Abstract
The objective of CoenoBI(u)M is to study the architectural and artistic culture of the Cassinese Congregation from its foundation until the end of the 18th century from a comparative perspective, thanks to the innovative use of the methodology of Building Information Modeling (BIM). The Reform of the Rule of St Benedict, instigated by Ludovico Barbo in 1419, revolutionised Benedictine monasteries. It oriented monks’ lives towards meditation and personal prayer, giving rise to the transformation of the monasteries’ spaces, as well as to new theological and iconographical themes in the painting and sculpture of the churches and monasteries of the Congregation. Many studies have hypothesised that this resulted in an artistic and architectural culture shared by many abbeys of the Congregation, and that a regulation imposed by the General Chapters also contributed to this common culture. A perspective Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca MUR - BANDO 2022 that can re-establish the original relations between decorative elements and architectural spaces, as well as relations between the spaces of the church and monastery, is necessary to verify this historiographical hypothesis, using an operative model which is concurrently able to manage a large quantity of data of various types (archival, bibliographical, iconographical, geometric), and which can offer a comparative analysis of single case studies. We will use the BIM methodology for this purpose. The BIM methodology would offer a digital model of a building in its current state which can be implemented with all data regarding the materials, structure and geometry of the building’s architecture and its artefacts, as well as with information regarding non-material aspects, such as energy efficiency and links between objects. The BIM was originally conceived, and has been used until now, as a tool for the management and restoration of buildings. It can also be enriched with any information relevant to the history of the buildings and their artistic decoration, using a methodology that allows the analysis of individual case studies and a comparative approach. The research will therefore be organised into work-packages that are closely interrelated between the three Research Units in order to combine the study of three abbeys, selected for their exemplarity and importance (S. Pietro in Modena, S. Giustina in Padova and Praglia Abbey), with an analysis of aspects common to patronage in the Congregation. This methodology of interdisciplinary collaboration has been planned to be extended further to include the entire network of the Cassinese Congregation monasteries, but also to other similar establishments thanks to the sharing of data (open access) and results (seminars, conferences and publications). In addiction, it is thought that the project will have a positive relapse on the future management of artefacts (BIM models can be used for restoration) and on their value for tourists (thanks to apps created specifically for this purpose).
Project details
Unibo Team Leader: Sonia Cavicchioli
Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Filologia Classica e Italianistica
Coordinator:
Università degli Studi di PADOVA(Italy)
Total Unibo Contribution: Euro (EUR) 51.995,00
Project Duration in months: 24
Start Date:
17/10/2023
End Date:
28/02/2026
