MASSIMO TEPEDINO

Auletta is a small village with a population of 2400 in the south of Italy that was devastated by an earthquake way back in 1692. The then inhabitants abandoned the historical centre, which overlooked a valley, and settled just slightly further up the hillside. Now, more than three centuries later, the community held a competition to gather proposals to give them an idea of what to do with the ruins. The design does not attempt to recover the ruins in any way, but aims to help nature subsume them by planting trees and supporting the growth of other vegetation. A network of elevated walkways above the old town centre allows access and finally gives the villagers their old view over the valley back.