Page 20 - Beyond Decommissioning

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Introduction

I am convinced that the world is not a mere bog in which men and women trample
themselves in the mire and die. Something magnificent is taking place here amid
the cruelties and tragedies, and the supreme challenge to intelligence is that of mak-
ing the noblest and best in our curious heritage prevail.
Charles Austin Beard (1874–1948)

Since the beginning of human history, when given a chance, mankind has chosen to
reuse existing inhabited sites and their infrastructure (e.g., dwellings, harbors, and
roads) for new purposes, as needed, rather than to abandon existing sites and establish
settlements anew. The somehow obvious reason is that the original sites were
established for such convenient factors as water availability, ease of access, natural
defensive features, etc. and the uncertainties in identifying and redeveloping new sites
were not considered worth the risk in most cases. Of course, this does not account for
cases of forced relocation due to overwhelming circumstances, for example, natural
disasters, invasion by enemies, or new trading opportunities. One should also note that
reusing an existing site often implies adapting the site to new demands and priorities,
which is not necessarily easy and inexpensive. In the end the decision between reuse
and restart has always required a (conscious or unconscious) trade-off of multiple
factors.
There are thousands of sites worldwide that have been reused over centuries, while
continual modifications were being undertaken to preserve the site usability for new
functions. It will be enough to look at archeological sites. The following is a brief
overview of ancient sites where new facilities were installed, taking advantage of site
features inherited from former uses of the site. As well known, “Rome wasn’t built in a
day.” For almost 3000 years, different civilizations and institutions (Etruscans,
ancient Romans, early Christianity, the Papal State, and the capital of the Italian State)
have succeeded and transformed Rome sites while preserving a substantial unity. For
example, the foundations of pagan temples were often reused to support Christian
churches.
The Theatre of Marcellus (in Italian: Teatro di Marcello) is an ancient open-air
theater in Rome. The theater was officially inaugurated in 12 BC by Augustus, the
first Roman emperor. The theatre, the largest of its time in Rome, remained in use
for three centuries. Then its structural materials were partly dismantled and
reemployed for civilian buildings in the area. However, the theater statues were
restored by Petronius Maximus in 421 CE; by that time, the remaining structure
housed small residential dwellings. Throughout the Middle Ages the theater was used
as a fortress and residence by noble families. This shielded the complex from decay.
Later, in the 16th century, the residence of the Orsini family, designed by the famous
architect Baldassare Peruzzi, was built atop the ruins of the ancient theater. Now the

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