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Magnitude2010:

RebuildingtheFuture,byrestoringthePast

GabySadowski,Eindhoven,theNetherlands

OpenInnovationFestival2010

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OpenInnovationFestivalWorldwide2010/Magnitude2010

Theworldischangingdramatically.Increasinglywehavenewtoolsatourdisposalthatallowustoimproveourwork,ourgovernmentalorganizationsand

ourlives.In2009,thefive-dayOpenInnovationFestivalorganizedbythecityofAmsterdamshowedthatwehavetheexpertiseaswellasthetechniqueto

improveourneighborhoodsandyourcities.

However,itisessentialtoacknowledgethepossibilitieswehaveathand.We

havetoopenupourselvesinordertoopenupoursociety.Furthermore,wehave

toinvestinourpersonalskills.Ifwestartusingallavailableexpertise,ideasandcreativetalent,withinandoutsideourorganizations,wecanaccomplishthe

fundamentalchangesoursocietyneeds.Sometimes,peopleneedhelp.TheOpenInnovationFestival(OIF)showsthatnumerouspeoplearereadyandwillingto

helpifnecessary.OIFshowsthatitispossibletocreateanunimaginableamountofvalueandpositiveenergywithoutthinkingintermsoffinance.Combiningtheavailablecreativity,enthusiasmandknowledgecanleadtoresultsonce

consideredimpossible.

In2010,theOpenInnovationFestivalwillbelaunchedworldwide(November29

-December3,2010).Weaskcitizens,organizationalinstitutionandcompaniestojoinforcesandmakeinnovationhappeninthisweek.Theskyisthelimit,or

maybeevenbeyond.

Indifferentcountriesallovertheworldfestivalswillbehosted.Theprogramof

thefestivalwillbeputtogetherbydifferentcitiesthemselves.Thesecityfestivalswillputemphasisonthestrengthsandidentityofthecity,basedondifferent

kindofworkshops;sessions,exhibitions,showcases,discussions,networking

eventsetccanbeexpected.Thecitieswillbeconnectedthroughlive-streamconnections.

Oneofthemainthemesofthefestivalwillbeco-creation/crowd-sourcing:Howcancitizens,companiesandgovernmentjoinforcesinordertomeetthe

challengesinforinstanceSafety,Mobility,Well-being,Environment,andE-inclusioninourcities?Howcaninnovationhelptotransformchallengesinto

solutions?

Aimofthismemo

Thegoalofthismemoistoaskforconcretecontributionforthefestivalthatwill

takeplacefromthe29thNovemberuntilthe3rdDecember.Wefocusandhighlightoneofthecentralprojectswithinternationalallure,inwhichweseek

allkindsofcontributions.Theprojectiscalled:RebuildingtheFuture,byrestoringthePast.

Thecontext:Restoringthefuture,byrebuildingthepast:LAquila

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LAquila-highlightsofacity

LAquila(ca.73.000inhabitants)isacityofcentralItaly,capitaloftheRegionAbruzzo.Itissituatedona721metershillsidewithinanarrowvalleybetween

the Gran Sasso dItalia (2914 meters) (the peak of Appenine chain) and theVelino-Sirentechain(2487meters)andtheirhomonymnationalparks.

ThehistoryofLAquilaismadeupoftimesofbothprosperityanddecadenceduetothealternationofconflictsandforeigndominations,andtimesofflourishing

commercial relationshipsalsowithdifferent citiesandcountries (e.g.Florence

andVeniceaswellasFrance,HollandandGermany),whichmadeLAquilathesecond city of the Reign of Naples after Naples itself. The foundation of a

University in 1458 and the establishment of typography by the Gutenbergsapprentice, Adam from Rottweil, in 1482 contributed to a cultural growth

throughoutalltheMiddleAgeandup tilloneof themajorearthquakethecitysuffered(1703).

Infact,thehistoryofthecityhasbeenprofoundlyaffectedbyrecursivestrong

earthquakes(e.g.1315,1349,1461,1646,1672,1703),whichbroughtdeathanddestructionassloweddownitsexpansionandlevelofrichnessimposingtothe

citizensenormousefforts.There-buildingofthecityhasalwaysbeenpromotedby the Church or the States it belonged to for its strategic position, cultural

heritageandrelevanceincommercialdealings.Thereconstructionofdestroyed

orheavilydamaged buildings, churches and monuments has often been donefollowing the different current architectonic techniques allowing the

stratificationofstyles.

TheearthquakeofApril6th,2009

DuringthenightofApril6th 2009at3.32a.m.localtime,anearthquakeof6.3

magnitudestruckcentralItalywithepicenterinLAquila.Theexistenceofmany

faults in its underneath geological structure, the fact that the city lays on aPleistocene lake-bedthat amplifies seismicactivityand the age of the city (as

wellastheexistenceofmodernbuildingsnotquake-proof)madetheeventof

greater impact on people and infrastructures aswell as its cultural heritage.Severalbuildings collapsed, 308peopledied, 65.000peoplebecamehomeless

and all the social and cultural activities suddenly stopped. The city center(estimated as the larger historicalcitycenter)was declared red zone and the

access to it interdicted. The same happened to the medieval villages in the

surroundings bringingup to130.000 the number of people tobeassisted fordailynecessities.

Afteroneandahalfyears,thecitycenterofLAquilaisstillclosedthoughFireBrigadesareconstantlyandproudlyworkingtoputbuildingsinsafetywiththe

mostmoderntechniques.Untilpeoplewillnotbeabletoaccessandlivethecityitself, to enjoy its cultural treasures and meeting points, cinemas, theaters,

narrowmedievalstreetsandopensquaresandtilltheywillnotbeabletolive

theirdailylife,theywillremaindeprivedoftheiridentityandbackground.

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TheGeneralIdea:

WhileduringtheOIFfestivaleverycountryisfindingsolutionsforitsownchallenges,itwouldbeagreatideatocombineforcesallovertheworldinorder

tocomeupwithasolutionfortheenormoussocialandeconomicalchallenge

LAquilaisfacingforovermorethanoneandahalfyearnow.Rebuildingtakestime,moneyandefforts.Thelossofacity(notforgettingaboutthelossofpeople

duringtheearthquake)bringsalongfeelingsofsadnessandthelackofhope.

Justimagine:isitpossiblefortheworldtoputLAquilabackonthemap?Notby

sendingmoney,butbymakingarealcontribution.Combingourvirtualandphysicalforces?Inafirstandquickstep,wewanttorebuildLAquilainavirtual

manner,usinginnovativetechniquesThiswillprovidetheroomforashiftup

leadingtoourmaingoal,thatistherestructuring(withquake-prooftechniques)ofpublicly-ownedbuildingsandspaces.Aspecificattentionwillalsobeputon

theintegrationofnewcommunicationsinfrastructures(e.g.fibernetworks)and

greentechnologiestoachievehighstandardsofenvironmentalsustainabilityandimproveefficacyandefficiencyintheprovisionofpublicservices.

TheVirtualidea:

WhileallthecitizensofLAquilaarenowlivingoutsidetheircity(waitingfor

LAquilatobesafeagain),theystillfeelstronglyconnectedtotheircity.Iusethe

imageofAlbertoher.HewasborninLAquila,hewasraisedthere.HenowlivesinEindhovenandworksasapost-docresearcherattheEindhovenUniversityof

Technology(TU/e).HecarriesaroundhisnotebookandIphonefullwithpicturesofhishometown.Howbeautifulitusedtobeandhowitlooksnow:likeaghost

town.

InordertogiveLAquilabacktoitscitizensafirststepwouldbe:rebuildingLAquilainavirtualmanner.

- UsingAugmentedReality- UsingLayer-app- Usinglive-stream/webcamimages- VirtuallyrebuildingsomeoftheidentifyingbuildingsofLAquila.

Why?AvirtualplacecanbeaplacewherepeopleofLAquilacanmeeteach

other.Communitybuildingwilltakeplace.Peoplecansharetheirfeelingsabout

theearthquake;peoplecansharestoriesandpictures.Itwillgivethembackasenseofpresence.

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AchallengefortheInnovationfestivalwouldbe:developtoolsormechanismsto

re-vividthiscityinavirtualmanner.DeveloptoolsandmechanismstoformcommunitiesinordertostimulatecooperationinLAquila.

ThePhysicalIdea

Ofcourse,rebuildingthecityinavirtualmannerisafast-solution.Itdoesnotgivebacktheirhousesfortheinhabitants.Peoplecanmeetvirtuallyaroundthe

marketplace,butitdoesnotallowpeopletositinLAquilaandenjoythefood

andthewinetogether.

So,anotherchallengewithinthisprojectistocomeupwithinnovativeideas

aboutthephysicalrebuildingofthiscity.Awaytoorganizethisis,wouldbethroughaworldwideco-creationevent:combingskills,expertiseandpower

fromthinkers(andstudentsaswell)fromallovertheworld,withdifferentbackgrounds.Keepinginmindtheidentityofthecity(whichyoucanlearnfrom

thevirtualcommunity),itshistoricalbackgroundandallthenewinsightsabout:

- Earthquakeproofconstructionmethods- Sustainabilityinsights- Energyreducingtechnologies- Broadbandopportunities- Light- Smartliving- Healthyaging- Etc.

Theframeworkofrebuilding

Ofcourse,wehavetostayrealisticabouttherebuildingofLAquilaasawhole.Itwillbetooexpensiveandtoobigforjustthisproject!Neitheritwillfitthemain

scopeofourproject.Wedonotintendtofinancetherebuildingofsomeprivatebuildingstodetrimentofotherssinceitwillbriongtoasubstantialinequalityof

treatmentforthecitizensofLAquila.Thereafter,therestorationofprivate

buildingswillbeprobablyfinancedbytheItaliancentralgovernmentitself.

Thisisthemainreasonleadingtoconcentrateourattentionofthepossibilityto

rebuildapublicly-ownedarea(closetotheworldwideknownCollemaggioChurch),whichusedtohostmanyoflaboratoriesandservicesofthelocalPublic

HealthAgency.Inthatarea,theAcademyofArtsandImageswasplacedbeforeApril6th2009.Suchanenvironmentwouldeasilyentailthenecessityofplanning

afullrestorationofbuildingswithquakeprooftechniques,thecreationofahigh

speedcommunicationsystem(e.g.fibrenetworks)andthecreationofarealexperimentationplatformfore-healthande-governmentservices.

Besides,thisareaisfullypubliclyownedandrequiresnospecialsupervisionbytheCommitteeofArtssincethereanohistoricllay-vincolatedbuildingstobe

found.

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Afocusonthisareacouldincreasechancesofsuccessintermsofmunicipality

commitmentandstreamlinethecollaborationbetweenLAquilaandothermunicipalitieslikeEindhoven.

Aformofadoptionofasystemofbuildingsinahomogeneousareacouldbe

oneofthepossibleformstoinvolveprivatecompaniesintherebuilding

EnoughIdeas:howtoimplementthem?LivingLabLAquila

Forthat,ofcourse,weneedsponsors.Especially,companieswillingtolaydown

someshowcasesinLAquila.

WhatifwelookatLAquilaasalivinglab?Alivinglabisanewwayofinnovation

inwhichdifferentpartnersinthechain(fromdevelopertilltheend-user)worktogetherinordertoinnovateandgettingthingsdone.Inmostcasestools,

innovatonsandsolutionsaredevelopedandtestedintheiroriginalsurrounding,

inthiscaseLAquilaitselfwillbethelaboratory.

FromaEUcontext,LivingLabsarehighlyappreciatedandstimulatedasacrucial

layerof/forourneweconomy.(StrengtheninginnovationandinvestmentinICT).

Forcompanies,thislivinglabwillbeagreatsurroundingtopitchtheirnewideas

andsolutions.Expertsfromallovertheworldcanshowtheirlatestinsightson

constructionandotherthemes.

WhatIleftout:

Ileftsomethingout,becauseImawarethisisthebiggestchallenge:(butitwouldntbefairtohideit)InternetaccessinandaroundLAquilaislackingor

difficult.ReachingouttoLAquilausingsocialnetworkswillbeextremelydifficult!

FromtheinhabitantsofLAquilawewishtoreceiveasmuchinputaspossible

abouttherebuildingofthecity.Ourhopeistojointhealreadyexistingcommunities,listentothemandintegratetheirneedsintoourchallenge.New

communitiescanalsobecreatedtomakecitizenscloserandbetterconnectedtocompaniesandinstitutesinvolvedinthisvoluntaryprojecttorestoreLAquila.In

ordertomakeacommunity-widecollaborationreal,wewillarrangeonlinesessionsandmeetingswiththecityofLAquila.Thisprocessofcooperationand

developingtrustshouldenfoldandgrowduringtheproject.

Joinus!?

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AsyouhaveseenthisLAquilaprojectcontainsmanysub-projects.Pleasethink

aboutwhatyoucancontributetoinordertorebuildthiscity:virtuallyorphysically.(Intermsofideas,handsofmoney)

Visitusat:www.magnitude2010.ning.com

Forquestions:

- GabySadowski,tel.06-13927926E-mail:g.sadowski@eindhoven.nl-