Emanuela Morelli

In punta di piedi nei paesaggi del torrente Pesa

Introduction

In punta di piedi nei paesaggi del torrente pesa. Didattica e progettazione del parco agri-ambientale Pesa. Esplora paesaggio fluviale, gestione acqua e design, bilanciando teoria, pratica e visioni sul campo.

Abstract

The contribution presents some reflections that have emerged during didactic and design experiment aimed at the realisation of the multifunctional agri-environmental river park of the Pesa river landscapes as envisaged in Strategy 2 of Pesa River Contract.The contribution is based on a game of alternating opposites such as, for example, the cross-reference between provocative approaches that deny the existence of the watercourse (Anuradha Mathur and Dilip da Cunha) and those who claim it as a physical and concrete presence (Georges Descombes); between soil and water; between regimes of scarcity and excess of the water resource; but also between theory and project; between scientific knowledge and direct interpretation in the field. An alternation that intends neither to ‘confuse the cards’, nor even less to deny one or the other, but rather to highlight that ecotonal band, to stay on the subject, in which the design process begins and find its path.

Review

This contribution offers a compelling introduction to a didactic and design experiment centered on the multifunctional agri-environmental river park of the Pesa river landscapes, framed within the broader Pesa River Contract. The title, "In punta di piedi nei paesaggi del torrente Pesa" (On tiptoe in the landscapes of the Pesa stream), beautifully hints at a delicate and nuanced approach to understanding and interacting with this specific natural environment. The abstract clearly establishes the project's practical goal – the realization of a river park – while immediately signaling a deep theoretical and methodological engagement that goes beyond mere planning. The core strength of this work, as presented, lies in its explicit adoption of a dialectical approach, exploring a "game of alternating opposites." The abstract enumerates a rich array of these binaries: from the philosophical debate on the watercourse's existence (citing Mathur and da Cunha against Descombes) to fundamental elements like soil and water, and crucial resource management issues of scarcity versus excess. Crucially, it also frames the interplay between theory and project, and scientific knowledge versus direct field interpretation. This is not presented as a divisive exercise but rather as a deliberate strategy to highlight the "ecotonal band"—a space of transition and rich interaction—where the design process truly takes root and develops. Such a nuanced exploration promises a significant contribution to both environmental design pedagogy and practical river landscape management. By consciously navigating these conceptual and empirical dualities, the work is poised to offer a sophisticated framework for understanding complex socio-ecological systems and for developing adaptive, context-sensitive design solutions. Readers can anticipate insights into how theoretical debates translate into tangible design interventions and how on-the-ground observations inform scientific understanding. This approach suggests a thoughtful and holistic engagement with the Pesa river, moving beyond simplistic solutions to embrace the inherent complexities of its landscapes.

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