Carlo Ratti's four lessons for post-earthquake architecture

Carlo Ratti, director of the SENSEable City Lab at MIT, outlines four principles for post-earthquake reconstruction based on his experience rebuilding school facilities in Cavezzo, Modena, after the 2012 Emilia-Romagna earthquake. First, emergency management requires accepting an unpleasant transitional period with tents and containers as unavoidable. Second, temporary solutions must not become permanent; hybrid structures that are neither fully temporary nor permanent waste resources and hinder long-term planning. Third, community participation is essential, leveraging digital tools to listen to needs and enable co-construction, leading to better outcomes. Fourth, reconstruction must respect Italy's historical architectural stratification, rebuilding with the same solidity and without haste, so that towns like Amatrice can endure as symbols of timeless beauty. Ratti collaborated with Renzo Piano and Giorgio Ceruti on the Cavezzo school project, which included The Learning Garden.