Cavaticcio Garden, Bologna: climate-responsive regeneration of a historic cultural hub

This dissertation explores the climatic and spatial regeneration of the Giardino del Cavaticcio area in Bologna, examines the problems of urban thermal imbalance, spatial fragmentation and the loss of historical water structures. The project is based on Aldo Rossi's unfinished urban vision and reinterprets the traditional Bolognese portico as a modern climate infrastructure. Instead of offering a single architectural feature, the project is developing a continuous climatically adaptable route that connects key cultural hubs through shaded porticos, landscaped cooling areas, and water-related microclimatic elements. The design combines nature-based solutions such as vegetation for shading, permeable surfaces for water infiltration, and localized retention zones to enhance evapotranspiration and reduce surface temperature. The proposed system works as a flexible network rather than a fixed form, enhancing spatial continuity and improving environmental comfort. The project demonstrates how the reinterpretation of historical urban typologies, combined with architectural shading devices and managed vegetation, can provide a scalable model for adapting historic European urban landscapes to contemporary climate challenges.