Arte e indagine spaziale: prospettive dal progetto The Sensitive City

Abstract

This article examines art as a heuristic tool to understand and design urban spaces, drawing on sensory and phenomenological insights. The study focuses on The Sensitive City, an artist residency for architects at ARCAM in Amsterdam, where artistic practices were used to reveal qualities of urban space that are not immediately perceptible. Research took place in two distinct sites: Havenstad, a transforming port, and Mercatorplein, a socially vibrant square, reflecting European challenges such as the reconversion of industrial areas and post-war heritage valorization. The article highlights how an artistic and perceptive approach can reintegrate creativity into urban design, offering open, sensory, and imaginative ways of engaging with the city, beyond the prescriptive, or instrumental objectives of place-making.