Naples’ Refuge Duality: Volcanic Evacuation and Aid Through Superstition and Pragmatics

Abstract

Naples, the third largest city in Italy is known for its rich history, its interplay with volcanic activity, and its sense of superstition. Built on Neopolitan yellow tuff pyroclastic rock, the region’s geology has fostered unique qualities for the area, from fertile soil to historical storytelling. The region is known for the tourist attraction of Pompeii, a Roman town destroyed in 79AD by a volcanic eruption, framed more as an archeological wonder than a cautionary tale. The pervasive sense of superstition among Neopolitans creates a nature-culture divergency that obscures the residents’ views on volcanic risk. Through three architectural interventions, this thesis redirects attention to the geological cultures and ecologies of the region’s past, present and future by creating spaces designed for education, cultural celebration and evacuation. This thesis investigates how architecture can catalyze cultural reorientations against the challenges of our planet’s collapsing ecologies.