and ease vehicle flows passing city center. Present work will focus on the methodological approach followed to define sustainability targets to be achieved in the project by the new infrastructural scheme, both for existing and new component.