'We must disembowel Naples' A Historical GIS Perspective on the Design Politics and Legacies of 19th-century Rettifilo

Carmelo Ignaccolo, MIT

Linear demolitions à la Haussmann have profoundly reshaped the configuration of cities since the 19th century. Comprehending the enduring repercussions of these gestures poses a challenging task due to the complexity of institutional actors and the scarcity of spatial longitudinal datasets. This paper addresses these challenges by advancing a digital humanities and historical GIS investigation of the enduring legacy of the incision (Rettifilo) bisecting Naples’ water-facing neighborhoods. This research provides empirical evidence of how Naples’ Rettifilo masked vulnerable communities with precarious living conditions and failed at solving overcrowding. It exposes enduring inequalities resulting from centuries-old design interventions in contemporary communities, revealing the connection between forms of linear development and socio-economic exclusion.

No extended abstract or paper available

 Presented in Session 123. Urban Historical GIS: Public Health