Programme

The Architectural Heritage Restoration Laboratory represents the culminating experience within a specific experimental educational field, part of the Master’s Degree Program in Architecture–Restoration. This educational field focuses on the architectural design of restoration for enhancement purposes, and is structured as a sequence of autonomous but coordinated courses arranged in temporal succession. Specifically, the Laboratory continues and deepens the design work initiated in the Architectural Restoration Laboratory of the previous semester, with the aim of consolidating the knowledge and skills required for both professional development and the preparation of the master’s thesis.The general theme of this educational field is the development of digital systems that, through the technical operation of restoration, support planned conservation and the enhancement of the historic urban landscape and the architectures it contains. The specific learning objectives involve acquiring the tools and methods of restoration and enhancement, within an inter-scalar perspective—ranging from the city to urban districts, to architectural structures, both monumental and vernacular, and focusing on their material components, which convey historical, artistic, cultural, and anthropological values and meanings. The teaching approach of the Architectural Heritage Restoration Laboratory, closely integrated with the teaching of the Architecture and Landscapes module, is aimed at guiding students through the restoration design process—beginning with historical-critical analysis and documentation, and culminating in technical and cultural intervention proposals. These proposals are developed in line with the guidelines of the New Public Procurement Code and in the context of the operational strategy of preventive and planned conservation of heritage and the historical landscape in which it is embedded. Therefore, the course deepens theoretical knowledge and fosters practical skills in the fields of restoration, enhancement, and the processual history of architecture and the city, adopting a contemporary vision centered on the methodology of design research—that is, scientific inquiry aimed at generating knowledge through the critical and cognitive process inherent in restoration design. The Laboratory also focuses on the historical knowledge of construction techniques and architectural and settlement typologies, analyzing how these have formed and evolved over time. This foundational knowledge is accompanied by analytical and synthetic skills developed within the realm of digital culture. In particular, the course explores:
• the creation and management of thematic cartographic archives;
• the structuring and characterization of analytical and design data using standard data archiving languages in database environments;
• and 3D finite-component modeling related to documentation, compositional-structural analysis, and restoration interventions for architectural contexts and structures, with the dual goal of enhancement and conservation.

Core Documentation

F. GIOVANETTI [ed.], Manuale del Recupero del Comune di Roma, 2nd expanded edition, DEI, Rome 1997 (in appendix
- P. MARCONI, Matter and Meaning. The question of architectural restoration, Laterza, Bari 1999.
- L. ZEVI [ed.], Handbook of Architectural Restoration, Mancosu, Rome 2001.
- A. PUGLIANO, Il Riconoscimento, la Documentazione, il Catalogo dei Beni Architettonici. Elements of a constituting Thesaurus useful for the Knowledge, Protection, and Conservation of Architecture, 2 vols. Prospettive edizioni, Rome 2009.
- P. MARCONI, Restoration of monuments - Culture, projects and construction sites 1967-2010, Gangemi, Rome 2012.
A. PUGLIANO [ed.], Organized forms of knowledge and active conservation of Heritage and Landscape, "Ricerche di Storia dell'arte," 134, Carocci, Rome 2021
SIRA EXECUTIVE BOARD 2022–2024, Architectural Restoration. Toward Quality-Driven Design.
Guidelines for the Quality of Architectural Restoration Projects, resulting from the 3rd Conference of the Italian Society for Architectural Restoration, Naples, 15–16 June 2023.
https://sira-restauroarchitettonico.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SIRA_Documento-di-indirizzo_Versione-1_31072023.pdf

Reference Bibliography

A. PUGLIANO, Traditional building techniques and the quality of restoration, "Ingenio" – Restoration and Conservation, online 11/23/2023 https://www.ingenio-web.it/articoli/le-tecniche-costruttive-tradizionali-e-la-qualita-del-restauro/ A. PUGLIANO, Paolo Marconi and restoration for enhancement. "Ricerche di Storia dell'arte," 116-117, Carocci, Rome 2015 P. MARCONI, A. PUGLIANO (eds.), Architettura, Archeologia, Restauro monographic volume of "Ricerche di Storia dell'Arte," nn. 103-104, Carocci, Rome 2011. A. PUGLIANO, "The earthquake and the city," in: "Ricerche di Storia dell'Arte," no. 99, Carocci, Rome 2010. A. PUGLIANO, Il Riconoscimento, la Documentazione, il Catalogo dei Beni Architettonici. Elements of a constituting Thesaurus useful for the Knowledge, Protection, and Conservation of Architecture, 2 vols. Prospettive edizioni, Rome 2009. P. MARCONI, A. PUGLIANO (eds.) Progettare il Restauro Architettonico monographic issue of: "Ricerche di Storia dell'Arte" no. 93, Carocci, Rome, 2007. A. PUGLIANO, With the Purpose of Conserving, in: AA.VV. "L'esame di Stato," Prospettive edizioni, Rome, 2007. A. PUGLIANO (ed.), Architectural Restoration and Archaeological Restoration, monographic volume of "Ricerche di Storia dell'Arte" nn. 74-75, Carocci, Rome 2001 (but 2002) A. PUGLIANO, Anatomy of the architectural organism, in: Luca Zevi (ed.), Handbook of Architectural Restoration, Mancosu, Rome 2001. A. PUGLIANO, Criteria for structural and anti-seismic restoration in historic buildings, in: AAVV Manuale del Recupero del centro storico di Palermo, Flaccovio, Palermo 1997. A. PUGLIANO, The premodern architectural organism. Constructive customs and material composition of the historical building of Roman environment. Edited by F. Giovanetti: Handbook of the Recovery of the Municipality of Rome. Second expanded edition. Rome: DEI; 1997. A. GIUFFRE' (ed.), Safety and conservation of historic centers. The case of Ortigia. Laterza, Bari, 1993. A. PUGLIANO, The formative contribution of the earthquake in the building culture of the historic city. La normativa antisismica premoderna, in: "Rassegna di Architettura e Urbanistica" no. 80-81, Kappa, Rome 1993 (1995). G. COLORIO, Construction prices, Editrice Libraria Italiana, Turin, 1940.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory at 75% of the hours (see the didactic regulation)

Type of evaluation

To achieve the expected learning outcomes, the course includes lectures, conferences, guided visits, and reviews of the restoration project. The application of the knowledge acquired throughout the course will also be assessed through the development of a project, which will be discussed and evaluated during the final examination.