Castle of Lorca PHOTO: Courtesy

Antonio Aretxabala and Cristina Sanz, professors at School of Architecture of the University of Navarra, have presented the first international academic publication on the Lorca earthquake (Murcia), which occurred last May 11. The work was presented at the International Workshop of Civil Engineering and Urban Planning (WCEUP), held in China, and has been requested by The International Journal of Environmental Protection.

According to the authors, the article addresses a new approach to earthquakes in European areas, from the point of view of vulnerability to earthquakes. "Urban planning must take into account the activity of the faults on which the buildings are located, especially when historic buildings, which represent a priceless wealth, are at risk," says Professor Aretxabala.

In this sense, the professors of department of Building and of laboratory of Building collaborate with the MEP Cristina Gutiérrez Cortines in the creation of new approaches to elaborate special urban plans, applicable to these areas of the European geography susceptible to suffer an earthquake and that also have a remarkable patrimonial concentration, as it has been the case of l'Aquila or Lorca.

Urban, design orpedagogical aspects that save lives
On the other hand, Antonio Aretxabala has elaborated a report, at the request of the University of Murcia and the Confederation of Businessmen, on the need to restructure the cultural and economic fabric taking advantage of this singularity: the creation in Lorca of a center of programs of study of geological, seismological, architectural character and center of interpretation of the seismic events.

It is a matter of taking advantage of this particularity and turning adversity into something enriching. The knowledge that can be obtained first-hand about the activity of the faults - monitoring, follow-up, interpretation, prevention... - should be a added value", explains the professor of the laboratory of Building.

According to him, "the industry has not been concerned about active failures. Little is known about them: there are urban planning, design or pedagogical aspects, and not only structural ones, which save lives. Those are still absent in Spain and Europe, which until now was a source of misfortunes. Undoubtedly, thanks to the research, it will be less so and it will also contribute to the cultural and economic enrichment of the region and the country".

He also stresses that all this is possible "with very simple investments, but pioneering, unique and prestigious. Above all, they are necessary; not only the sector will benefit from them, but also the university - in postgraduate programs or Master's Degree-, the administrations, tourism...".

"The idea is to actively contribute to the resilience of Lorca, understanding as such the capacity of a community to recover from adversity, through the use of internship of previous experiences, to continue projecting the future...", he concludes.