Spontaneous rural settlements in the Emilia 2012 seismic aftermath: strategies for the enhancement of the countryside landscape

Spontaneous built heritage in a seismic-prone area calls for extensive measures to take care of their critical tangible features and intangible values made of vernacular construction techniques and traditional use. The operative strategies should be continuously enhanced, starting with the damage survey and moving through the provisional safety measures to the final intervention. This paper illustrates an example of the methodology used to preserve the distinctive values of the anthropized countryside landscape in the Emilia lowland by identifying spontaneous evidence resulting from rural culture’s practical knowledge. By analyzing historic construction methods, it is feasible to understand informal architecture by recognizing its variance and exploring the topic of brick masonry constructions. The aim is to show that spontaneous architecture, far from being an endangered type as a result of seismic sequence, despite its inherent vulnerability backed by the lack of materials and the modest construction techniques used, help to define the distinctive character of the anthropized rural landscape and that preserving their spontaneity ensures the persistence not only of the collective memory but also the image of the landscape itself.