Antichi edifici religiosi e nuovi usi: un difficile processo di trasformazione nella città contemporanea

The study aims to analyze the complex process that has invested the Italian religious buildings, after the postunification period, bending them to new uses not always compatible with the characters and with the sacredness of the places. In the case submitted to analysis, the phenomenon of the old convents re-use, although developed during the twentieth century, today continues to exert its effect. The assets of the religious complex that has been used over time and today appears to be available again benefited, may represent an interesting opportunity for a revitalization of historic town, through the development of integrated programs of intervention. These strategies may allow to promote “best practices”, enhancing the development of local identity. The objective to be pursued is represented by a sustainable reuse of large monastic spaces so that they can be projected into the future, through a fair and balanced relationship between conservation and innovation. The memory of a territory is indeed changing: the ability to adapt to the passage of time and to the unexpected nature of events is so paradigmatic a goal of civilization

Vernacular earthen architecture. Construction techniques and restoration. From the international setting to some specific Italian regional cases

[EN] The research focuses on vernacular architecture, in particular earth buildings, highlighting the different geographic areas involved, building types and construction techniques. In Italy, despite theoretical progress, some cultural and technical problems are still evident in earth architecture conservation. This is also due to the prevalence, among earth buildings, of vernacular architecture, that, in general, has no artistic value and with historical value yet to be fully appreciated. The characteristics of some regional areas are also considered, with particular attention to the Marche and Sardinia Regions, where earthen constructions have existed since ancient times. Knowledge of construction techniques that are the result of age-old experience is the basis for a good conservation and for the design of new ones. Today, some public administrations, on the regional and local levels, have developed operating manuals for the conservation of earth constructions, but there is still no real legislative protection for earth buildings and their material authenticity.Petrucci, E.; Mancini, R.; Putzu, MG. (2022). Vernacular earthen architecture. Construction techniques and restoration. From the international setting to some specific Italian regional cases. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 897-904. https://doi.org/10.4995/HERITAGE2022.2022.1524989790

A Simplified Framework for Historic Cities to Define Strategies Aimed at Implementing Resilience Skills: The Case of Lisbon Downtown

The concepts of resistance to unforeseen disasters and rapid post-disaster recovery of historic cities are necessary due to the earthquakes that have profoundly influenced their evolution. The improvement of this property strongly depends on the effectiveness of the preventive tools. In this work, an operational framework for the resilience assessment of a historical city characterized by high cultural and historical elements is developed, which corresponds to the main contribution of this research. The research includes multicriteria analysis based on the in-depth knowledge of the city’s historical development, the study of the effects of past earthquakes, structural vulnerability analysis of pombalino buildings, architectural types and socio-economic aspects. The aim is to obtain the necessary elements to guide an aware plan for improving resilience and the reduction of vulnerability through a GIS tool aimed at preventing and defining urban intervention priorities. The framework proposed is applied to Lisbon downtown

The Monument to the Fallen of Arquata del Tronto: a Symbol of Rebirth for the Reconstruction of a Village Destroyed by the Earthquake

The study of the monuments to the fallen of the First World War is today a highly debated field. This paper focuses on the events regarding the Monument to the fallen of the First World War of Arquata del Tronto (AP). Designed between 1925 and 1937 by Vincenzo Pilotti, the monument was placed on a pre-existing civic tower. Pilotti conceived a vertical commemorative plaque framed by travertine moldings carved by Pietro Cinelli; five bronze eagles, made by Enrico Brunelleschi, were placed as crowning element. The monument was destroyed by the 2016/17 central Italy earthquake. Its reconstruction, which is strongly demanded by the local community, can represent a symbol of rebirth, a new memorial both to the Great War fallen soldiers and to those who lost their lives because of the earthquake

Integration of capillary and EWOD technologies for autonomous and low-power consumption micro-analytical systems

This work presents a miniaturized system combining, on the same microfluidic chip, capillarity and electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) techniques for movement and control of fluids. The change in hydrophobicity occurring at the edge between a capillary channel and a hydrophobic layer is successfully exploited as a stop-and-go valve, whose operation is electronically controlled through the EWOD electrodes. Taking into account the variety of microfluidic operation resulting from the combination of the two handling techniques and their characteristic features, this work prompts the development of autonomous, compact and low-power consumption lab-on-chip systems

The fortress of Arquata del Tronto: symbol of rebirth for the Marche Region affected by the earthquake

[EN] The Fortress of Arquata del Tronto in the Marche region is an imposing structure that rises on the crag to the north of the historic center. It represents a typical example of military architecture in the Apennines Area. Its foundation is between the eleventh and the twelfth century, an initial phase of embankment which undergoes a gradual and progressive increase in structures to enhance the functionality of the fortress. The city of Ascoli Piceno, worried about consolidating the defense outposts located at its borders, soon took possession of it. From the thirteenth to the sixteenth century, the Rocca lived alternate events, clashing with nearby castles, especially with Norcia. At the end of the eighteenth century, Arquata will be absorbed in the territory of the Clitunno Department, in the ancient Duchy of Spoleto. During this period, it was partially restored, to house a stable military garrison, becoming the third fortress of the Trasimeno Department, until it returned under the Papal States. Continuous interventions make the structure suitable for military uses. At the end of the nineteenth century, Giuseppe Sacconi, as director of the Conservation Office in the Marche and Umbria Region, undertook an important restoration. The ruins of the fortress were reconfigured according to medieval forms, taken by analogy from the repertoire of fortifications in the Apennine area. A further conservative intervention was carried out in 1990 to allow a new use. Unfortunately, the seismic events in 2016-2017 have compromised the Rocca, with large collapses that currently make the complex unusable. The intention is to undertake new restoration work, setting up a school construction site; this could represent a virtuous example to favor the rebirth of Arquata del Tronto, so strongly hit by the earthquake, through a project for the enhancement of its architectural heritage.Petrucci, E.; Lapucci, D.; Lapucci, N. (2020). La Rocca di Arquata del Tronto: simbolo di rinascita per il territorio marchigiano colpito dal sisma. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1335-1342. https://doi.org/10.4995/FORTMED2020.2020.11371OCS1335134