Phd in PLANNING, DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE TECHNOLOGY

Thesis title: Ripensare l'allevamento del futuro in chiave etica e sostenibile. Uno strumento performance-based a supporto della fase progettuale e decisionale

This research explores the contribution that architectural design—and in particular, architectural technology—can make to the transformation of livestock systems towards more sustainable, ethical, and integrated models. Drawing from a critical analysis of the ongoing environmental, productive, and regulatory transitions in the agri-livestock sector, with a specific focus on laying hen farming, the thesis proposes a paradigm shift in the way animal production spaces are conceived and designed. The core objective is the development of a performance-based meta-design tool: a structured matrix intended to support design and decision-making by integrating environmental, functional, spatial, normative, and ethological criteria. The research unfolds through four main phases: the definition of the theoretical and methodological framework; the construction of the matrix; its validation through the analysis of international case studies; and its experimental application to a real-world pilot project. The testing process reveals not only the potential of the tool, but also key areas for refinement—such as the need to differentiate between the needs of animals and those of human operators, or to enhance the matrix's structure to allow for greater flexibility and digital integration. Framed within the scientific-disciplinary field of Architectural Technology (ICAR/12), this thesis contributes to the discourse on environmental design in rural and productive contexts. The proposed matrix serves as an open, adaptable, and transferable platform, designed to promote responsible design practices and to foster virtuous transformations of livestock environments in line with ecosystem health, animal welfare, and collective well-being.