RESTAURO ARCHITETTONICO E LABORATORIO RESTAURO ARCHITETTONICO

Learning Objectives

• ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION

  The course, composed by the units ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION and RESTORATION WORKSHOP, pursues the general objective of allowing students to integrate the historical, technological and structural knowledge acquired in the previous years of study, using it appropriately for the conservation of the architectural heritage.

  The course-unit of "Architectural Restoration" has as its educational aim the learning of restoration concept in its historical evolution and the acquisition of a correct methodology for the intervention on built heritage: from the cognitive phase to the interpretation of signs of deterioration and structural vulnerabilities up to the project. In this process, the study of figurative characters and construction techniques of a historical building (or an urban block) is the base of the choice of good practices for restoration. Theory and design examples drawn from the literature are used in the course to provide the necessary critical tools to make conservative design choices.

• LABORATORIO RESTAURO ARCHITETTONICO

  The course, composed by the units ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION and RESTORATION WORKSHOP, pursues the general objective of allowing students to integrate the historical, technological and structural knowledge acquired in the previous years of study, using it appropriately for the conservation of the architectural heritage.

  Main objective of the spring unit (Restoration Workshop) Laboratory is the experimentation of the skills learned in the fall unit (Architectural Restoration) through the performance of a design exercise. The students, during the implementation of the acquired methodology (Knowledge, Interpretation, Design) are guided to develop skills of technical understanding, critical interpretation and definition of design interventions and to improve their basic skills (understanding, communication, use of literature, problem solving).

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Course Structure

• ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION

  The teaching is carried out through frontal lectures on restoration theory, on historical building techniques, on intervention techniques;

  The course-unit is developed in two phases:

  -A. Theory and history of restoration;

  -B. Restoration of architecture.

  At the end of the first period there will be an exemption exam (ongoing test) on the topics covered during both phases. The exemption exam is not obligatory but strongly recommended; it allows to verify the learning of the unit contents and reserve to the summer or autumn session only the verification of the activities carried out in the "Restoration workshop" (second course-unit).

  The evaluation of this part is worth 2/3 of the overall final grade.

• LABORATORIO RESTAURO ARCHITETTONICO

  The course-unit is structured as follows
  - initial presentation of the topic of the exercise and the framework of the questions to be faced with reference to the skills acquired in the fall unit (Architectural Restoration);
  - workshop activities (in the classroom and on the field) aimed to develop an applicative approach to the proposed study-case;
  - Illustration by the students of the results of the work carried out and collective discussion for the definition of the graphic works to be prepared for the final examination.

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Detailed Course Content

• ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION

  Theory and history of restoration

  The knowledge as premise for every operativity. Methodological process for built heritage intervention. The archaeological restoration and the examples of R. Stern and G. Valadier; The 19th century debate in Europe: E. Viollet - le - Duc and the 'stylistic' restoration; the J. Ruskin’s theories, the Antirestoration movement and W. Morris. The philological-historical and modern Restoration (L. Beltrami and C. Boito), the scientific Restoration (G. Giovannoni). The post-war period and the critical Restoration - Cesare Brandi.

  The contemporary currents. The restoration and the reuse. The project on the built heritage today. Ways of approach to the historical pre-existences, categories and examples.

  The Charters of restoration.

  The Athens Charter, the 1932 and 1938 Italian Charter, the 1960 Gubbio Charter, Venice Charter, the 1972 Italian Charter, Integrated Conservation, Recommendations for buildings of special typology in seismic areas (1986), Restoration and Conservation Charter of 1987, Krakow Charter and Risk Charter.

  Exercise (A)

  Exercise involves the graphic elaboration of the historical analysis and the record of the most significant archaeological restoration works carried out on two examples of 'Roman antiquities', starting from the observation of the engravings by G. B. Piranesi (1720-1778): the Arch of Titus and the Flavian Amphitheatre.

  The final work consists of a technical and figurative "narration" to be graphically summarized, in an A2 table and digitally (.ppt format), with a video or a sequence of images.

  The best works will be selected for an exhibition to be set up at the end of the academic year at MuRa (Museum of Representation - DICAr).

  The Restoration of Architecture

  -Cognitive phase (knowledge): the survey for restoration, historical construction techniques

  -Methods for the interpretation of data and physical signs on architecture (interpretation): identification of the causes of degradation and structural vulnerabilities.

  -Definition of project criteria (to be carried out respecting the cultural, material and constructive values of the existing).

  KNOWLEDGE

  1 Analysis of historical buildings:

  Historical bibliographic research, survey;

  the architectural organism as a system of constructive parts;

  the structural typologies

  2 Architectural Materials.

  2.1 Stone materials

  -Stone (physical and chemical characteristics, workability etc.)

  -Systems of use in the construction (stone façades);

  Wood (physical characteristics, use and frequent pathologies).

  3 Architectural configuration and construction elements of historical buildings

  3.1 Notes on the historical building systems in the Etnea area;

  3.2 Masonry elements (foundations, masonry, vaults, architraves, platbands, archivolts, stairs);

  3.3 Wooden structural elements: floors, roofs, architraves, centerig

  3.4 Metal structural elements: floors, shelves tie-rods

  4. Environmental protection systems in the rule of art

  4.1 Surface protections (plasters);

  4.2 Rising damp (barriers, sealing, crawl spaces);

  4.3 Rainwater (roofing, gutters, downspouts);

  INTERPRETATION - ANALYSIS OF THE STATE OF CONSERVATION

  5. Surfaces

  5.1 Definition of the main degradations on surfaces (NorMAL 1/88 and UNI 11183 Standards);

  5.2 Main causes and phenomena of material degradation (chemical, physical, biological);

  5.3 Reading of surfaces degradation (general and thematic maps of visible manifestations);

  6. Damages recognition (in progress or previous), collapse mechanisms (local and global), damage scenarios.

  6.1 Masonry structures

  - structural failures due to crushing, buckling, differential failures; cracks frameworks

  6.2 Vaulted structures: deformations cracking frameworks

  6.3 Slabs: manifestations of failures

  -wooden floors

  -iron floors

  DEFINITION OF THE CRITERIA OF THE RESTORATION PLAN - (REVERSIBILITY, COMPATIBILITY AND MINIMUM INTERVENTION)

  7. Material restoration: techniques of conservative intervention (cleaning, consolidation, protection);

  8. Protection from moisture (rising damp, rainwater);

  9. Structural restoration: local and global interventions (vulnerability mitigation);

  9.1 Local interventions

  -Foundations, walls, floors and roofs

  -Vaults

  9.2 Global interventions

  -Tie-rods, curbs, corner bracing.

  Exercise (B)

  The exercise consists in the study, in the classroom, of the historical building techniques of the Etna area and in the graphic elaboration (constructive axonometric, cross-section, section at scale 1:20 and construction details) of a historical recurrent housing type of the historical center of Catania or the Etna area based on a survey provided by the teacher).

  The work will be organized in groups of 4-5 students.

  The final work will be delivered on paper (1 A2 table) and digital support.

• LABORATORIO RESTAURO ARCHITETTONICO

  The workshop provides for a practical design activity on the theme of the proposed exercise (a building or a building block) articulated in:

  - execution of direct and indirect cognitive analyses;

  - graphic and textual description of the actual condition and questions to be resolved through the design;

  - definition of the conservative criteria of intervention;

  - graphical and textual description of the design status and of the main technical solutions proposed.

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Textbook Information

• ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION
  1. BLASI C. (a cura di), Architettura storica e terremoti. Protocoli operativi per la conoscenza e la

  tutela, Milano, Mirafiori Assiago, Wolters Kluwer Italia, 2013. Approfondimento*

  1. BORRI A. (a cura di), Manuale delle murature storiche, DEI, 2011.
  2. BRANDI C. Teoria del restauro, Einaudi, 2000. Approfondimento*
  3. CARBONARA G., Avvicinamento al Restauro. Teoria, Storia, monumenti, Liguori, Napoli, 1997 (pp. 21-45/75-323 e Appendici). Approfondimento*.
  4. CARBONARA G., Architettura d’oggi e restauro. Un confronto antico e nuovo, Utet scienze e tecniche, Torino, 2011.
  5. CASIELLO S. (a cura di), Verso una storia del Restauro. Dall’età classica al primo Ottocento. Alinea ed., Firenze 2008 (pp. 61-137/276-310). Approfondimento*.
  6. Galli L. “Restauro Architettonico. Letture dai maestri. Antologia critica”, Hoepli, Milano, 2016/20. Approfondimento*.
  7. GIUFFRÈ A. (a cura di), Sicurezza e conservazione dei centri storici. Il caso Ortigia, Laterza, 1990. Approfondimento*.
  8. L. LAZZARINI, M. TABASSI, Il restauro della pietra, Utet scienze e tecniche, Torino, 2010.
  9. MARGANI L., SALEMI A. (a cura di), Materiali e tecniche costruttive della tradizione siciliana, Documenti IDAU n. 16 (1988), n. 2 (1989) e n. 10 (1994).
  10. MUSSO S. F. (a cura di), Recupero e restauro degli edifici storici, guida pratica al rilievo e alla diagnostica, E.P.C. editore, III ed.,2010.
  11. SALEMI A., Il recupero e la conservazione delle fabbriche tradizionali. Le patologie da umidità, Gangemi, Roma, 2000.
  12. SETTE M.P., Il restauro in architettura: quadro storico, Utet scienze e tecniche, Torino, 2000.
  13. TINÈ S. (a cura di), Codice di pratica professionale per il restauro delle fronti esterne degli edifici: l'esperienza di Ortygia, Flaccovio, 2001.
  14. TORSELLO P. (a cura di), “che cose’ il restauro, nove studiosi a confronto”, Marsilio ed., 2005. Approfondimento*.

  Textbooks marked with (*) are recommended only as a deepening of the topics covered in class.

• LABORATORIO RESTAURO ARCHITETTONICO

  CAROCCI, C.F. (a cura di). Conoscere per abitare. Un seminario di studio a Motta Camastra, Siracusa, Icosaedro, 2008.

  GIUFFRÈ A. (a cura di), Sicurezza e conservazione dei centri storici, il caso Ortigia, Bari, 1993

  CARBONARA G., Restauro dei monumenti. Guida agli elaborati grafici, Liguori, Napoli 1990

  FIORANI D., Restauro architettonico e strumento informatico. Guida agli elaborati grafici, Liguori, Napoli 2004

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