Work Packages

coordinator: POLITO

co-coordinator: UNICH

At the beginning of the project, we set up the theoretical framework and carried out the knowledge survey necessary to collect the cutting-edge research and the most recent advancement on the topics the project addressed. In particular, we reviewed literature, EU projects, national case studies, good and bad practices. We used that information to implement a new approach to tackle vulnerabilities in Inner Areas, fostering transformative resilience into spatial planning. We drafted the TRIALs Methodology integrating innovations from different study fields that became fundamental to promote a transformative resilience-based approach in Inner Areas. Technically, we set an easy-to-comprehend and straightforward methodology developed to optimize territorial systems’ essential dimensions: social aspects including economy, technological aspects including the built-up heritage, and environmental aspects, including ecological issues. The TRIALs Methodology used mapped indicators and represented values of sensitivities (state of the territorial systems), disturbances, and shocks (the pressure on territorial systems) by raster images.

TASKS:

T1.1 - Literature review about Transformative Resilience, Inner Areas, Community Biographies and Maps, Participatory Research, and Planning by Scenario. Focuses on the central issues of the proposal by investigating them through a study that synthesizes the results obtained from previous research, identifying limits, gaps, and above all points of contact between the same issues. (coordinator: UNICH | co-coordinator: POLITO)

T1.2 - Best practices review on Disaster Risk Management cycle (including post-disaster recovery), experiences of communicating and interacting with communities by co-design in fragile areas, and Planning by Scenarios featuring local projects. Focuses on collecting case studies and their results on the project’s central issues to support scenario-based planning as the primary approach to address the entire disaster risk management cycle at different government scales. (coordinator: POLIMI | co-coordinator: LA SAPIENZA)

T1.3 - Setting up of a method for the analysis of territorial vulnerabilities. The task define a method for the analysis of territorial vulnerabilities and risk exposure as a tool of technical comprehension for decision making, aimed at the elaboration of strategies, actions and projects to enhance the preparedness, adaptation and evolution of Inner Areas in the frame of transformative resilience. (coordinator: UNICAM | co-coordinator: UNICH)

T1.4 - First draft of the Transformative Resilience methodology for Inner Areas and Local Communities (TRIALs Methodology). The task synthesizes the main acquired knowledge and the most relevant references and best practices, building up a theoretical framework to guide the elaboration of a new approach to address transformative resilience in Inner Areas characterized by multi-risk conditions and human capital. (coordinator: POLITO | co-coordinator: UNICAM)

coordinator: UNICH

co-coordinator: UNICAM

In the second step, we apply and check the TRIALs Methodology in the case study of Central Italy, where there is a combination of recent disasters and chronic fragilities typical of Inner Areas. In particular, we focus on the municipalities of Norcia and Camerino, in the northern part of the epicentral area of the 2016 earthquake, identified as the test area of the project. The two case studies have complementary analytical paths and project goals derived from the research already carried out on the area under investigation. The choice of these different case studies is preparatory to applying the TRIALs methodology and verifying its adaptability/replicability. We choose this critical area for several reasons: the extensive available data necessary for a realistic description of the territorial conditions; the heterogeneity of and the historical interaction between the housing-infrastructure and economic-social fabric underpinned by the current real estate situation; the opportunities offered by the case study for dealing with a multi-risk condition in Inner Areas; the potential for local development linked to the natural surroundings.

TASKS:

T2.1 - Analysis of the Central-Italy Inner Areas (2 pilot cases), with special focus on territorial vulnerabilities, and adaptation measures in the planning tools. The task identifies sensitivities, disturbances and shocks in the study area to outline environmental issues, social aspects, and economic features, including infrastructures and the built-up heritage in relation to the vulnerability analysis. Most of this information is already collected by the studies mentioned in this proposal's state of the art. The used indicators will start the implementation of the “TRIALs knowledge platform”. Secondly, the task tests possible ways of integrating adaptation measures into the different planning, with particular attention to the relationship between the effectiveness of the used tools and the efficiency of the solutions adopted. (coordinator: UNICH | co-coordinators: UNICAM; POLITO)

T2.2 - Development and analysis of Community Biographies and Community Maps (drafting future Living Lab). The task reconstructs a community profile through a collective autobiographical narrative, describing the know-how and knowledge helpful in regenerating an indigenous economic and social framework. Depending on the type of respondent (youth, elderlies, workers, administrators, experts, entrepreneurs, etc.), information is gathered through open questions and other public hearing procedures (Participatory Research). Moreover, Community Maps are a territorial representation of people’s perception of heritage, landscape, and knowledge, that they would like to pass to future generations. The communities’ drawings are collected and systematized in a GIS environment, creating a database of spatialized economic, landscape, and social information, to inform planning by scenarios activities. This task begins to structure an in situ work that could be implemented in the future by constructing stable Living Labs on the territory. (coordinator: POLIMI | co-coordinators: UNICAM; LA SAPIENZA)

T2.3 - Planning by Scenarios in Central-Italy Inner Areas in close interaction with local communities. The task defines adaptation criteria for land-use planning and local projects aimed at disaster risk reduction and post-disaster recovery, through preliminary guidelines, foreshadowing scenarios, potential measures and contextual interventions. The output describes adaptation strategies and measures in urban planning tools, in other words, the definition of project actions and possible urban planning directions on how to prevent environmental, infrastructural, and settlement systems from natural hazards. (coordinator: LA SAPIENZA; co-coordinator: UNICH)

coordinator: LA SAPIENZA

co-coordinator: POLIMI

We adjust the TRIALs Methodology and define guidelines and recommendations for planners and decision-makers of Inner Areas. The main research outcome is the improvement of the TRIALs Methodology, drafted in WP1 and tested in WP2. The main research output is the set of guidelines and recommendations in WP3, which orient urban and regional planning to assume adaptation measures for risk reduction. The guidelines help manage the interaction among experts, decision-makers, and communities, and the different forms of planning by scenarios in close interaction with local projects. Combining several approaches – as described below – and different expertise, we integrate information from different fields of study. The effectiveness of the research is achieved progressively by a continuous fine-tuning of learned outcomes, aimed to reorient the TRIALs Methodology.

TASKS:

T3.1 - Final Elaboration of the Transformative Resilience methodology for Inner Areas and Local Communities (TRIALs) with adjustments of the approach for other Inner Areas. The task refines the TRAILs methodology designed in WP1, moving from WP2. According to their specific characteristics, particular attention will be paid to TRIALs Methodology replicability to different typologies of Inner Areas. (coordinator: POLITO | co-coordinator: UNICAM)

T3.2 - Definition of recommendations to manage the interaction among experts, decision makers and communities. The task improves the dialogues and interactions among scientists and laypeople, focusing on an appropriate design and planning of the prevention and reconstruction phases, investing resources to “put into practice” resilience skills. (coordinator: UNICH | co-coordinators: POLIMI; LA SAPIENZA)

T3.3 - Definition of guidelines for Planning by Scenarios in close interaction with local projects to orient urban and regional planning. The task provides guidelines for planning through alternative scenarios that consider benefits required by stakeholders, time targets, financial budgets, changes that may occur in a condition of uncertainty, and risks exposure. These scenarios must be the framework for local projects. Moreover, the task improves the interactions into plans and projects processes, particularly regarding: strategic and executive plans; physical reconstruction and socio-economic recovery; and land-use management and measures for risk prevention and mitigation. (coordinator: LA SAPIENZA; co-coordinator: UNICH)

coordinator: UNICAM

co-coordinator: POLIMI

The last WP4 is dedicated to the project management and in particular: coordination, dissemination and communication of the project outcomes.

TASKS:

T4.1 - Project management and coordination, monitoring and assessment. The task ensures coordination among the RUs and the effective implementation of the work plan. The task intercepts implementation risks and operates with mixed adjustment for achieving the research objectives, assessing the efficacy of the activities conducted. A Monitoring and Evaluation plan is defined to outline the risks. The task addresses the management of the project lifecycle final phase, verifying that i) the project goals are reached, ii) all deliverables are finalized, iii) the project results are adequately disseminated. (coordinator: UNICAM | co-coordinators: ALL)

T4.2 - Definition of project planning and scheduling, and definition of dissemination and communication strategy. The task defines a detailed work-plan of the project’s activities, setting the project activities, meetings, deliverables, internal reports, and milestones. Moreover, the task develops a strategy within the first quarter to coordinate the knowledge flows among RUs and translate the project results into scientific outputs and outreach activities. (coordinator: UNICAM | co-coordinators: ALL)

T4.3 - Scientific Dissemination (scientific papers and/or conferences). The task shares the project results and progress within the scientific community through publications on (open access) peer-reviewed journals and participation in conferences. (coordinator: UNICAM | co-coordinators: ALL)

T4.4 - Mainstreaming Activities (Focus Groups with public administrations/associations) and Outreach Activities (public lectures, flyers, book). The task promotes dissemination towards public administrations and other stakeholders involved, organizing focus groups and/or public seminars/conferences. Moreover, the task collects all the communication activities targeting the general public: website, flyers, posters, a social media campaign, and a book with an international publisher for the project closure. (coordinators: POLIMI; POLITO | co-coordinators: ALL)