The conservation of palazzo Carli Benedetti after the 2009 earthquake in L’Aquila (Italy)

The Joint ICOMOS/ICCROM Project, Analysis of Case Studies in Recovery and Reconstruction, was launched in 2019 for completion in 2020. The need to learn from the experiences captured through case studies had been apparent for some time. It was invoked in international conferences and meetings such as the ICOMOS Colloquium on Post-Trauma Reconstruction of 2016, and expressed in the Conclusions and Recommendations of the Thematic Discussion on Post-conflict Reconstructions: recovery and community involvement, formulated at ICCROM’s 30th General Assembly, 2017. The Case Studies Analysis examines how the studies addressed the issues of recovery and reconstruction, using the components of the ICOMOS Matrix for the Compilation of Case Studies as a guiding template. This ICOMOS-ICCROM Project had specific goals: to advance understanding of the complex processes of post-trauma recovery and reconstruction from a cultural heritage perspective; to commission a range of case studies of such processes and to subject these to analysis that would identify how they can advance learning from the experiences described. To facilitate analysis, the project utilised the ICOMOS Matrix for the Compilation of Case Studies to provide a common parametric base for the diverse range of studies commissioned. Thus, in a reciprocal way, the project provided a means of testing the utility of the Matrix in the formulation of studies in this field. The Matrix has been shown to be useful in garnering comprehensive information. It should be used repeatedly and adapted with invention as experiences suggest. The compilation of case studies will comprise a valuable learning resource and access to them is of vital importance for those engaged in response actions, and especially for those offering guidance or advice to affected parties. The Analysis project has also demonstrated the benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the complexities of both the impacts of catastrophes and of the responses to them.