Territorial diagrams planning cycle routes with digital tools oriented to the knowledge of the Territory

Abstract

Scientific research on cycle-routes planning opens up an innovative field of experimentation on drawing techniques based on geo-territorial datasets. Unlike infrastructural networks dedicated to automotive flows, EuroVelo International Cycle route networks promotes a slow mobility model, compatible with the shape of sites, variations of geography and valorization of places characterized by the presence of historical and landscape values. Cycling itineraries are conceived as museum itineraries on the territorial scale; sport activities combine themselves with knowledge of the heritage. Computer-based algorithms introduce the possibility to translate topographic surveys into topological maps which portray a source for planning ‘slow mobility networks’ that aim at turning the journey into a cultural experience. The choice of the instrument of representation plays a decisive role and, in particular, the Geographic Information System (GIS) offers a crucial support to the research. With this kind of digital representation, the image of the territory is subdivided into a series of thematic layers made of ‘linear’ patterns that highlight the hybrid textures of the territory. Moreover, this kind of topological translation acts as an interface for dialogue with administrators and social actors involved in the promotion and administration of cycle routes.