Urban empty spaces and green fields for the ecological quality. The post-earthquake regeneration in the city of L’Aquila

Abstract

Following the earthquake in Abruzzi in 2009 the crucial role of the empty spaces and, more generally, of the free spaces, has been highlighted. Some of these “not built” places, however, have shown a different relevance from others, both during emergency functions, and in the next recovery. Even in a extremely sprawled city, that after the earthquake it has become even more so, the quality of urban spaces have been used more effectively and more quickly returned to their previous use. The same thing is not happening for others free spaces; even if they are intensively used for earthquake emergency needs, nowadays they present many uncertainties about their destiny which doesn’t exclude the abandonment and the degradation. Many of these areas, placed in an urban land between the biodiversity hotspots of the central Apennine, have a crucial importance to guarantee and improve the ecological connectivity functions. The recovery strategies of the emergency areas that will be actuated in the next years will have a high relevance in recognizing and managing the residual ecological connections, now very fragmented/tight and close to the disappearance. This work shows these dynamics by using data and valuations developed for the new drafting general plan of the city.