Campi Flegrei architects propose building safety plan

The Order of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservators of Naples and its province has proposed a comprehensive prevention plan for the Campi Flegrei area following a 4.7 magnitude earthquake on July 31, 2026. The proposal, termed a ‘diffuse building vaccination,’ calls for systematic interventions on all buildings, including those not yet damaged, to move from emergency response to programmed prevention.

The plan advocates for a collaborative effort involving the government, the Campania Region, local municipalities, Civil Protection, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), universities, and research centers. A key component involves investigating scientific hypotheses regarding ground uplift caused by increased fluid pressure in the geothermal system. Proposed research includes managing surface waters, recovering ancient canalization systems, controlling groundwater infiltration, and potentially reducing fluid pressure through specially designed wells.

The Order emphasizes that these measures should not be improvised subsurface interventions but rather part of a controlled, public program of study and experimentation to verify scientific hypotheses.