Globally, processes that drive urbanization have mostly evolved within economic downturns. Economic crises have been more severe and frequent, particularly in the Mediterranean region. However, studies on the recession effects on urbanization are limited. The present study explores possible differences in spatial direction and intensity of land-use change trajectories at two time intervals (2006–2012, 2012–2018) using high-resolution Copernicus Land Urban Atlas images in the Rome metropolitan area. To this aim, a landscape ecology classical approach based on land-use metric analysis combined with a multivariate spatial analysis has been carried out. Results have identified different land-use change patterns during expansion and recession. “Greening”, defined as the conversion of urban marginal areas into croplands and forests, increased during the recession. At the same time, the rate of urban expansion into rural areas decreased, thus indicating a beneficial effect of economic downturns in reducing urban sprawl.

Inherited and current trends of urbanization result in growing agri–urban mixed land use patterns that strongly call for innovative management and planning tools at the urban/rural interface. This could especially help to cope with both resilience and environmental fairness goals. In this framework, the category of the Agriculture Park (AP) deserves much attention in relating meaningful experiences, especially in Mediterranean areas. This article deepens the category with the aim of assessing its features as a viable tool in the planning domain to jointly protect and enhance peri-urban farmland areas. In particular, the adopted methodology taps into an integrated and holistic approach to define and assess, by design, a multi-purpose model of a Public Agri–urban Park (PAP) drawing on the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) management model (using break-even analysis to define the contents of the PPP itself), inhabitants’ participation, and referring to a typical fringe area in the municipality of Prato (Italy). Results show the potential of the PAP to jointly achieve—according to a proactive model of green spaces’ protection—many sustainable design targets along with new forms of services aimed at social welfare. At the same time, the article highlights the call for public bodies and agencies to overcome the “business as usual” and “silo-framed” institutional approach and establish fruitful collaborative and synergistic co-design procedures with inhabitants and local stakeholders.