23800 - Theories and History of Restoration

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has to know the evolution of the concept of monument, the theories about restoration and the principles that have influenced the activity of preserving monuments from the 14th to the 20th century. In particular, the student is able to: - analyze, recognise and put in a historic view previous works on the object being studied; - to define the historical-methodological problems and/or trends related to one or more phases of the history of restoration.

Course contents

The Theories and History of Restoration module composes, with the History of Architecture 3 module, the integrated course History and Restoration.

It has a thematic character and addresses the relationship between history, project and restoration on a chronology from the 19th century to the present mainly in the Italian context.

The course is structured in common thematic "modules" to which frontal lessons are devoted, divided into communications and readings in classroom. The course professors will take turns in delivering the lessons in order to observe from different disciplinary perspectives the role of history and time within the architectural project.

The course is articulated into the following "modules":

Module 1. PROLOGUE. THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRADITIONS

Module 2. THE RECONSTRUCTION. COMMUNITY AND IDEOLOGY

Module 3. ARCHITECT'S IDENTITY. INTELLECTUAL, PROFESSIONAL, ANONIMOUS, CHORAL

Module 4. THE «MANIPOLABILITÀ DEI REPERTI». CITY, MUSEUM, ARCHITECTURE

Module 5. RATIONAL, REAL, AURONOMOUS. ROSSI, NATALINI AND THE TENDENCY

Module 6. STYLE, LANGUAGE, METHOD. FROM ECLECTICISM TO MODERNITY AND AFTER THE MODERN 

Module 7. RUIN LUST. RUIN AND MODERNITY

Module 8. ARCHITECTURE, CITY, RESTORATION BETWEEN THE TWO WARS IN ITALY. VARIATIONS ON THE MODERN

Module 9. STRUCTURE, IMAGINE, PATINA IN THE VISUAL ARTS

Module 10. INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY OR RULE? ARCHITECTURE AND RESTORATION

Module 11. INTERVENTIONS ON EXISTING WORKS BETWEEN 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY. ARCHITECTURE AS RESTORATION | RESTORATION AS ARCHITECTURE

Readings/Bibliography

For ERASMUS students:

Bibliography

J. JOKILEHTO, A History of Architectural Conservation, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford 1999.

J. JOKILEHTO, Authenticity in restoration principles and practice, in "APT Bulletin", 17, no. 3 and 4, 5 ff., 1985.

J. RUSKIN, The Seven Lamps of Architecture, London 1849 (especially, the paragraph about "The Lamp of the Memory").

Charters and Documents related to the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage

Final vote of the 1st Section of the 4th Congress of Italian Engineers and Architects (Rome, 1883).

Athens Charter for the Restoration of Historic Monuments (1931).

Italian Restoration Charter (1932).

International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (Venice Charter, 1964).

Italian Restoration Charter (1972).

Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972).

Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance (Burra Charter, 1979).

Florence Charter (1981).

Charter for the Conservation of Historic Towns and Urban Areas (Washington Charter, 1987).

Nara Document on Authenticity (1994).

Cracow Charter (2000).

Teaching methods

The lessons of the integrated course History and Restoration are divided into two fundamental moments: the frontal lessons and the reading of a part of a recommended (transdisciplinary) text with subsequent classroom discussion on the theoretical themes that emerged from the related lesson.

There are also common seminars between the two modules of the course, some lessons by invited lecturers, study trips and exercises.

In order to have a knowledge base to better understand the contents of the lessons, the student is required to read before the beginning of each thematic "module" a short text indicated by the professors; a summary of the same text accompanied by a critical analysis (maximum 1.000 characters) must be uploaded by the day before the start of the module on the "Virtual" platform. In order to be admitted to the exam, the student must have uploaded, by the set dates, at least 5 summaries, divided between the History of Architecture 3 part (at least 3) and the Theories and History of Restoration part (at least 2).

In addition to this, to the redaction of a timeline (examples for the elaboration of this study tool are uploaded on the "Virtual" platform) and to the study of the obligatory general bibliography (see the detailed course programme in "Virtual"), in order to prepare for the exam the student must know the contents of the lessons and one text for each of them from those contained in the programme. The list of studied texts must be presented at the beginning of the exam.

During the course, students will also be asked to choose whether to carry out a group exercise on the mapping, knowledge and documentation of the 20th century urban and architectural heritage in Cesena or to draw up a personal notebook, to be brought on the day of the exam, with drawings, sketches, photographs and notes related to each lesson of the integrated course.

Assessment methods

The exam of History and Restoration consists in the learning assessment of the contents of the two modules which compose the integrated course.

In particular, the exam of Theories and History of Restoration aims to evaluate the achievement of the following didactic goals:

- knowing the evolution of the concept of monument;

- knowing the main theoretical-operational nodes related to the evolution of the discipline of Restoration, up to the current orientations;

- knowing the main works of the theorists dealt with in classroom.

The exam of History and Restoration is divided between the two modules of the course (History of Architecture 3 and Theories and History of Restoration) and the final assessment is the weighted average of the results of the two examinations, weighted on the CFU of each module. Both the oral discussions require the student to illustrate a favourite topic and consist of at least three specific questions on topics related to the main goals of the course.

In order to be admitted to the exam, the student must have uploaded the summaries to the "Virtual" platform in the minimum number required, as well as have done the exercises expected by the course.

Specifically, the final exam of the Theories and History of Restoration module is assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

1. Learning the contents of the module (up to a maximum of 10 points)

2. Ability to critically analyse the discussed issues (up to a maximum of 10 points)

3. Ability to contextualise the discussed issues (up to a maximum of 10 points)

Teaching tools

Slides, videos and documentary films.

The slides of the lessons (which will be progressively deposited in the course page on the "Virtual" platform) collect mainly images. In addition to the reference bibliography, the attendance at the course and the support of the notes are therefore recommended.

Office hours

See the website of Giulia Favaretto