Facing contemporaneous crises: a cultural identity and technical issue

The increasing frequency of overlapping risks—such as seismic events, depopulation, pollution, and socio-cultural decline—calls for new, integrated approaches to urban resilience and adaptation. This study introduces and applies the concepts of multi-resilience and multi-adaptation, defined respectively as the capacity to respond to simultaneous risks through place-sensitive, inclusive strategies, and the ability to reach a renewed equilibrium under complex, unpredictable conditions. Developed within the framework of the PRIN 2020 SUMMA project (#20209F3A37), the study proposes a structured, ten-step methodology for analyzing and redesigning public spaces in multi-risk contexts. The process includes the identification of coexisting risks, contributing factors, user perceptions, and local assets, leading to the construction of integrated mosaic-maps. These tools synthesize spatial, social, and cultural data to guide the formulation of adaptive interventions. The method is tested in two historic towns in the Lazio region of central Italy—Cittaducale and Leonessa—both affected by the 2016 earthquake but characterized by different levels of physical damage and socio-economic fragility. Through fieldwork, qualitative surveys, spatial analysis, and community engagement, the study identifies specific vulnerabilities (e.g., seismic risk, depopulation, loss of identity) and context-based opportunities for sustainable regeneration. The proposed interventions include flexible reuse of public spaces, thematic cultural routes, and integration of digital tools for risk communication and heritage valorization. A key outcome of the methodology is the Multiadaptation Place Index (MPI), a composite indicator that evaluates a territory’s capacity to absorb, adapt, and transform under multiple risk conditions. The MPI is calculated by subtracting a weighted score of risks from the sum of identified adaptive assets—such as underused spaces, cultural value, and infrastructural flexibility. The resulting index offers a concrete tool for comparing and prioritizing interventions across territories, highlighting areas with the highest potential for sustainable transformation.