A Method for the identification and critical analysis of urban residual spaces in the historical city

The complex processes of urban transformation and the lack of a systemic view of the city have often produced a specific category of public spaces that the literature has defined as re-sidual spaces. These spaces are “urban reservoirs” of social diversity where the immaterial heritage of cities hides and takes refuge. At the same time they represent a potential resource to be used in order to activate processes for enhancing the architectural and social qualities of public spaces. In the existing literature, residual spaces have been analysed mostly in relation to suburban areas (such as abandoned industrial zones), whereas issues and opportunities con-cerning residual spaces located in the heart of cities have been less explored. This paper pre-sents a methodology for systematically surveying and describing residual spaces in historic centres and prefigures possible strategies for regeneration based on the principles of urban acu-puncture and on the participation of the inhabitants.