Places at risk called home. Rethinking the reconstruction in Ischia

Disaster hazard depends on both human populations and potentially destructive agents. Thus, the vulnerability is strictly related to the peculiarities of local areas such as the natural system, the social structure and the built environment. Urban planning and policies contribute to adapting territorial conditions to face natural disaster events, reduce social and physical disruptions. Indeed, the development of reconstruction policies is part of a broader goal that should aim to ‘rebuild the community’ while considering risk reduction actions and reconstruction plans according to the build back better approach. In this framework, the research focuses on the opportunity to rethink the importance of a resilient reconstruction process in contrast with the slavish reiteration of actions detached from the peculiarities of places, society and economic fabrics that mainly led the Italian post-earthquake initiatives. In order to do so, the paper addresses the ongoing recovery process on the island of Ischia hit by an earthquake in August 2017.