Polignano a Mare as Layer : Memory, Dwelling, and Infrastructure

This thesis applies the theoretical framework of City as Layers to investigate the interrelationship between urban memory, dwelling, and infrastructure, using the small coastal town of Polignano a Mare in southern Italy as a primary case. The research begins by outlining three contemporary urban predicaments—eroded collective memory, alienated dwelling, and fragmented infrastructural landscapes—and translates them into measurable and spatially observable dimensions. Through historical documentation, morphological mapping, and site-based experiential analysis, including a five-day diary structured around thematic observations, the thesis constructs a layered reading of the town’s spatial and cultural identity. Building upon this analytical foundation, six value propositions are formulated as key evaluative criteria for design. Multiple scenarios are generated and assessed accordingly, leading to the development of a final design proposal that reconciles historical continuity, infrastructural reintegration, and contemporary modes of inhabitation. The outcome demonstrates a method in which theory, spatial analysis, and design are mutually reinforcing, offering a transferable approach for the transformation of towns with complex historical strata and emerging infrastructural pressures.