Green planning models and future cities: principles for re-naturing cities

This paper presents an integrated approach to the study of urban and green space planning by examining key planning models able to balance urbanisation and nature. There is today a lively debate about re-naturing cities, since it can address multiple societal challenges and generate benefits such as the enhancement of health and wellbeing, sustainable urbanisation, ecosystems and their services and resilience to climate change. Yet, further consideration of the roles that positive spatial planning and planning models in particular have to play in fostering the integration of urbanization with nature is needed. This paper, thus, focuses on representative models with such potential, including the green grid, green belt, the green heart, the green wedges and the networked city. Initially, it identifies the main aims and characteristics of each of the four first models, concentrating in particular on the distribution of green spaces in relation to the built up areas and urban systems, their main functions and typologies. Secondly, it centres on the networked city model, examining how it presents a hybrid approach intending to maximise the systemic integration of natural and urban systems. Diagrams of the models and examples of their application will be presented. Finally, the paper will establish a comparative analysis of the models studied, offering insights into their potentialities in bridging the city-nature dichotomy and potential future directions of development.