Urban sprawl processes characterize the landscape of the areas surrounding cities. These landscapes show different features according to the geographical area that cities belong to, though some common factors can be identified: land consumption, indifference to the peculiarities of the context, homogeneity of activities and building typologies, mobility needs exasperatedly delegated  to private cars. Furthermore, these processes increasingly develop while land use planning seems unable – due to the lack of  capacities or of will - to counteract the causes, with multiple effects, which can be summarized in an overall reduction in quality of life.
Scientific community has been questioning about the need to curb urban sprawl processes  for many decades, since when large suburbs have been changed from desirable residential places to areas characterized by poor relationships and social qualities.