In April 2009 there was a major earthquake with its epicenter near the city of L'Aquila, in the province of Abruzzo, Italy. This earthquake was terribly destructive for the city and its surroundings. A Franco-Italian team has been appointed to lead the restoration project of the church of Santa Maria Del Suffragio.

The church, built from 1713 following an earthquake in 1703, was designed according to seismic constraints: quality materials, precise implementation, presence of wooden tie rods in the dome, etc.

It is the initial quality of the building that needs to be enhanced. The challenge is to keep the existing parts as much as possible by completing the gaps using traditional methods. The project therefore leads to maximum respect for the building and its historical value, and combines ancient know-how with the use of contemporary materials.