Post-Earthquake Reconstruction of a Historic City

Experts in many disciplines—some working in L'Aquila since 2009’s catastrophic earthquake, and some involved with other post-disaster scenarios—will discuss the current state of L'Aquila: the damaged and restored cultural heritage, the gradual revival of urban life, and the city's new association with post-disaster aesthetics and construction sites.

What does it mean to “rebuild” a city after a natural disaster? Restoring housing and monuments seems to be the obvious answer; but what are the methods and techniques for recovering heritage without losing its memory? The recovery of the social system is even more complex.

How can we reconcile two needs: ensuring safety while not losing the memory of ancient building techniques?

Moreover, how can we overcome the fracture in a community’s history and the disruption of its past memories, planned future, and tangible and intangible cultural heritage?

What can we learn from recent cases, and how can we improve prevention and future interventions?

The workshop fosters a multidisciplinary dialogue on the current state of L'Aquila, still being reconstructed after the 2009 quake. The anastylosis of monuments and the recovery of historical and artistic heritage to date allow us to reflect on the safety of historic buildings, restoration methodologies and retrofitting interventions at various scales. Meanwhile, much has changed in the social and productive fabric of the city during the long years of post-earthquake standstill and then the slow reconstruction.

Opening Remarks:
Barbara Faedda, Executive Director, Italian Academy, Columbia University

Organizers:
Barbara Faedda, Executive Director, Italian Academy, Columbia University
Gianmarco de Felice, Roma Tre University; Weinberg Fellow in 2020 at Columbia's Italian Academy
Elisabetta Scirocco, Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History

Moderator:
Tanja Michalsky, Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History; Fellow in 2018 at Columbia's Italian Academy)

Invited Speakers:
Elena Aprile (Physics, Columbia University; Director, Italian Academy)
Eugenio Coccia (Physics, Gran Sasso Science Institute)
Gianmarco de Felice (Engineering, Roma Tre University; former Weinberg Fellow, Italian Academy)
Antonio Di Cecco (Photography, Academy of Fine Arts of L’Aquila)
Speranza Falciano (Physics, Gran Sasso Science Institute)
Alper Ilki (Engineering, Istanbul Technical University)
Tanja Michalsky (Art History, Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History: former Fellow, Italian Academy)
Elisabetta Scirocco (Art History, Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History)
Monica Musolino (Sociology, University of Messina)
John Ochsendorf (Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Grazia Tucci (Geomatics, University of Florence)
Alessandra Vittorini (Architecture)

Co-sponsor:

This event is part of the Italian Academy’s .

Image: Photograph by Antonio Di Cecco of the current urban landscape of L'Aquila: some buildings restored and some waiting, while construction fences invade the public space of a piazza and cars block the view.

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Host or Publisher The Italian Academy of Columbia University