Landscapes of the Cluster: A Spatial Approach to Ports

As ports expand to meet global demands for sustainability and energy transition, European states are reshaping their maritime landscapes through port clusters―new organizational structures that transform both administration and governance. This book critically examines how port clusterization is redefining the relationship between cities and their ports, challenging conventional urban and architectural research on port-city conditions. It explores the spatial impacts of this transformation into landscapes of the cluster and introduces design tools to help port city institutions navigate pressing challenges. From coastal land consumption to sustainable infrastructures and the shifting perception of ports within cities, Landscapes of the Cluster provides fresh insights into the future of port-city dynamics.

• Examines the emerging phenomenon of port clusterization from a spatial perspective
• In-depth research on Italian port clusters, complemented by international guest essays
• Establishes a cooperative dialogue between academia and port institutions

Beatrice Moretti is Assistant Professor at the Department Architecture and Design at the University of Genoa. Her research deals with contemporary port cities and their architectures. She has been Principal Investigator for the research project "PULSE – The Port-clUster LandScapE: Developing a Spatial and Design Approach to Port Clusters", funded under NextGenerationEU. She is the author of Beyond the Port City. The Condition of Portuality and the Threshold Concept (JOVIS, 2020) and Border Heritage (Sagep, 2024, with C. Andriani and D. Servente).