45211 - Conservation of Materials in Historical Buildings (A)

Learning outcomes

The purpose of the module is to provide students with the know-how and skills for the drafting of a conservation project, starting from the analysis of construction characteristics and materials all the way through diagnostics, in order to analyse and interpret phenomena of material degradation and static instability. At the end of the module the student will able to: - analyse the materials and the state of conservation of historical buildings; - interpret the causes of degradation and instability; - design the conservation and restoration works.

Course contents

The Lab-based Course on Architectural Restoration (C.I. 12 CFU) consists, in addition to the characteristic module/teaching of Architectural Restoration (8 CFU), in a module/teaching of Conservation of materials in historic buildings (4 CFU).

The module/teaching of Conservation of materials in historical buildings aims at providing students with tools and methodologies useful for understanding ancient architectures from a material-constructive and structural point of view. In this regard, the module uses the features, techniques, systems, procedures and executive expedients that have characterized the traditional building site as keys to define the complex material objectivity of the pre-existence. The aim of the module is to prepare students for the observation and study of material-constructive aspects and the interpretation of crack patterns in historic buildings, encouraging the analysis of the mutual interdependences established between the construction data, the functional organization, the language of the architecture and the structural behavior. The knowledge of the above topics and their syntactic connections is the essential prerequisite for guiding and planning conservation, restoration and strengthening interventions.

In particular, the course will focus on the material-constructive (Module 2) and structural aspects (Module 1) - and related typical and recurring mechanisms - of the traditional building systems: foundations, masonry, vaults, floors, roofs, stairs, floors, plasters and cladding.

Readings/Bibliography

The bibliography and contents of the module of Theories and History of Restoration are essential to successfully take part in Lab-based Course on Architectural Restoration.

Essential bibliography

During the classes, key chapters from the following books will be pointed out:

Adam J.P., L’arte di costruire presso i romani. Materiali tecniche, Longanesi, Milano 1988.

Carbonara G. (diretto da), Trattato di restauro architettonico, voll. I-IV, Utet, Torino 1996.

Carbonara G. (diretto da), Atlante del restauro, Utet, Torino 2004.

Della Torre S. (a cura di), Storia delle tecniche murarie e tutela del costruito. Esperienze e questioni di metodo, Guerini, Milano 1996.

Fiengo G., Guerriero L. (a cura di), Atlante delle tecniche costruttive tradizionali. Lo stato dell'arte, i protocolli della ricerca. L'indagine documentaria, Atti del I e II Seminario Nazionale, Arte Tipografica Editrice, Napoli 2003.

Menicali U., I materiali dell’edilizia storica. Tecnologia e impiego dei materiali tradizionali, NIS, Roma 1992.

Suggested bibliography:

AA.VV., Intonaci, colore e coloriture nell’edilizia storica, Atti del convegno di studi (Roma, 25-27 ottobre 1984), Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Roma 1986.

Biscontin G. (a cura di), L' intonaco. Storia, cultura e tecnologia, Atti del convegno di studi (Bressanone, 24-27 giugno 1985), Libreria Progetto, Padova 1985.

Blasi C. (a cura di), Architettura storica e terremoti. Protocolli operativi per la conoscenza e la tutela, Wolters Kluwer Italia, Milano 2013.

Cangi G., Manuale del recupero strutturale e antisismico, DEI, Roma 2025.

Como M., Statica delle costruzioni in muratura, Aracne, Roma 2010.

Cavallini M., Chimenti C., Pietre e marmi artificiali. Manuale per la realizzazione e il restauro delle decorazioni plastico-architettoniche di esterni e interni, Alinea, Firenze 2010.

Fiorani D., Esposito D. (a cura di), Tecniche costruttive dell' edilizia storica. Conoscere per conservare, Viella, Roma 2005.

Giordano G., Tecnica delle costruzioni in legno, Hoepli, Milano 1993 (IV ed.).

Giovanetti F. (a cura di), Manuale del recupero del comune di Città di Castello, DEI Tipografia del Genio Civile, Roma 1992.

Giovanetti F. (a cura di), Manuale del recupero del comune di Roma, DEI Tipografia del Genio Civile, Roma 1997.

Giuliani C.F., L'edilizia nell'antichità, Carocci, Roma 2002.

Mariani M., Trattato sul consolidamento e restauro degli edifici in muratura, dei Ed., 2012

Mastrodicasa S., Dissesti Statici nelle Strutture Edilizie, Hoepli, Milano, 1980.

Rockwell P., L’arte di lavorare la pietra. Manuale per l'archeologo, lo storico dell'arte e il restauratore, NIS, Roma 1989.

Tampone G., Il restauro delle strutture di legno, Hoepli, Milano 1996.

Thoma E., La natura del legno. La vita e i segreti del più antico materiale da costruzione, Edicom, Monfalcone 2009.

Varagnoli C., La materia degli antichi edifici, in Carbonara G. (diretto da), Trattato di restauro architettonico, vol. I, Utet, Torino 1996.

Normativa: DPCM 9 febbraio 2011, Valutazione e riduzione del rischio sismico del patrimonio culturale con riferimento alle Norme tecniche per le costruzioni di cui al decreto del Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei trasporti del 14 gennaio 2008.

* Further references will be provided during the course depending on the topics dealt with.

Teaching methods

The course is structured in lectures and exercises. Lectures support the exercises on the specific topics and cover technical and building site aspects.

The exercises, carried out with the support of professors and tutors, offer students the opportunity to 'see for themselves' the problems developed during the lessons.

Assessment methods

The examination of the Lab-based Course on Architectural Restoration includes the testing of the contents of all the modules/teachings that make up the Integrated Course and takes place in a single examination test.

The final examination will be carried out at the end of the course, through the verification and discussion of the workshop exercise regarding the restoration of an historical building; the professors will check the achievement of educational objectives:

- be able to set up and conduct historical research applied to the building of the exercise;

- be able to draw up a geometric relief for the restoration (in-depth construction details, overhang, bulging...);

- to be able to draw up a structural framework of the factory, with detection of static and dynamic instability phenomena;

- to be able to identify the materials and note them down on the geometric reliefs previously produced and on appropriate analytical cards;

- to be able to identify the forms of degradation and note them down on the geometric reliefs previously produced and on appropriate analytical cards;

- to be able to connect forms of degradation to their possible causes, noting them on the geometric reliefs and on appropriate analytical cards and defining interventions to reduce or remove them;

- to be able to formulate a building compatible use program (functional organization);

- to demonstrate to have applied plant engineering skills;

- to be able to draft a plan according to the levels prescribed by the sector regulations (preliminary, final, executive);

- to be able to define the specifications and calculations-metric estimation applied.

The exercise follows a path from a fact-finding phase, gradually comes to the design one. The stages of this path can be summarized as follows: historical-critical investigation, relief, examination of materials and construction techniques, analysis of degradation, conservation and restoration proposal (see above).

The final mark will be the result of the following criteria:

1 – Knowledge of the theoretical contents and bibliography related to materials and techniques of the traditional construction site;

2 – Ability to analyse and interpret historic building or systems of buildings;

3 – Ability to transfer the acquired knowledge into the conservation project.

Each criterion will be assigned a score from 0 to 2. This partial mark (from 0 to 6) will define point 3 of the criteria characterizing the module/teaching of Architectural Restoration (refer to this one for the full list of assessment criteria and methods).

The drawings, duly signed by the professors, will be presented as progress reports, according to a schedule announced at the start of the course; the evaluation will take place at the final examination, while the non-delivery of the documents on the dates indicated constitutes grounds for exclusion from the laboratory; also all documents must be completed by the date of appeal and will be integral part of the final examination. The tables, in format and number to be agreed with the professors, must be numbered progressively and report, among other indications – university, degree course, lab, professors, tutors, academic year, study theme, topic of the single document – the authors' names in full. A copy of the work, together with a digital one, will be retained for the course archive.

 

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) or temporary/permanent disabilities are kindly advised to contact the University Office in charge well in advance, at the following address: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it. The office will suggest any necessary accommodations, which must be submitted at least 15 days in advance for approval to the course professor. The professor will evaluate the request based on the course's learning objectives.

 

AI can be a useful tool to support independent study by providing in-depth analysis, summaries and self-assessment exercises. With regard to assessment, limited, declared and non-substantial use of AI is permitted for support activities (such as graphical summaries). Substantial use of AI to complete parts of the examination is not permitted.

Teaching tools

As part of a gradual exploration of the materiality of historic architecture, site visits are the primary teaching tools used in this course. Slides and additional material for study will also be provided to students via the "Virtuale" platform.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Parente

See the website of Alessia Zampini