Monipiste

Monipiste is a fictional concept used in speculative urban planning and science fiction to describe a modular, multi-use transportation corridor designed to connect urban centers and regional areas through interchangeable track or lane segments. The term combines a sense of modularity with piste, a word meaning path or track, to convey flexible, reconfigurable infrastructure.

Concept and design: A Monipiste network consists of standardized modules or pistes that can be assembled in various configurations to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, buses, trams, autonomous shuttles, and even goods transport. Modules may include features such as integrated safety barriers, electric lines, and shared public spaces. The system emphasizes adaptability, interoperability, and the ability to reconfigure routes quickly in response to demand, events, or emergencies.

Applications: In fiction, Monipiste serves as a setting for urban mobility experiments and social narratives. In theoretical planning discussions, it provides a framework for exploring modular infrastructure, resilience, and land-use integration, illustrating how cities might evolve to accommodate multiple transportation modes within a single corridor.

History and usage: The concept has appeared in planning essays and speculative literature since the 2000s and 2010s, as designers and writers discussed modular approaches to urban infrastructure. There are no real-world, fully realized Monipiste networks, but some projects explore related ideas such as modular street design, bus rapid transit, or multi-use trails that share similar principles.

Criticism and reception: Proponents note potential efficiency gains, safety through standardized interfaces, and reduced construction disruption. Critics question feasibility, governance, funding, and the risk of over-architecting planning without demonstrated pilots.

See also: modular infrastructure, multi-use corridor, bus rapid transit, mixed-use development.