The heritage of resilient communities. Maps and codes in Italy’s earthquake zones

Abstract

In Italian regions regularly affected by disasters and crises in the settlement process, half a century of earthquakes have underscored the acute vulnerability and extended risk exposure of the country’s architectural and urban heritage. On the whole, the greatest damage is found where interventions are incompatible with the technological, typological and morphological components of built fabric in smaller settlements. It is therefore reasonable to ask architecture and arts to commit to improving the resilience of communities settled in the most fragile territories. To be effective and timely this commitment should recover methods used by predecessors and forerunners, rather than be tempted to start from scratch.