For two and one-half years the Covid pandemic has been powerfully affecting the world’s economy and society.

It has radically changed the way we conceive and use human-made spaces.

It is time to reflect on the lessons learned from covid in the design of cities and territories.

In 2019 Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM) and Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (Iuav) launched the new international research center EPiC – Earth and Polis research Center. The center, based in Ca’ Tron (Venice), focuses on the complex issue of the contemporary city. Adaptation and resilience to climate change, circular economy, risk and vulnerability, climate-proof planning, post-disaster reconstruction: these are the main research topics of the centre, which combines the skills of FEEM and Iuav and integrates analytical and design skills to offer cutting-edge solutions.
The new research center counts on the expertise of a multidisciplinary team with significant experience in various areas: architecture and urban design, technology, water and energy management, economy and local development, asset management and consolidation of peace are some of them. Besides the human capital, the consolidated relational capital constitutes the added value of the centre, which relies on an international network of more than 250 subjects coming from universities and research centers, willing to contribute to specific projects with their skills.