Reflecting on the Legacy of Kevin Lynch’s Cognitive Approach to City Design Through Italian Didactic Experiences

In Italy the writings of Kevin Lynch (1918-1984) have had great influence. However, if The Image of the City (1960, trans. 1964) enjoyed a prolonged success, other texts attracted a fluctuating attention. The reasons for this variable interest help to reflect on the current usability of Lynch's lesson: the relevance given to social perception; the need to give voice to citizens’ needs; a performance approach to the project as a participatory process. The ability to stimulate a reflective attitude explains why, in Italy, Lynch’s legacy has found its major expression in teaching. Recent experiences at the Universities of Rome and Trieste – also suggested by the Lynch’s centennial – show how his texts still constitute a reference to approach urban analysis and design, being completely involved in the physical perception of the places and listening to the inhabitants’ stories. Didactic activities highlight further exploitation of Lynch’s theory in terms of: the importance of learning by interaction; a better understanding of urban space and social practices; the drawing of projects from mental maps. Nonetheless, when working in the historical parts of Italian cities, the character and uses of urban spaces urge us to adjust Lynch’s categories, thus, in fact, confirming their critical capacity and timeliness.