Integrated Methodologies for the Analysis and Conservation of the Old Bar (Montenegro): the Case Study of Doge’s Palace

The old town of Bar in Montenegro, a Byzantine settlement rebuilt on the remains of a more ancient town destroyed in the 3rd century during the Roman invasion of Dalmatia, ruled between 1443 and 1571 from the city of Venice and then by the Turks until 1878 is, today, a little over an abandoned village but, at the same time, an extraordinary monument from the past to protect and enhance. Traces of its most glorious past are still recognizable in the ruins and artifacts of daily life become known following recent archaeological excavations. Stari Bar is a site unique, a sort of miracle that fortunately survived the ravages of time and negligence of the men. However, it now runs the risk of being overwhelmed by a frenzy of "intervention" that leaves little room for reflection and that can produce errors, which cannot be remedied in the future. Rather than rebuild a fake medieval city or give way to immobility, risking that the culture of ruin prevail, it is necessary to pursue activities of knowledge, study and promotion allowing local communities (as well as those further afield) to re-appropriate the memory of those architectural and urban spaces, triggering new ideas for their possible regeneration. In this framework, this paper presents the case study of the "Doge's Palace", analyzing this important monument in depth knowledge, in order to formulate a proposal for its conservation and valorisation. The experience here reported responds to the initial phase of a more ambitious project aiming at producing a three dimensional “picture” of the site in its current state: a representation made both through the documentation of the town’s most relevant parts and the use of virtual tours and 3D modelling. This activity intends to support the nomination proposal submitted by Montenegro in 2010 to include Stari Bar in UNESCO’s World Heritage List

A study for the conservation of the architectural Islamic complex of Xhemal in Delvina (Albania)

Water is a fundamental element for Islamic culture and the need to purify themselves before the prayer and religious celebrations is made in special baths - near mosques - called hammam. The hammam is usually a large public service building, but there are particular types of small dimensions and for the exclusive use of a wealthy family or, as in the case study here presented - related to the Islamic complex of Xhemal in Delvina (Albania) - an integral part of a religious centre. Characterised by a singular complexity, the monumental site of Xhemal is composed of some aboveground tombs, a mosque, a tekke, two türbe, a fountain and a hammam indeed, as well as of ancient tall plants (cypresses and plane trees). The building, already listed by the national Institute for Cultural Monuments of Albania, has been the subject of a study carried out by prof. Valter Shtylla at the end of the 70s and classed as a hammam from the medieval period. Provisionally measured only in its plan, it is today in a state of serious deterioration, while an example of great interest. For this reason and, along with the entire complex, since 2008 it has been an object of study by the University of Bergamo and Enna Kore, within the research group formed by the Milan Polytechnic and the University Ca' Foscari, in the framework of the program “Albania tomorrow” co-funded by the Cariplo Foundation, in collaboration with the municipality of Delvina. The complex has recently been subjected to a complete laser scanning survey in order to develop a well-planned preservation and valorisation programme

The difficult relationship between ruins and modernity: the case study of the Mother Church reconstruction in Salemi (Italy)

Located in the heart of Sicily, Salemi, a town of Arab origin and first capital of Italy, was devastated by the powerful earthquake that struck the Belice Valley in January 1968. From that moment on, its historic centre has long been abandoned; a few restoration works have been carried out as it was preferred to reconstruct affected districts in new sites. Nevertheless, Salemi has generally maintained its medieval structure, still preserving the original attractive landscape of perched village, resulting from security and control needs of an area based on agricultural and pastoral economy. At its highest point, next to the majestic Norman castle, re-erected in the 13th century by Frederick II of Swabia, stands the Mother Church, were acted the architects Alvaro Siza Vieira and Roberto Collova. Their project, drafted in the early 80's, can be considered as an emblematic case of architectural conservation and cultural preservation. Remains have been seen here in their profound value as a testimony to memory, turning them into charming and moving scenery for the new square created around. The designers considered the traumatic event has a starting point for an overhaul of the historic urban core of the city. They founded the project on the idea of "opening and offering" this sacred space to the town, accepting and integrating the earthquake effects into the architectural plans. Starting from this experience of consolidation and architectural restoration, recalling in its expression Ruskin's romantic memory, this work intends to highlight the historical and today's difficult relationship between ruins and modernity, improvement and destruction, conservation and new buildings design

The Aragonese Castle of Piazza Armerina, Sicily: new surveys for yhe conservation and the valorisation of a cultural resource

Sicily owns a vast heritage consisting of manors, strongholds, coastal towers and city fortifications that reflect its long history and strategic role in the Mediterranean Sea. Most of these assets are now in poor condition and abandoned, affected by both aging and the lack of preservation and maintenance activities. Their knowledge is often incomplete because of a lack of archival sources and the quasi-absence of accurate surveys and stratigraphic analyses. A systematic research programme on the most important castles in central Sicily, was then launched. In this context, this paper presents the case study of the Aragonese castle in Piazza Armerina. It shows the first results of a multidisciplinary study based on the integrated use of technologies for three-dimensional survey and supported by new critical interpretations of the morphological and material peculiarities of such an important cultural good. An operational practice aimed at correctly orienting future restoration and reuse activities, based on both scientific criteria and respectful approach to the monument

Image-based 3D modeling vs laser scanning for the analysis of medieval architecture: the case of St. Croce church in Bergamo

The Church of St. Croce in Bergamo (second half of the 11th century), is a small four-sided building consisting of two overlapping volumes located in the courtyard adjacent to the Bishop's Palace. In the last years, archaeological excavations have unearthed parts of the edifice, until that time hidden because buried during the construction of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and now restored its original form. Due to the recent discoveries, a critical review of all the existing documentation in order to clarify the relationship of the various building components has been considered necessary. A quick, well-timed, chromatically characterized and accurate survey aimed at the complete digital reconstruction of this interesting example of medieval Italian architecture was then needed. This has suggested simultaneously testing two of the most innovative technologies: the 3D laser scanning survey ensuring high-resolution and complete models within a short time, and the photogrammetric automatic image-based modelling, allowing a three-dimensional reconstruction of the architectural objects. This paper intends to show the results achieved by the analytical comparison between the two methodologies, and thus analyse their differences, the advantages and the deficiencies of both of them and the opportunities for future enhancements and developments

The castle of Assoro: the integrated survey for the knowledge and conservation of ruins

Assoro is an ancient city located in the heart of Sicily. Its fame in the Middle Ages is linked to the strategic location of its primitive nucleus placed at the top of Monte Stella. The fortified site allowed, in fact, both the defence of the surrounding territory and the control of the internal crossings of the island, from east to west. Today, the ruins of the castle, still visible in the highest part of the city, are enclosed in a large urban park that neither enhances nor facilitates its understanding. Actually, the knowledge of the monument is very incomplete due the lack of documentary sources. To compensate these gaps new investigations were undertaken. Survival masonries were examined by a careful visual investigation and a deep survey, both for the stratigraphic, material and degradation aspects, carried out through the integrated use of active and passive sensors instruments. The critical analyses arising from the appropriately constructed 3D models and the photo-realistic orthographic projections with the mapping of the different constructive phases, the building materials and decay, was laid as the foundation of the cognitive process aimed at the establishment of a sustainable conservation and valorisation project. The programme has also foreseen the realization of some archaeological coverings and the improvement of the whole park fruition, through paths that aim to both ensure easier access to some rocky archaeological areas currently difficult to reach ad a greater integration and permeability, between the historic urban fabric and the park

Research and technological innovation for the knowledge, conservation and valorization of cultural heritage in Sicily

In our time, new technologies are progressively more and more approaching the cultural heritage’s world. The opportunity to obtain - quickly and in a non-invasive way - virtual models of ancient sites, monuments and objects, using data taken by photo-modeling, digital photogrammetry or laser scanning techniques, offers new possibilities for their proper documentation, monitoring, physical conservation, restoration, archiving and valorization. Moreover, reverse engineering techniques allow a deeper understanding of architectural artefacts and collections by increasing their communication, display and interpretation. By showing a number of experiences related to the rich and famous archaeological heritage of Sicily Island, this paper intends to highlight how the use of new digital equipment and methodologies can be of great benefit for its safeguarding, representation, promotion and enjoyment

From standard to laser scanning surveying for heritage: some case studies in Enna (Italy)

Current tendency in restoration of cultural heritage cannot neglect a multidisciplinary approach, whereby the research object is simultaneously and synergistically studied by specialists from different sectors. Nowadays, the constant and rapid development of science and technology provides architectural restoration with new tools, which may be very useful in view of a responsible and conscientious conservation perspective of cultural heritage. In this field, characterized by a rich variety of methodological and operational opportunities, survey plays a key role. Actually, the continuous improvement of acquisition, processing and graphics rendering techniques, offers an increasing support to the restoration discipline, both in terms of understanding of monuments, than in the evaluation of project choices . The working method, once set on a serial logic (first the surveying then the project) today follows a parallel and coordinated logic in which, also thanks to new BIM technologies, in real time, are simultaneously handled the geometric modelling, the structural and technological analysis and, more generally, all information concerning the whole building characteristics. The use of measuring instruments based on structured light system has also revolutionized the restoration field, because, in addition to ensuring rapid and complete measurability of architectural objects, data processing allows to produce detailed analysis of structural instabilities and degradation processes. This paper intends to document the experience carried out in the framework of the course of Architectural Restoration of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture of Enna (Italy), in which the standard surveying technique for architectural restoration, has been flanked by an experiment carried out with a laser scanner, combined with a new point cloud tool

The challenge of preserving contemporary architecture. Experiences at the MAXXI museum in Rome

[EN] The fate of contemporary concrete buildings has become a growing concern because of their rapid ageing. The procedures to be implemented for their material and structural preservation require a multidisciplinary approach since they are often the result of pioneering experiments and unique challenges, both morphological and technical-constructive. However, intervention procedures have to be based on a wealth of knowledge and on operational and theoretical principles, which unfortunately do not apply to the restoration of reinforced concrete. This article focuses on the experience of conservation of the MAXXI, the National Museum of the Arts of the XXI century, made by Zaha Hadid (1950-2016) in Rome, which prematurely encountered conservation problems, and on the complex maintenance work that the museum was recently subjected to.[ES] El destino de los edificios contemporáneos de hormigón se ha convertido en motivo de creciente preocupación debido al rápido envejecimiento de estas construcciones. Las actuaciones para su conservación material y estructural requieren varias disciplinas, dado que gran parte de ellos son resultado de experimentos pioneros y de desafíos singulares, tanto morfológicos como técnico-constructivos. No obstante, elegir cómo intervenir debe partir de un bagaje consolidado de conocimientos y de premisas operativas y teóricas, que lamentablemente apenas se aplican a la restauración del hormigón armado. Este artículo se centra sobre la experiencia de conservación del MAXXI, el Museo Nacional de las Artes del siglo XXI, realizado por Zaha Hadid (1950-2016) en Roma, envejecido prematuramente e intervenido recientemente con una importante actuación de conservación de sus superficies externas.Versaci, A.; Cardaci, A. (2021). La difícil conservación de la arquitectura contemporánea. La experiencia del museo MAXXI de Roma. Loggia, Arquitectura & Restauración. 0(34):86-107. https://doi.org/10.4995/loggia.2021.11947OJS86107034AVAGNINA M., GUCCIONE M., LA PERGOLA S. (ed.), MAXXI materia grigia: il racconto della costruzione, Milano: Electa, 2010.AVAGNINA M., FAZIO G. M., GUCCIONE M., LIGUORI F. R., VIRDIA E., Maintenance of Contemporary design: the case of MAXXI. Le nuove frontiere del restauro. Trasferimenti, contaminazioni, ibridazioni. Bressanone, 27-30 giugno 2017, Edizione Arcadia Ricerche, pp. 479-489.BOLOGNA, A., Il calcestruzzo: materia e superficie come aristocratici palinsesti. Archi, 3/2020, pp. 19-23.BORIANI M. (ed.), La sfida del moderno. L'architettura del XX secolo tra conservazione e innovazione, Milano: Unicopli, 2003.BORIANI M., Restaurare il 'moderno'? Difficoltà tecniche e teoriche di un tema di attualità. Costruire in laterizio, 59, 05/1997, pp. 392-397.BORIANI M., CAVALLERI F.B., GIAMBRUNO C. Il 'Restauro del Moderno' tra approccio teorico e conservazione materica delle fabbriche. Conservazione e vita residua delle opera in calcestruzzo: alcune riflessioni. In Ientile R., Architetture in cemento armato. Orientamenti per la conservazione. Milano: Franco Angeli, 2008, pp. 88-98.CARBONARA, G. (1997), Avvicinamento al restauro. Teoria, storia, monumenti, Napoli: Liguori.CARDACI A., VERSACI A., The MAXXI museum in Rome: an integrated survey experience for the restoration of contemporary architecture. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing & Spatial Information Sciences, Vol. 42 Issue 5/W1, 2017, pp. 187-194. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-5-W1-187-2017CHOAY F. (ed.). La Conférence d'Athènes sur la conservation artistique et historique des monuments [Paris 1931], Paris: Les Editions de l'Imprimeur, 2002.CIORRA P., GUCCIONE M. (ed.), L'Italia di Zaha Hadid, Macerata: Quodilibet, 2017.CONFORTI C., Zaha Hadid. Maxxi Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo, Roma, Casabella, 785, 01/2010, pp. 5-22.CORZO M. A. (ed.). Mortality Immortality? The Legacy of 20th-Century Art, Symposium Proceedings, Los Angeles: Getty Research Centre, 1999.CROCI, G., HERZALLA, A., MAXXI. Dalla progettazione strutturale esecutivo-costruttiva al cantiere. Geocentro, 10, luglio/agosto 2010, pp. 42-47.DEZZI BARDESCHI M., Per il futuro del Moderno: battaglie, sconfitte, proposte. Confronti. Quaderni di restauro architettonico, 1, 2012, pp. 91-101.DI BIASE C., ALBANI F., Alterations and decay in 20th-century architecture: A lexicon proposal. In Mazzolani F.M. (ed.), PROHITECH 09: Proceedings of the International Conference on Protection of Historical Buildings, Rome, Italy, 21-24 June 2009. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2009, pp. 519-524.FACCIO P., Il calcestruzzo storico: conservazione o ripristino. In Ientile R. (ed.), Architetture in cemento armato. Orientamenti per la conservazione, Milano: Franco Angeli, 2008.FAVARETTO G., PRETELLI M., SIGNORELLI L., Il consolidamento dei calcestruzzi armati storici: contaminazioni e ibridazioni di esperienze tra nuove frontiere del restauro e tradizionali orizzonti della conservazione. Le nuove frontiere del restauro. Trasferimenti, contaminazioni, ibridazioni. Bressanone, 27-30 giugno 2017, Edizione Arcadia Ricerche, pp. 341-352.FORTY, A., Concrete and culture. A material history, London: Reaktion Books, 2012.FIORANI, D., Il lato tecnico del restauro: opportunità, limiti e contenuti. In S. Musso (ed.), Nuove tecniche di restauro architettonico, Milano: Wolters Kluver Italia, 2013, pp. 33-60.LE CORBUSIER, Vers une architecture, Parigi: Les Editions G. Crès et Cie, 1923.SALVO S., Restaurare il Novecento. Storia, esperienze e prospettive in architettura, Macerata: Quodlibet, 2016.VERSACI A., CARDACI A., Architettura contemporanea e conservazione nell'esperienza del museo MAXXI di Roma. Ananke, vol: GeoRes/2017, pp. 105-110

The conservation of the small cloister of Sant’Agostino in Bergamo: the survey of the tombs and the epigraphs

The restoration of the small cloister of the former monastery of Sant’Agostino, located in the upper town of Bergamo is the last act of the redevelopment of this important monumental site. During the work, several graves were found underground. The stone slabs that covered them show fragments of epigraphs allowing to date the structures for a period from the 14th to the 15th centuries which needed to be deepened. A knowledge project, specifically intended for the interpretation of the inscriptions was then initiated. To this end, an experiment was carried out, aiming to compare RTI photography and digital photogrammetry combined with the use of grazing light