The Lost Urban Identity: Tradition and Fusion for a New Sense of Place

City is a complex phenomenon, in perennial transformation, permanently engaging and rich in contrasts. The critical points in economics, society and culture are inevitably accentuated by globalization.Today everything that appens is spread istantaneously through media and social networks. This rapidity brings immediate consequences, be they positive or negative, and there are few opportunities for control and organization. Blending between economies, society, architectural styles and ideas takes place just as quickly. The value of urban landscapes is closely linked to their past and the history which has shaped them. Urban identity, however, is little more than an abstract entity, a near obsolete concept with boundaries and characteristics that are hard to define. Today, in our society, it is hard to define “sense of place”. The very meaning of the word tradition is also open for discussion. The challenge is to find tools and, above all, develop study paths that allow to absorb the wealth of ever new cultural influences, without losing the spatial ans social urban identity which, for centuries, have distinguished the italian landscape. The chapter proposes some reflections on these issues,through theoretical references and Italian and international examples. The emphasis is given to projects and ideas facing the new environmental and sustainability requirements, which undoubtedly necessitate modification in the urban fabric towards green or smart cities, but considering tradition as the key aspect for the sustainable future of our cities.