This paper seeks to expose ongoing research conducted within the context of Ph.D. research and address the challenge of urban air mobility within the Italian recovery plan (PNRR) framework and its objectives. Starting from the idea of design processes, the investigation endeavors to harmonize architectural practices with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a specific emphasis on addressing Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Life on Land (SDG 15). The research transitions from conceptualizing the vertiport as a tool to examining the modalities through which cities can proactively enact improvement of the urban context. By interfacing the realms of architecture with UAM, this research aims to contribute novel insights that bridge the gap between technological innovation and sustainable urban development. In doing so, the paper envisions a future where the integration of urban air mobility infrastructure addresses transportation challenges and acts as a catalyst for holistic urban transformation in line with the SDGs. This study delves into pioneering architectural strategies associated with the integration of vertiports into the urban fabric, investigating their multifaceted roles as ecological catalysts, adaptive reuse activators, and urban connectors within high-density cityscapes. The exploration comprehensively analyzes the diverse functions that vertiports can assume in the urban context. It examines their impact in various scenarios, such as the adaptive reuse of abandoned industrial buildings, the utilization of interstitial city areas, and the endeavor to reclaim urban spaces for community use. The inquiry will envision the city’s future with an in-depth review of these architectural strategies, employing AI-generated images and drawing insights from analogous design experiences to discern outcomes.
Ottavio Pedretti is an architect and Ph.D. candidate in the Architectural, Urban, and Interior Design program at Politecnico di Milano. The PhD research focuses on the challenge of Urban Air Mobility, funded by the PNRR. Since 2019, he has been working at SANAA (Tokyo), Onsitestudio (Milan), and ION Fund (Milan). He graduated from Politecnico di Milano with a thesis on the relationship between abandoned industrial buildings, cotton mills, and the surrounding living space, slums, in India.