In Italy a decade after the 2016 earthquake, only about 38% of damaged properties in Amatrice have been restored, according to Reuters. Around 1,000 residents are still living in prefabricated accommodation despite billions of euros committed to reconstruction across the disaster zone. Bureaucracy, property disputes, construction costs and concerns about mafia interference have slowed rebuilding. The story is about much more than an old natural disaster: it is a case study in state efficiency. It also raises a fascinating cultural question about whether destroyed historic towns should be faithfully reconstructed or redesigned for modern life.