Historical Center Of Naples Research Articles

3D FEM Back Analysis of the Observed Performance of a Very Deep Excavation in the Historical Center of Naples, Italy

3D FEM Back Analysis of the Observed Performance of a Very Deep Excavation in the Historical Center of Naples, Italy

The Agency of Socially Mixed Neighbourhoods Insights from the Historic Centre of Naples

In a city like Naples, the concept of neighbourhood is continuously negotiated and redefined through everyday practices of urban interaction and through the existence of multiple forms of social capital that animate daily life. In the historic centre of the city the negotiation of the neighbourhoods is influenced by the coexistence and close proximity of different social groups, which compels us to think about the significance of the 'agency of place' and how social difference defines the neighbourhood itself. The diverse housing situations and economic activities shape the characteristics of these central neighbourhoods that, crucially, are not captured in formal, administrative definitions of the city's districts. Through the case of the Condominio Sociale divia S. Nicola a Nilo, a city council housing policy to build a socially inclusive block of flats, this article discusses how the coexistence of various inhabitants, social networks, and spatial relationships represent a fundamental feature of the concept of neighbourhood in Naples. In doing so, the article points to the importance of the 'agency of place' and the maintenance of social heterogeneity as key to inclusive urban policies.

Development of point sampling technology for identifying high-emitting vehicles in narrow and deep street canyons

Side road measurements of fine particle (FP) concentrations were performed in two narrow and deep street canyons in the historic center of Naples using point sampling technology (PS). The FP concentration in the range of 20–103 nm was measured using a condensation particle number counter (CPC) with a 1 Hz frequency. Video recording was used to detect passing vehicles classified into three categories: motorcycles, cars, and light-duty vehicles. The two monitored streets were adjacent, with similar geometrics and orientation but different high- and low-traffic levels. FP concentration time series data were processed to identify concentration peaks generated by the exhausts of passing vehicles. A sensitivity analysis study was carried out to determine how data processing parameters could affect high-emitting vehicle (high emitter) identification. Once the optimum parameters were defined, the contribution of high emitters exhaust emissions to local air quality was assessed. The results showed that PS technology offered viable opportunities for application in narrow street canyons where deploying more common crossroad and top-down monitoring can be troublesome. However, some issues remain to be solved to accurately identify high emitterss in high-traffic cases. PS technology can be useful for developing effective air quality management policies in historical centres.

Mitigation strategies in densely urbanized contexts: the case study of a historical district in Naples

The design of our cities, their planning, and management must be increasingly oriented towards sustainability, identifying solutions that can systemically address problems on a city scale, namely urban heat islands, rainwater runoff, storms, and acoustic issues. This study begins by evaluating the impact of a green area on pedestrian comfort in the historical center of Naples, employing an experimental and numerical approach. Temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 concentration were measured at three significant points in a historical quarter in “Chiaia” district (Naples): a) in the center of the square “Piazza del Martiri” in the sun, b) in the center of the same square in the shade, and c) in the shade of the vegetation, under the effect of transpiration of deep trees. Then, these measures are used for the calibration of a numerical model developed in an environmental analysis software. The numerical approach has been used to predict the impact of possible mitigation scenarios, by increasing the vegetation and varying the density of the canopy, using non-white cool materials for the urban surfaces and for the facades and roofs of the surrounding historical buildings, and adding fountains. These strategies have a positive effect on urban temperatures and outdoor comfort, in densely urbanized contexts. The findings are finally used to identify the best design solutions, to improve pedestrian comfort and reduce the urban heat, without affecting the historical value of the urban district.

Pratiques habitantes, lieux de production et (il‑)légitimités spatiales dans le centre historique de Naples

Cette contribution propose d’interroger les formes du changement urbain et les coprésences entre nouveaux et anciens habitants à partir de l’exemple des quartiers populaires du centre historique de Naples. Les pratiques habitantes sont abordées par le prisme du devenir des lieux de la production matérielle, moins exploré que celui des pratiques résidentielles, selon une perspective temporelle assez large, pour en saisir les ruptures et continuités. Il s’agira de voir comment les stratégies individuelles de petits entrepreneurs questionnent les interdépendances avec d’autres pratiques spatiales et l’articulation entre ancrage et mobilités, mais aussi comment les façons de « faire avec l’espace » des habitants de longue date témoignent d’arrangements contraints et révèlent des manières de contourner les nouveaux ordres spatiaux imposés par les politiques urbaines et la mise aux normes internationales des villes du sud de l’Europe. Pour saisir les appropriations temporaires ou durables des espaces dans les quartiers centraux, nous partirons des anciens « lieux » du productif. À travers trois biographies, l’approche privilégie une entrée par les micro‑lieux au croisement de l’évolution de leur occupation d’une part et des trajectoires de leurs occupants d’autre part.

A mechanics-based model for simplified seismic vulnerability assessment of masonry bell towers

The safeguard of historical heritage cannot disregard a rational assessment of the seismic vulnerability of the assets, especially in areas as Italy where high exposure and hazard may lead to significant risk. In this context, while established empirical methods based on observed damage after earthquakes are available for some constructional typologies as churches and palaces, large-scale approaches for masonry bell towers aimed at defining a vulnerability ranking for prioritisation of intervention are still missing or not sufficiently validated.In this paper, a novel simplified vulnerability model is formulated through sensitivity-informed parameter reduction of a more detailed mechanics-based assessment methodology. The framework is based on (a) a parametric representation of the bell tower, (b) a mechanical model providing a measure of collapse, (c) a vulnerability definition based on the measure of collapse. The variation ranges of the input parameters are calibrated against the results of the surveys carried out in the historical centre of Naples. A global sensitivity analysis is then used to identify the most important parameters governing the vulnerability of the structure and remove the least influential parameters. Vulnerability models based on different amount of input data are finally proposed, and their accuracy is assessed comparatively with the original mechanical model. The results show that good accuracy can be obtained by using six geometrical and typological parameters, while further increase in the quality of the prediction may be achieved with the introduction of additional information regarding materials and constructional features, which can only be acquired by means of more detailed surveys on-site.

Abandoned places, complexes and parts of cities. Regeneration and enhancement of monumental hospitals in the historic centre of Naples

Even before Covid-19 although in the very center of the old town and historic center of Naples there were abandoned buildings and complexes, uninhabited and unused for decades. The cause is attributed to multiple reasons such as functional obsolescence, failure to adapt to intervening European standards in terms of hospital construction, technological facilities to standards, etc. The health crisis which strongly affected European societies revealed the fragilities of our healthcare systems. In Italy, a large number of COVID-19 patients congested hospitals while the continuity of essential services was interrupted at the expense of other needs. At the same time, the process of abandonment of historic buildings affects different monumental hospitals, such as the “San Giacomo degli Incurabili” and the “Carlo Forlanini” in Rome, or the “Gesù e Maria” Hospital, “San Gennaro dei Poveri” and the “Santa Maria del Popolo degli Incurabili” in Naples. This paper reports three case studies of Neapolitan historical hospitals regeneration proposals with the goal of strengthening the existing community healthcare system and developing energy efficiency and seismic improvement strategies in the spirit of sustainable development. Leveraging the flexibility of monumental hospitals, the proposed light retrofit interventions restore the historial healthcare functional destination ensuring also the reuse of such an heritage. The current research delineates an approach to the recovery and enhancement for social and cultural purposes of unused and abandoned historical hospitals. This approach can positively affect the quality of life of citizens and the use of health services, while recovering historical cultural heritage buildings.

Abandoned places, complexes and parts of cities. Regeneration and enhancement of monumental hospitals in the historic centre of Naples

Even before Covid-19 although in the very center of the old town and historic center of Naples there were abandoned buildings and complexes, uninhabited and unused for decades. The cause is attributed to multiple reasons such as functional obsolescence, failure to adapt to intervening European standards in terms of hospital construction, technological facilities to standards, etc. The health crisis which strongly affected European societies revealed the fragilities of our healthcare systems. In Italy, a large number of COVID-19 patients congested hospitals while the continuity of essential services was interrupted at the expense of other needs. At the same time, the process of abandonment of historic buildings affects different monumental hospitals, such as the “San Giacomo degli Incurabili” and the “Carlo Forlanini” in Rome, or the “Gesù e Maria” Hospital, “San Gennaro dei Poveri” and the “Santa Maria del Popolo degli Incurabili” in Naples. This paper reports three case studies of Neapolitan historical hospitals regeneration proposals with the goal of strengthening the existing community healthcare system and developing energy efficiency and seismic improvement strategies in the spirit of sustainable development. Leveraging the flexibility of monumental hospitals, the proposed light retrofit interventions restore the historial healthcare functional destination ensuring also the reuse of such an heritage. The current research delineates an approach to the recovery and enhancement for social and cultural purposes of unused and abandoned historical hospitals. This approach can positively affect the quality of life of citizens and the use of health services, while recovering historical cultural heritage buildings.

The Neapolitan way to the commons: poetics of irony and ‘creative use of the law’ in the case of L’Asilo

ABSTRACT This article is the result of ethnographic research exploring the relationships between social movements for the commons and local institutions in Naples. Proposed as an effective counter-narrative that opposes the clientelistic and corrupt management of public resources, the approach introduced by the Neapolitan commons network has become a model on a national scale and beyond. My aim is to describe the social and cultural factors underlying commoning practices and policies for the commons in a context that expresses specific conceptions of the political. I will dwell, in particular, on the experience of L’Asilo, the first community of commons activists who obtained recognition from the local administration for the ‘civic use’ of a public building that they had occupied in the historic centre of Naples.

Investigations and stability analysis of San Marcellino cavities in the historical centre of Naples

The historical centre of the city of Naples is characterised by a network of underground anthropogenic cavities. Most of these cavities are stable and safe but sometimes for several reasons they are at least partially responsible of the occurrence of instability phenomena such as sinkholes and collapses. The opening of a sinkhole in the cloister of the Ancient Royal Boarding School (known as Educandato Reale of San Marcellino) led to fears of instability in the known underlying cavities. Therefore, a site investigation program was carried out to ascertain the causes of the event. The investigation concluded that the sinkhole was not related to the underneath cavities, located in tuff between 12 and 20 m beneath the main building. Nevertheless, due to the interest raised by the preliminary safety assessment, such a cavity system was selected within the MOSCAS project for further studies. The results of the site investigations and the stability of the cavities determined via FEM code Plaxis 2D are presented and discussed in this paper.

Sinkholes threatening places of worship in the historic center of Naples

The historic center of Naples (southern Italy) is characterized by a variety of elements which, forming its cultural asset, have contributed to its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Among these, cathedrals, churches and chapels are particularly relevant due to their diffusion and differentiation in age. A singular feature of these places of worship is the presence of a frequently connected network of underground cavities. Such cavities, excavated for quarrying tuff blocks, are susceptible to sudden collapses generating sinkholes which in a number of cases have been responsible for the loss of human lives. On this basis and considering the importance of such elements as attractors of visitors, an analysis of susceptibility to sinkholes of cathedrals, churches and chapels has been here carried out. A sinkhole, cavities and places of worship inventory was prepared using available data and was used, in association to ongoing ground deformation data obtained by DInSAR. Results indicated that 40% of the inventoried sinkholes are a product of cavity collapses and in 45 cases cavities lie underneath places of worship. Geodetic data obtained by Differential Interferometric SAR technique indicate that approximately 1 km2 of the historic center of Naples is subject to ongoing subsiding deformation that in several cases is localized above cavities. The susceptibility map derived from available data indicate the presence of a zone where no cathedral, church and chapel can be subject to sinkholes (1) and 3 zones where they can be subject to sagging (2), potential future cavity collapses (3) and future cavity collapses anticipated by ongoing deformation (4); in detail, 34 places of worship are in zone 2, 57 in zone 3 and 9 in zone 4. Considering an increasing susceptibility level of the identified zones, the 9 places of worship located in zone 4 require a quick response in terms of characterization, stability analysis and real time monitoring have been identified.

Multidisciplinary Approach for Evaluating the Geochemical Degradation of Building Stone Related to Pollution Sources in the Historical Center of Naples (Italy)

Natural stones have represented one of the main building materials since ancient times. In recent decades, a worsening in degradation phenomena related mostly to environmental pollution was observed, threatening their conservation. The present work is focused on the minero-petrographic and geochemical characterization of black crust (BC) samples taken from the historical center of Naples, after selecting two pilot monumental areas. The latter were chosen based on their historical importance, type of material, state of preservation and position in the urban context (i.e., high vehicular traffic area, limited traffic area, industrial area, etc.). The building materials used and their interaction with environmental pollutions were studied comparing the results obtained by means of different analytical techniques such as polarized light Optical Microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersion system (SEM-EDS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and laser ablation coupled with inductive plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).

Experimental processes for the governance of the public space. Guidelines for the sustainable project of dehor in the historic center of Naples

Experimental processes for the governance of the public space. Guidelines for the sustainable project of dehor in the historic center of Naples

The city of the sun and Parthenope: classical astronomy and the planning of Neapolis, Magna Graecia

This paper investigates what may have been the cosmological and religious inspirations for the plan of the city of Parthenope-Neapolis (the historic centre of Naples, Italy), which was founded in the early fifth century BC by Greek colonists. Neapolis anticipated the strict orthogonal Hippodamian street grid plan. We argue that its geometry and geographical orientation was chosen so that Neapolis could be recognized as the city of Helios/Apollo (the sun-god of the Greeks) and Parthenope, the deified royal ancestor and/or the siren after whom the city was named. In fact, Neapolis's streets were cosmologically oriented using a sixteen-rayed hexadecagram geometry to emphasize Apollonian/solar cults. The city was also planned using a Pythagorean decagram/pentagram design with golden section proportions and inscribed geometries to symbolize the Harmony of the Spheres. These geometries were apparently inspired by the specific paths of the sun seen from the city on the solstices. Moreover, a sort of celestial light show on the spring and autumn equinoxes connected the sun, the Somma-Vesuvius volcano complex, Sant’ Elmo hill, the constellations of Taurus, Virgo/Parthenos and Aquila with the cult of Sebethos and Parthenope, the parent gods of Neapolis. Finally, Vitruvius's ideal city design appears to indicate that the novel and advanced planning of Neapolis served as a prototype for subsequent Greek and Roman cities.

VS models in the historical centre of Naples (Southern Italy) from noise cross-correlation

Ambient noise measurements have been performed in the historical centre of Naples (Southern Italy) along 40 paths (inter-receiver distances) with a length ranging from ~300 m to ~1550 m, for recording time variable from few hours to several months.Synchronous noise recordings at two receivers, 1-bit normalized, have been cross-correlated in order to estimate the empirical Green's function (surface wave train) of the medium between them. The fundamental-mode Raleigh waves have been extracted at periods ranging from 0.15 s to 1 s by using the frequency-time analysis technique. Average group velocity dispersion curves with error bar have been evaluated along 28 paths and inverted with a non-linear approach to get VS profiles extending to depths of ~50–300 m.Comparison of VS with some deep drillings and two down-hole measurements lets to argue important findings. First of all there is a good agreement with shallow (about 35 m) point down-hole measurements. The historical centre of Naples results to be characterized by a cover of man-made ground and pyroclastics of recent activity with thickness of 15–30 m and VS lower than 400 m/s. The products of the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff eruption have a thickness of about 80 m and are characterized by VS of 500–700 m/s in the shallower, altered and fractured part and of 700–900 m/s in the deeper, compact part. Below them, separated by a thin layer of the Campanian Ignimbrite that cannot be resolved by the data, ancient tuffs or marine sands are present which are locally responsible of velocity decrease. VS of 1100–1300 m/s, ascribable to intercalations of volcanic and sedimentary (marls, conglomerates and marly sands) rocks, are detected at ~200 m depth in the ancient part of the historical centre, rising to ~100 m depth, in the north-east of it.This study also gives an important contribution to microzoning studies. The top of the lithoid Neapolitan Yellow Tuff cannot be considered as the top of the seismic bedrock, being characterized by 500 m/s < VS < 800 m/s. The seismic bedrock with VS ≥ 800 m/s is deeper, sometimes at depths >100 m.

L'innovazione nel mestiere di artigiano: liutai, orafi e presepai del centro storico napoletano

Il lavoro artigiano rappresenta uno dei tratti distintivi della cultura e dell’economia italiana, e costituisce da sempre un elemento di riconoscibilita dell’Italia nel mondo. Ancora radicato, il saper fare manuale puo continuare ad avere un peso culturale e un valore nella societa della conoscenza e nell’economia globale. L’articolo presenta i principali risultati di una ricerca etnografica condotta per un anno su tre produzioni tipiche del centro storico napoletano: l’artigianato orafo, l’artigiano presepiale e l’artigianato musicale. L’artigianato artistico napoletano, di cui le tre produzioni indagate sono gli esempi piu noti, rappresenta una risorsa e un’occasione di sviluppo locale, testimonia la continuita con la tradizione, ma anche la capacita di innovazione. Gli artigiani considerati riprendono e adeguano tecniche dell’arte colta, ripropongono contenuti e tecniche di processi produttivi antichi, ma anche, in modi diversi, differenziano il loro prodotto e la qualita di questo in base alle nuove richieste rispetto al passato da parte dei committenti. Hanno introdotto nuove tecnologie all’interno dei processi produttivi tradizionali e cambiamenti nell’organizzazione del lavoro e nella trasmissione del mestiere. Le informazioni raccolte permettono di individuare le potenzialita, la ricchezza e la varieta di forme di un settore che pur esprimendo continuita con la tradizione si e molto innovato al suo interno e prova continuamente a farlo.

11th International Conference on Clustering Aspects of Nuclear Structure and Dynamics

PrefaceThe 11th edition of the International Conference on Clustering Aspects of Nuclear Structure and Dynamics (CLUSTER‘16) was held in Napoli, Italy, on May 23-27 2016. All the Conference Sessions took place in the magnificent Complesso Monumentale dei Ss. Marcellino e Festo, located in the Historical Centre of Naples. This is one of the most prestigious building complexes of the Federico II University of Naples, the main home institution of the organizers, together with the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (Naples division). This building is 500 years old; in the XVIII century, it was reshaped by Luigi Vanvitelli, a famous architect of the pre-Neoclassical period in Italy, designer of the prestigious Royal Palace in the near town of Caserta. The site of Plenary Sessions was the Church of Ss. Marcellino e Festo, where all the participants were surrounded by the Baroque frescoes by Belisario Corenzio and, among the others, the paintings of Battistello Caracciolo, Massimo Stanzione, Giuseppe Simonelli and Francesco De Mura, important artists of the late Baroque period in South Italy. The sites of Parallel Sessions were two halls in the arcade of the S. Marcellino cloister: this gave the opportunity to the participants to enjoy the beauty of the architecture of the cloister with its fountains, gardens, sculptures.As organizers of the Conference, our main aims were: (1) to provide an excellent programme, with the expectation to be a reference point for the Nuclear Cluster Physics in the next four years; (2) to assure a very relaxing stay to the participants, allowing them to explore the bounty of artistic, and also culinary, masterpieces that Naples offers to its guests. The first point was assured by all the conveners that, with their excellent talks, gave a very precise and complete overview of the most recent achievements on Nuclear Cluster Physics, both from the experimental and theoretical point of view. We are indebted with the International Advisory Committee for their suggestions of excellent invited speakers and with all the conveners for their contributions to the discussion.

Local Warming in Historical Center of Naples: Urban Heat Island through Thermic City Analysis

Local Warming in Historical Center of Naples: Urban Heat Island through Thermic City Analysis

Local Warming in Historical Center of Naples: Urban Heat Island through Thermic City Analysis

Local Warming in Historical Center of Naples: Urban Heat Island through Thermic City Analysis

An irreconcilable first-place: the precarious life of tourism and heritage in a southern European historic centre

This article discusses the ambiguous relationship between heritage tourism and everyday life in the historic centre of Naples. This area, long characterised by a lower-class residential population and intermittently considered off-limits to tourists, has over the last two decades become the focus of a burgeoning heritage tourism industry. The article adopts the idea of precariousness – understood contra conventional formulations as a condition that elicits both anxiety and emancipatory release – in order to make sense of the allure and repulsion that the historic centre exerts in tourist encounters with the city. Through three examples – a bus sightseeing tour, online responses to a New York Times article about Naples and local people’s perceptions of a pedestrianised piazza as a tourist contact zone – the article illustrates how the historic centre as a tourist destination is constituted by a mix of foreboding and excitement; where affective experience tends to trump the monumental gaze. Thinking in terms of precariousness not only underlines the contradictory role that this area plays in the local production of cultural heritage but also poses a challenge to those accounts that see in the advent of a visitor economy the inevitable ‘museumification’ and gentrification of historic centres.