Project Overview

Italy is generally considered a country with moderate seismicity but high seismic risk, due to its building stock being predominantly composed of older structures constructed without seismic design criteria. Acknowledging the potential threat posed by earthquakes, the Embassy of Japan in Italy has commissioned seismic risk assessments—also referred to as seismic due diligence or vulnerability analyses—to evaluate the condition of its existing facilities and to support future planning for structural retrofitting. The subject of this seismic due diligence is the official residence of the Embassy of Japan in Italy, located in Rome at Via Quintino Sella 60, within Seismic Zone 3, classified as medium-to-low seismicity (PGA between 0.05 and 0.15 g).

The building was constructed between 1904 and 1906, has a total surface area of approximately 800 m², and consists of four stories built with load-bearing masonry and various types of floor systems. Given its strategic relevance, the structure qualifies as Class IV according to Italian building codes (NTC 2018).