Type of Event
COST Action Training School
Organised under OBSERVISTA – COST Action CA24134: Observatory of Innovative Strategies for Repurposing Terrain Vague
Location and Date
Florence, Italy
Faculty of Architecture – Santa Teresa
Via della Mattonaia n.14
22–23 January 2026
Topic
Applied Ontology for Terrain Vague Terminology Development
The Training School introduces participants to the use of Applied Ontology (AO) as a methodological framework for structuring, analysing, and harmonising terminology related to Terrain Vague / urban voids in support of the OBSERVISTA glossary and conceptual foundations.
Scope
The event is designed to:
- Build foundational understanding of applied ontology concepts,
- Introduce methodological pathways for conceptual analysis in urban studies,
- Establish a shared terminology dataset for the Initiated Glossary Development,
- Integrate AO perspectives with conceptual, methodological, and literature-based approaches to Terrain Vague research, and
- Support WG1 objectives within the MoU, particularly RCO1, CBO1, T1.2, and T1.3.
Expected Outcomes
Participants will:
- Acquire methodological skills in Applied Ontology for conceptual analysis,
- Contribute to the first iteration of the OBSERVISTA glossary,
- Engage in the collaborative refinement of terminology across disciplines.
Programme Synopsis
The two-day Training School on Applied Ontology brings together conceptual, methodological and literature-based approaches to advance the development of a shared terminology for Terrain Vague within the OBSERVISTA COST Action CA24134. Through a sequence of plenary sessions jointly delivered with the host institution, the programme introduces participants to foundational concepts of terrain vague and urban voids, methodological principles of applied ontology, and the integration of AI tools in academic research.
The first day focuses on conceptual analysis and applied ontology, providing theoretical grounding, methodological demonstrations, and hands-on analytical exercises. The programme also includes a thematic session on AI for research practices and an interactive evening activity exploring semantic interpretation.
The second day is dedicated to systematic literature review methods tailored to terrain vague/urban voids studies, equipping participants with analytical tools needed to support the glossary development. The Training School concludes with a collaborative conceptual analysis lab conducted by the OBSERVISTA research team, consolidating insights and contributions toward the initial glossary dataset.
FULL PROGRAMME (as defined on webpage)
