European spatial paradigms. Urban Infrastructural morphologies

Because of their impact on urban fabric and economy, infrastructural changes, are key components of complex urban transformations. Large scale interventions, shaping major European cities, are mostly related to the Trans-European Network (TEN-T) policy. The nature of this development results in the increasing evolution of urban hybrids and multi dimensional morphologies within the territories infrastructures cross. They are characterized by aggregations, juxtaposition and super positions of different modality of transport, defining new typologies embedded within the urban scenario and, at the same time, linked to a larger urban frame. This contribution aims to explore how within the new policy EU territorial changes can be supported by research and methods of analyzing urban form and its structural elements. In that sense an integrated design approach to mobility will be presented from the dialogue between theoretical reflection and design practice of infra-urban reconfiguration processes, in order to increase the awareness of the unique challenges of infrastructure and the role of architectural design. From the research analysis of coding Urban Morphological Types (A) to the investigation of Intermodal Knots (B), driven by public-private interests along the high speed line, the paper attempts to enlighten the meaning of new European spatial paradigms.