Biodiversity, resilience and well-being in urban projects: critical analysis on three case studies

The contribution investigates the systemic relationships between biodiversity, urban resilience, and human well-being within processes of territorial and environmental regeneration, through a comparative analysis of three European case studies: the Emscher Restoration Project (Germany), Lyon Confluence (France), and the North–South Green Corridor in Berlin, including Park am Gleisdreieck and Natur Park Südgelände. The main objective is to assess how biodiversity can serve as an operational parameter for the adaptive design of urban ecosystems, contributing to climate mitigation and the enhancement of urban liveability. The research adopts a critical and interdisciplinary methodology, combining morphological and environmental analysis with the examination of strategies for integrating green infrastructures, ecological networks, and public space systems. Three key analytical axes are identified: (1) the interactions between biodiversity, resilience, and well-being in urban projects; (2) the capacity of green infrastructures to generate multiple ecosystem services; and (3) the design awareness involved in creating shared habitats for human and non-human species. Findings highlight that the most effective strategies operate according to a systemic and multiscalar logic, integrating ecological, social, and climatic dimensions. The Emscher Restoration stands as a model of integrated ecological regeneration, where river restoration and landscape reconnection produce measurable effects on territorial resilience. Lyon Confluence demonstrates the potential of climate-oriented design for urban liveability, albeit showing limitations in ecological monitoring. The Berlin park system represents a paradigm of multi-species cohabitation, where spontaneous natural processes and deliberate planning coexist in a dynamic balance. The study concludes that urban sustainability should not be assessed through isolated performance indicators but through the ecosystemic integration capacity that defines the city as a complex adaptive system. This perspective opens new research directions on biodiversity as a strategic ecological infrastructure, capable of steering urban design towards socio-ecological resilience and widespread environmental well-being.