The city as an organism: "Systemic Placemaking" as a bridge between communities. Methodology applied to the challenges of the binational San Diego-Tijuana World Design Capital 2024

The objective of this thesis is to investigate and implement systemic tools to address the challenges of the current urban system in order to transform public spaces into bridges to connect citizens and shape healthier, livable and shared public environments through sustainable and participatory urban practices. The theoretical foundations, methodologies investigated and their application have been focused on the challenges faced by the binational San Diego-Tijuana World Design Capital 2024, carried out during an international mobility project in San Diego (CA, USA). The topic has been theoretically analyzed through a bibliographic research that traces the historical and socio-anthropological evolution of the urban system, critically demonstrating the need to change current processes, habits and mindsets. Through City-Imaging ideas, Best practices and the proposal of the "Systemic Placemaking" methodology, this thesis provides design strategies in order to improve more sustainable cities. The theme has been further explored by taking part in two projects in the city of Turin: "Corso Farini", project of the cultural association "Torino Stratosferica" and "Molo '61", a New European Bauhaus winner project realized at SAA by our team. Subsequently, the acquired know-how was translated into the World Design Capital 2024 San Diego-Tijuana context, applying the Systemic Placemaking model to respond to the challenge "Reimaging the border", focusing on the border neighborhood of San Ysidro (San Diego, CA, USA).