seismic microzonation and limit conditions in prevention of seismic risk through planning

This article (in “Urbanistica Dossier” n. 130) synthetizes some result of the Urbisit research project, in cooperation between National Research Council – Institute for Environmental Geology and Geo-Engineering (CNR-IGAG) and the Civil Protection Department (DPC).

The text displays possibile ways to use microzonation studies in local scale planning as long as the relationships between the Emergency limit condition (ELC) together with other limit conditions in the urban planning field

For a more effective prevention of seismic risk, a more integrated approach and a wider dialogue between different branches of knowledge and public policies is strongly necessary

open frameworks – some steps towards urban design

Open Frameworks. Some steps towards urban design, published in “Europan Norway” – The Norwegian and Cypriot E8 results catalogue, Oslo 2006 pp. 80-81

A short essay about some recent urban design trends starting from the Europan 8 competition experience

a renewed territory. a planning look over the post-earthquake reconstruction in umbria 1997 – 2007

The book is based on a research for Umbria Region dedicated to planning aspects of post-seismic reconstruction after 1997 earthquake.

The book is divided into four parts: first three parts deals with the territorial conditions before earthquake, the post-emergency acts, the regional and urban situation ten years after the seismic event. The fourth part expose some reflections about new settlements and historical towns, whose structure has been changed after ten years of reconstruction.

The conclusions suggest new perspectives on regional development and seismic hazard prevention at an urban scale

landscapes in umbria after earthquake. atlas 1997-2007

The Umbria 1997 earthquake involved different consequences at many levels. Destruction of cultural heritage and historical buildings, loss of urban funcionality and demographic decrease specially in small towns demonstrated that a seismic event produces a complex damage wich is more relevant than the sum of different damages on building environment.

Post-seismic interventions has been displayed in different sectors. Their influence on many different places is easy to demonstrate. Furthermore they had also a general effect; not only on physical configuration of every single urban context but also on the appearance of the whole region and on its social representation. In a word the reconstruction process produced effects also on the regional landscape.

Therefore reading different “earthquake landscapes” of Umbria requires to take a look on different transformations due to reconstruction, from different points of view.

This book collects many images of these modifications as a first step for a possible discussion on the reconstruction process

the spaces of archaeology. themes for urban planning

For a long time, carelessness or renouncement have been the most common ways to afford the relationship between towns and archaeology, as it has been expressed in many master plans and urban design projects in Italy.

Looking for a new connection between archaological remains and urban transformations, it is fundamental trying to link different disciplines and actors to look at the archaeological sites from an integrated poit of view.

A new perspective is necessary, passing from perimeter to context.
In this new vision, urban plannig can represent a very important reference, on condition that different issues and tools can be articulated to redefine in a critical way both contemporary urban areas and the traces of their past.