Italo Calvino’s Algorithms in Representing the DNA of Urban Complexity

Abstract

The reference to natural models has historically guided creative processes as the result of reinterpreting structures and principles observed in reality. Over time, imitation has evolved from formal reproduction, to the application of mechanical principles, and ultimately to the assimilation of the complexity of biological processes in the design of responsive systems. With the advancement of scientific knowledge, attention has shifted from the aesthetics of form (eurhythmy), to the relationships between parts (concinnitas), to processes of adaptation and transformation (evolution), and finally to the interaction among factors within complex systems (interaction). Within this trajectory lies the concept of exaptation, understood as the reuse and reconfiguration of pre-existing elements in new functional contexts. The city itself can be interpreted as a complex evolutionary system, in which relationships, conflicts, events, and transformations accumulate over time, contributing to the definition of the genius loci as the result of the recombination of heterogeneous elements. In the combinatorial structure of Invisible Cities, Italo Calvino constructs a narrative device in which the city emerges as the outcome of permutations of material and immaterial components, representing urban complexity through an open system of relationships and meanings. In this context, generative AI tools make it possible to translate textual descriptions into visual representations, making explicit the constitutive elements of Calvino’s cities and enabling their recombination according to formal and semantic logics. Building on these premises, the research proposes an operational model of exaptation, in which generated visual configurations are analyzed through automated recognition techniques in order to identify recurring urban elements, both physical and immaterial. These elements are then related to institutional indicator systems for the evaluation of urban well-being, thus establishing a bridge between unstructured data and consolidated quantitative metrics. The objective is to develop a hybrid system capable of translating visual signals into proxies interpretable as indicators of urban quality, contributing to the definition of innovative tools for the analysis and representation of the complexity of contemporary cities.