93719 - Building Restoration

Learning outcomes

Once completed the course, the student knows the theories and the techniques of conservation and restoration of artefacts and elements of the historical, cultural and artistic-monumental heritage and he/she knows how to apply them to specific contexts, formulating programs and intervention projects. In particular, the student is able to: - read the historical-cultural stratifications that characterize the European city by identifying important artefacts, testimonies and resources.

Course contents

The Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society – better known as the 'Faro Convention' (2005) – strongly emphasised the right of everyone to participate in cultural life, as enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and guaranteed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966). Article 1 states that participation positively influences «the construction of a peaceful and democratic society, sustainable development processes and the promotion of cultural diversity» as well as fostering «a greater synergy of competences between all public, institutional and private actors». It is evident that the care of cultural heritage has a reverberation that goes beyond the transmission of the good to the future, activating at the same time well-being for the individual and for society, phenomena that are connected to the concept of Heritage Community: participation is undoubtedly a founding factor for the construction of new urban features of the historic city and for their success in terms of accessibility and fruition.

It should be kept in mind that in Italian cities, which is the focus of the lab, public spaces in historic centres are protected by law under Legislative Decree 42/2004 (art. 10, c. 4, l. g, "public squares, streets, roads and other urban open spaces of artistic or historical interest"), therefore, within the workshop Preserving Heritage and shaping new urban features, the Building Restoration module, in synergy with the others, aims to bring attention to what are the values to be protected in these contexts and to frame through virtuous examples what is the preferred method to integrate in those spaces architectures/micro-architectures/temporary installations in order to achieve the goals. Intervention in the historic city must be based on knowledge of it, on a diachronic reading of its past and current transformations, this means a design capable of interpreting these dynamics coherently, necessarily working on the intangible and transitory components. The technical and technological solutions now available to the designer are used with the aim of bringing to light and revealing aspects that are difficult to detect, broadening the understanding of the heritage and its accessibility.

Through the study of the case study, direct observation, and secondary sources, students will develop a roadmap that, starting from a value-based analysis, leads to the definition of an intervention. This intervention will aim to enhance the legibility of the heritage and the place while planning for the medium- and long-term management of its transformation. Students will work in groups to encourage the exchange of ideas, foster dialogue, and strengthen their ability to work collaboratively.

Readings/Bibliography

Further references will be made available during the course meetings.

THEORY:

Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society/Convenzione quadro del Consiglio d’Europa sul valore dell’eredità culturale per la società, Faro 2005 (chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://musei.beniculturali.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Convenzione-di-Faro.pdf or chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://rm.coe.int/1680083746)

J. Jokilehto, An history of Architectural conservation, Routledge, 2017 (2Ed.) available online in a different edition at: https://www.iccrom.org/publication/history-architectural-conservation

J. H. Stubbs, Time Honored. A global view of Architectural Conservation, Wiley & Sons, New Jersey 2009

ON THE CASE STUDY:

N. Marzot, The Vacant City as the contemporary substratum. Why and How the crisis enables regeneration processes, in URBAN SUBSTRATA & CITY REGENERATION Proceedings, Rome, 2020, pp. 99-111

G. Rizzoli, Un’urbanistica contesa tra mobilità e rigenerazione La via della Conoscenza come rigenerazione per gli scali ferroviari, in «Semestrale di Studi e ricerche in geografia», n.2, 2024, pp. 217-224

 

Teaching methods

L’attività didattica si articola in lezioni frontali volte a sviluppare una consapevolezza critica sui temi della conservazione, lavoro in aula sotto la guida dei docenti, sopralluoghi al caso studio, seminari con esperti esterni e uscite didattiche.

Assessment methods

The assessment and evaluation of learning are structured in key phases ("Actions"), during which the progress of the work — from the analytical phase to the design proposal — will be reviewed collectively with all the teaching staff involved in the design studio.
The final examination consists of a discussion of the project, highlighting its most significant aspects and the overall development process.

Teaching tools

Supporting documents and materials will be shared via SharePoint or the university’s virtual platform.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Pretelli

See the website of Leila Signorelli