Research

The term MedCoast AgroCity (Mediterranean Coastal Agricultural City) defines a Mediterranean coastal city, of small and medium size, having an economy based mainly on local agricultural production, a strong natural and cultural heritage and a recognized tourist-seaside area.

AgroCities.com is the result of a doctoral research by an architect from the University of Genoa, Giorgia Tucci. Her study would like to pass beyond the frontier of pure theoretical discussion to provide ideas, information, good practices and new perspectives for the territorial planning strategies of the Mediterranean coastal agricultural areas.

Therefore, in support of the research, was produced ‘MedCoast AgroCities’ <www.agrocities.com> an open-source online portal, whose primary objective is to promote the knowledge and cultural diffusion of projects and experiments so that in the field of research we can add a new tool for dissemination, analysis and comparison, facilitating communication between: professionals (technical offices, institutions, professionals, individuals, etc.), universities (research) and companies. This portal would thus make it possible to bring research closer to urban realities, comparing cities with similar problems and qualities to which replicable solutions can be suggested.

AgroCities.com can be a useful tool for:

• encouraging public bodies to integrate new actions and innovative practices during the phases of drafting plans or processes of territorial governance, already showing their use and functioning in other similar contexts;
• to help private bodies and/or companies by clarifying any doubts about the use of new technological systems and good practices, suggesting what can be the best strategies and the competent companies with which to collaborate;
• facilitate partnerships between institutions, universities, companies, local authorities and associations by promoting participation in European and international calls;
• provide a showcase for new research, experiments and patents of universities, companies or private groups, publishing information, development and updates on the results obtained, encouraging global sharing and the possibility of arousing the interest of funding bodies;
• encourage the collaboration of scholars and companies dealing with common themes and/or researchers who experiment with similar practices or technologies in different research centers;
• collect information and data, useful for understanding which topics are of most interest to users.