INTEGRATED
ENGINEERING
AND ARCHITECTURE

The fabric of the anthropic landscape of Cerreto d'Esi has ancient roots, featuring a grid layout that may trace back to an ancient Roman castrum, though historical sources do not confirm this. Central to this context is the imperative of safeguarding cultural heritage, particularly the typological, morphological, historical, and architectural traits of its buildings, streets, and alleys. Following the economic and construction boom of the 1950s and 1960s, the historic centre of Cerreto began experiencing depopulation, reaching a critical state of abandonment by the mid-1970s, with only a fraction of its original population remaining. The neglect and abandonment exacerbated the degradation of Cerreto d'Esi's intra-moenia urban fabric, leading to structural instability compounded by seismic events in Umbria and Marche in 1997-1998. The Leaning Tower of Belisario, dating back to the 8th century, stands in Piazza Marconi near the Town Hall, rising 26.29 m high with a diameter of approximately 6.10 m. Constructed entirely out of bricks, except for its base of squared stone ashlars up to 4.15 m high, the tower is a significant historical landmark. The redevelopment of Cerreto d'Esi's historic centre aimed to restore and amplify the village's historical identity. This involved conservatively restoring its walls and the Belisario Tower, reintroducing clarity and iconicity to the city. The efforts sought to revive compatible actions and functions from the city's past while preparing it for the future. The same design principle applies to the approach taken towards the revitalisation of so-called “urban voids”: neglected and abandoned spaces within the urban fabric that have over time become architectural skeletons and wastelands devoid of identity. These spaces, although potentially appealing, are currently dormant, scarred, and stripped of their identity. We firmly believe in the potential of an "urban acupuncture" strategy capable of initiating social revitalisation processes by means of small, targeted actions within the historic village. When combined with broader-scale planning and action, these initiatives have the power to effectively rejuvenate such challenging urban contexts.