This contribution proposes a methodological approach to research in the field of planning. It starts from the analysis of direct and indirect sources and then goes on to implement active analysis practices according to the modalities of action-research (Lewin). In this way, an attempt is made to make tangible improvements to the realities examined while continuing to learn about them. This method is applied to the study of Sardinian rural landscapes, and in particular the investigation process, only hinted at here, sees the geographical sub-region of Marmilla (Sardinia) as an application case. It is believed that the rural operators in charge of the territory could benefit from active analysis processes aimed not only at accumulating knowledge but also at proposing possible improvement actions. The multifunctionality of the countryside is identified as the key to the redevelopment of these territories and the demand for new spaces to test activities complementary to production as the motivation behind the problem. Concepts such as temporary, transitory, ephemeral and sustainable thus become fundamental in the design of new intervention devices. The project that respects these principles is therefore a means and instrument of the knowledge pathway, an intermediate and recursive stage that can bring out data and nuances otherwise difficult to obtain through theoretical analysis alone.