The post-earthquake experience in Italy. Difficulties and the possibility of planning the resurgence of the territories affected by earthquakes

Abstract

In the face of natural disasters, very often Italy has missed the opportunity to introduce new models and development projects. Solutions that would introduce new and immediate social-economic and urban planning regeneration processes have not been found, and very often the focus has been merely on need to reconstruct buildings that have been destroyed or damaged.After an earthquake, strategies that take into account the needs of residents and boost the economy with efficient urban planning strategies and civil protection plans have never been adopted. Permanent key centres have never been developed to cope with problems that exist before, during and after the earthquake.The scope of this paper is to define strategies that take account the experience of the past in order to lay the plans for the resurgence of the territory after an earthquake.This paper addresses the unresolved post-earthquake issue in Central Italy dating to August 2016-January 2017, in three steps:1. Chronological assessment of how difficult post-earthquake situations were managed in the past,and the role of planning today. Critical descriptions of a number of successful post-earthquake transition phases in Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, and Marche regions, and the serious errors made after other disasters (Historical centre of Aquila etc.). Evaluation of the current role of Regional Planning, in pre and post-earthquake situations.2. Scenarios, suggestions and operational proposals for Earthquake Damaged Areas. Assessment of the situation in Central Italy, where there have been a number of earthquakes in the period between August 2016 to January 2017, based on the positive and negative aspects of other experiences.The need of local communities to return to the area as quickly as possible is discussed, not only in terms of reconstruction. The contents of Projects for essential urban structures at a District, Municipal and Associated Districts Administration Area level are defined.3. Programmatic suggestions for the resurgence of the territory based on the “productive landscape” economic and social model.New forms of social housing, integrated tourism and farming activities, and support for farming and breeding activities typical of the area are identified together with advanced cultural districts, while semi-abandoned rural buildings are once again placed on the market.