Cherubino Gambardella on Post-Earthquake Reconstruction and Architectural Flexibility

Architect Cherubino Gambardella reflects on the challenges of post-earthquake reconstruction in Italy, drawing from his experience after the 1980 Irpinia earthquake. He argues for a 'verisimilar' rather than 'impossible true' reconstruction, rejecting both the dictatorship of authenticity and superficial imitation. Gambardella proposes a two-phase approach: first, generic prisms in stone, plaster, and concrete with minimal formal sabotage to serve as temporary housing and services, built in 50 days; later, these structures become permanent public or private spaces after the completion of restoration and reconstruction. He emphasizes the need for a 'new picturesque' that respects the living and the dead, using contemporary techniques for safety and energy efficiency while restoring a harmonious and comforting image. Gambardella cites his own projects, such as the restoration of the Torre dello Ziro in Amalfi and the Battistero Paleocristiano in Nocera dei Pagani, as examples of sensitive intervention. He calls for courage to build an imperfect framework and to use the tools of the present, including flexible architecture that avoids the sad air of emergency shelters.