Architectural-Quality Assessment Strategies for an Environmentally Sustainable Road Design

The scope of the research project presented in the paper is to identify and produce innovative and measurable Architectural-Quality Standards (A-QS) to be assessed into the existing environmental impact evaluation processes and transportation policies and strategically delivered to all urban and non-urban planning, design, construction and rehabilitation processes in the field. The research project involves 18 partners from 12 EU countries and 2 overseas countries (USA and Canada). The dimensions that must be taken in consideration are many and can only be defined and assessed by an organic inter-disciplinary research group throughout highly innovative evaluation models built on a multi-criteria analysis base that, starting from state-of-the-art knowledge, regulation and practice in Europe, focuses on the role that design can express in the generation and promotion of a new idea(l) of “self-enforcing” street-to-highway infrastructures and related facilities. The networking performed by this project will favour inter-disciplinary debate on the many required assessment processes, exchange of international expertise and the construction of the base principles and procedures for the future establishment of a Permanent European Observatory on A-QS in the transportation field.