Conscious Protection & Compatible Restoration

The 4 themes of BRAU1 are addressed in the cultural aspects and their economic-social implications, with referring to interventions already completed or to projects just designed and proposed.

The participants are invited to present studies and projects on the following topics and sub-topics

Theme A

Permanent maintenance of small historic towns

The rapid changes in European socio-economic scenario and the changing demographic and geographic today increase the discrepancy between the development of human activities and the "built" environment, giving rise to different policy interventions, employees mainly from the economic realities of each country.

All the problems affecting the complexity of these processes, may found modalities and permanent experimentation fields in the small towns that have an interest in creating systems of "permanent maintenance" of the local built heritage.

Taking note of these prevalent realities, more effort is needed for comparison and discussion on an international scale, in reference to this specific subject area.

1. Modern trends in risk management

1.1. Review of the technical literature in relation to the hazard of built heritage.

1.2. Priorities faced by those responsible for managing different types of heritage and their perception and knowledge of the risks that their sector faces.

1.3. Assess heritage risks and remedial measures from a scientific perspective.

1.4. Legislative proposals, both nationally and regionally, for the redaction of information tools on the condition of built heritage.

1.5. Protocols for monitoring of residual performances of the built heritage, i) initiatives at the institutional level (political and administrative), ii) indicators that can signal hazard conditions.

1.6. Risk Map of Cultural Heritage: mapping the territorial conditions of risk (seismic, hydrological, anthropogenic) wich contribute to define priorities for action based on the greater severity of the risk situations identified.

2. Integrated risk management

2.1. Methodologies and tools for systematic, balanced and practical risk management specific to the cultural heritage.

2.2. Techniques and instruments for monitoring. Data processing and interpretation.

2.3. Characterisation and hence recognition of the full range and complexity of hazards to which cultural heritage is exposed.

3. Classification of risks

3.1. Characterization and recognition of the range and complexity of risks faced by the cultural heritage.

3.2. Collection of statistics on damage to heritage from the hazard; experiences matured by the final users of selected typlogies of cultural heritage; consultation with organizations and agencies that affect indirectly on heritage conservation (government, insurance agencies).

3.3. Risk assessment based on scientific management for each hazard category.

3.4. Integration of research findings from a multidisciplinary perspective within a risk management framework.

4. Integrated strategies for protection, recovery and promotion of cultural heritage

4.1. National and regional laws that are intended to guarantee and regulate the gradual recovery of historic buildings and cultural heritage.

4.2. Preventing the risk of collapse in residential buildings - self-assessment cards.

4.3. common processes for the evaluation of available remediation strategies.

4.4 Tools for planning the ongoing maintenance of the built heritage, and the identification of knowledge gaps and additional research needs.

5. Maintenance and energy requalification of small historic centres

5.1. Preserve the heritage architectural land’s degraded and his social tissue, through operation of environment’s protection and use of new technology by designing and installing energy systems (low emission).

5.2. Integration passive systems for heating and cooling, whit bioclimatic architecture, landscape planning and other strategies to requalify local cultural identity.

6. Case studies inherent to sub-topics exposed above

Theme B

Restoration of the monumental complexes

All restoration works on the architectural heritage consists of the monumental complexes, have always been disputed between conflicting reasons and interests. These include requirements for compliance, even partial, to the new standards of life and safety (plants, fires, earthquakes), that contrast with those of their conservation values (tangibles and intangibles), present in their environments and in their structures and finishing works, and also in conflicts regarding the appropriate use of advanced technologies and the reproposing of the past ones.

The solutions to these and other outstanding issues can only arise from a direct comparison between experts on an international scale in all conflictual areas that affect decision-making of interventions on them; this comparison, which reflect the degree of risk for people and for the monument, involves a careful analysis of social perceptions and an optimum combination of all citizens' needs.

1. Management and Planning of interventions

The conservation of monuments is an integral part of planning and management process the cultural heritage of a given community and must contribute to sustainable development, quality, economic and social enhancement of such community.

1.1. Authenticity, Historicity, Ceremoniality, Identity of Monument. Proposals for critical redefining and categorizations of the monuments.

1.2. Procedures for allocation of 'Importance' to any monumental characterization, according to the technical codes and moral values of the Community.

1.3. Respect for the rights of future generations in relation to the monuments available today and the choices for conservation.

1.4. Political management of the monumental architectural heritage. The role of government and local authorities in planning the protection of monuments.

2. Conflicts emerging in the process of intervention

In all restoration practices available in different countries, their main characteristic is the contradiction between the different values of the monument, but also their relativity, since every time it search a combination of these contradictions, it has an immediate impact on design choices.

2.1. Re-defining the Values of a Monument ("worthiness", "significance"): i) Value of Safeguarding Human Life, ii) Value of Safeguarding of the Shape: aesthetic satisfaction that offers the view of a monument from outside and inside, iii) Symbolic Value: the importance of religious or historical values of the monument and its contents, iv) Technical Values: construction process, construction details, materials used.

2.2. Conflicts in the conceptual triangle Features / Safety / Economy, when working to recover, improve or adapt the monumental buildings to the standards and regulations currently in force.

2.3. Quality Management and algorithms for evaluating expected performances after intervention: a) Reversibility / degree of Repeatability of the intervention, b) Durability of added materials and technical elements, d) Constructive Credibility of interventions in specific technical-economical and control conditions, e) Feasibility and Controllability of the proposed technical solutions, g) Functionality for reuse in case of new uses of the monuments (eg. touristic exploitation).

2.4. Conflict between Structural Safety and Technical Value of the monuments at different stages of interventions. Optimization of design choices.
2.5. Restoration / Anastylosis of Monuments: procedures, techniques, technologies.
2.6. Interventions of de-restoration. Legitimacy and limitations of the design decisions.
2.7. The energy conversion on aim to re-qualify the architectural monuments.
2.8. Architectural barriers in the restoration of monumental complexes.

3. Structural interventions on monumental complexes

3.1. Consequences of design choices on the Monumental Values: a) on the Shape of the monument (geometric changes color, etc.), b) on the historicity of the Monument (elimination of superfetations, impediment of current functions, e.g. liturgical celebrations), c) Technical Value of the Monument (on existing materials and building elements).

3.2. Quality Management and algorithms for evaluating expected performances after interventions: a) Reversibility/ Repeatability of the intervention, b) Durability of materials and technical elements added, d) Constructive Credibility of intervention in specific technical, economic and control conditions, e) Controllability and Feasibility of the proposed solutions, g) Functionality for reuse in case of new uses

3.3 Degree of adequacy / inadequacy of international prescriptions (International Conventions and Cards). Comparison, weaknesses, suggestions for updates. execution of structural works.

3.4. Constructive reliability. Control programs and monitoring during and after the interventions.Verification of the effectiveness of results achieved during and after structural interventions.

3.5.Preserving the monuments from natural disasters: a) interventions of structural updating/ reinforcement/adaptation to new technical normative, b) different approaches to safety between ancient structures and new structures.

3.6. Global Integrated Project: assessment procedures of the Importance attributed to different design aspects connected to the architecture, structure, equipments and functionality.

4. The shared heritage

4.1. Balancing the various needs that arise between different cultural communities in the decision making process of restoration of monuments complexes. Conflict between the need for protection of shared heritage values and the expectations of the public, visitors and locals.

4.2. The removal or alteration of any historic material: right to belong, dislocations, restitutions: the need for international regulation.

4.3. Socially useful use purposes of colonial monuments and their preservation. The conservation of monuments is always facilitated by their shared use for some socially useful purposes, without however change the architectural assets and building contents.

5. Case studies

5.1. Monumental complexes which are extremely important for their historical significance and their architectural and artistic characters of particular value.

5.2. Monumental complexes or representative buildings of historic building fabric which have maintained significant features on the architectural and distributive level.

5.3. buildings forming part of historical heritage building, even if are not particularly valuable artistically.

Theme C

Strategies for reclaiming disused buildings located in urban and extra-urban areas, industrial archaeology

With reference to the growing edification demand and the demographic and infrastructural transformations of the cities, has become critical individualize a global strategy for the reuse of abandoned industrial buildings or representative ones (i.e. cinemas, theatres, buildings for the craft industry, barracks, incinerates, spinning mill, etc.), based on a careful and interdisciplinary analysis of processes which alter the built environment.

Only through a rich scenario of ideas and ties, like the one that will offer an International Biennial of Restoration, is believed that could emerge strategies of "recovery", based on interdisciplinary approaches and focusing the attention on Resources and Values.

1. Sustainable Re-Use in disused buildings and abandoned sites

Sustainability is a multilayered process that involves social, economic and architectural issues that can come out of realistic needs of a certain community or can also have the potential to generate a certain need or demand. There is a need for a new responsible architectural ethical design, that will surpass the ego and the pretentious and abstract architectural concept, and will result in a “dynamic process” for the design of the life cycle of the buildings.

1.1. Responsibility: The Ability to Provoke or Provide Response

1.2. Dynamics (processes and transformation) of Revival of Abandoned Sites

1.3. International cooperation – experience sharing

2. Urban Regeneration and gentrification

Changing in technologies and social-economic structure of cities in the last decades, urban regeneration and gentrification has gained new importance as a strategy for ecological sustainability. In many cities around the world disused urban quarters (such waterfront establishments, ex-industrial plants and related residential districts) are being transformed for new uses and social status; therefore, particular attention should be paid to the following sub-themes:

2.1. Social impacts of urban regeneration/gentrification

2.2. Policy making of urban regeneration/gentrification

2.3. Environmental impacts of urban regeneration/gentrification

2.4. Disused Communication sites (ports, railway stations, airports, border places).

3. Industrial archaeology

The study of the industrial arhaeology is a phenomenon of the second half of the twentieth century, but the real valorization of industrial heritage is conducted over the last 20 years. Industrial archaeology is evolved as a discipline which take into consideration not only its significance in tehnological and economic terms but also of is cultural meaning as a symbol of changing. We find industrial archaeology as a systematic study of structures and artefacts who enlarge our understanding of the industrial past.

3.1. Methodologies, Procedures and Techniques in Industrial Archaeology

3.2. Perspectives of industrial heritage-Towards new strategies

3.3. Regeneration and structural interventions in disused buildings and abandoned sites

3.4. Sustainable reuse of historic industrial sites

3.5. Maintenance in conservation

4. Technology of Interventions in the industrial archaeology areas and enviromental impact

It will take an interdisciplinary engagement and clear tendencies about its future use and valorization, from urban, architectural and economic aspect.

4.1. Technology of interventions – Industrial archaeology areas

4.2. Environmental impact

4.3. New approaches in dealing with building waste

4.4. Economical stimulus for energy efficient practices and services

5. Urban competitiveness Vs(and) urban memory – urban restructuring of brownfield sites and ex-“red-belt” neighborhoods

The objective of this topic is to raise a debate about the competences, responsibilities and governmental and urban design mechanisms that determine future of brownfield sites and working-class neighborhoods while also pinpointing those schemes of urban governance, urban policies and urban projects which balance successfully between the imperatives of transformation imposed by market forces and preservation of urban memory.

5.1. determinants and perspectives of urban memory in changing geography of working-class neighborhoods

5.2. Urban palimpsest concept in the large projects of brownfield-transformation

5.3. Branding cities by industrial past

5.4. Urban planning policies and enterprenual appeal of brownfield sites

6. Case studies inherent to sub-topics exposed above

Theme D

Interventions on the modern architectural heritage

The criteria for intervention on the buildings representing the modern architectural heritage, are always established on the basis of regulations that are questionable, if not completely absent, thus leaving large space for private initiative and the free interpretation.

Nobody expected also a need to use reinforced concrete buildings built in Europe immediately after World War II, for a period exceeding ten or twenty years; the largest post-war reconstruction of the fifties had been undertaken in the belief that "soon we could have do it all better and with more modern technologies”.

These buildings, now therefore require "cares” on structures, on building installations and aesthetic improvements that must be carefully regulated in relation to economic and technological resources of each country.

A comparison on an international scale regarding updating of their residual performances (safety, aesthetic, technological, etc ...) may suggest policy interventions aimed at upgrading buildings themselves, without losing sight of local economies.

The various efforts that are posed in different countries (the poorest and the most advanced) to prolong the duration of "life" of these buildings, may understand the vastness of suggestions and solutions that may result from a reasoned comparison on an international scale.

1. Education and theory to safeguard important modern buildings, ensembles and sites

1.1. Strategic Management for the restoration of modern architectural heritage on a regional scale.

1.2. Training for maintenance and recovery of the modern architectural heritage.

1.3. Initiatives within of the Council of Europe and UNESCO for the conservation of twentieth century architecture.

1.4. The building heritage between Two world Wars period: Vulnerability and Conservation. The knowledge and use of new materials and techniques (cellular mineral and vegetable, fiber reinforced materials, agglomerated cork, linoleum, glass-cement block, metal-cement and aluminum). The stylistic identity: shared value systems that had the goal of a widespread quality.

2. The building heritage between World War II and the nineties in Europe

2.1. Redesign of constructions and urban spaces.

2.2. History and development. Diagnose and remedy.

3. Stone Facing Techniques in 20th Century

3.1. Restoration of cladding technologies: from slab to precast. Stone-faced precast panel technologies: monitoring and intervention techniques for stabilization.

4. Developing countries

4.1. The single house: the house and its transformation, preservation of local technology; color technology and conservation.

4.2. The great works: "other modernism" to be conserved: government buildings; buildings for education; machinery and manufactures, sports equipment.

4.3. Conservation and sustainability: conflictual aspects, innovative tecnologies, intervention policies; real possibilities for adaptation to settlement strategies and plans for economic conversion.

5. Case studies inherent to sub-topics exposed above