Rules for a New Town After a Disaster: The Gridded Schemes in the Plans

Abstract

A catastrophic event, although often very painful, can provide a unique opportunity to experiment with new settlement models and improve the livability of a city or village. The reconstruction can, in fact, present a chance to reduce the effects of future disasters by improving the construction quality, avoiding hazardous locations, while also improving spaces for emergency management from the community. This chapter examines cities that were based on orthogonal or grid reconstruction plans, characterized by streets intersecting at right angles to form blocks of regular size and spacing. The case studies allow for a comparative analysis and allow a technical evaluation of the experiences of the past from which the main settlement rules for future interventions can be extracted. The logic of the reconstruction has been linked to design criteria that reduce the vulnerability of the settlement.