Conservation and modern architecture. Fortune and misfortune of the School of Mathematics at Rome University (G. Ponti, 1932-1935)

The framework of the Italian restoration doctrine is based on the reception and transmission of the memory of the past. However, interventions in modern architecture represent a radical drift in the sense that they mostly consist of reconstructions, refurbishments, and renovations. Such work disregards the sense of value acknowledgment that is implicit in architectural conservation and neglects the importance of material conservation. The un even fortune of the School of Mathematics at Rome's University Campus illustrates this situation. This predicament is similar to that of many other modern buildings that have been declared “monuments” by mouth but are actually bent to listless and insensible use, mistreated, and hardly maintained. The recent work carried out at the School of Mathematics proves that interventions on modern buildings are mostly insensitive to their true significance and are often carried out in extreme urgency for mere practical reasons, if not for political opportunities. Modern buildings can be true architectural monuments that express great esthetic potentials and retain notable historical weight in the history of architecture; therefore, they should be regarded as highly representative of our recent past and maintained as such

Il Re è nudo! Riflessioni sullo stato di conservazione del patrimonio architettonico di Le Corbusier a cinquant’anni dalla morte

La recepción del patrimonio cultural de Le Corbusier es un asunto complicado y múltiple que implica un análisis crítico de sus obras, que también considera cuestiones relativas a su conservación y transmisión al futuro. Alcanzado entre los años veinte y los años sesenta, las obras arquitectónicas de Le Corbusier se han resistido inevitablemente y, en muchos casos, han caído en un deterioro patológico. Las obras de conservación, restauración, reconstrucción y reparación han modificado su consistencia y su estado de autenticidad. Esta amplia gama de experiencias pone de manifiesto que el verdadero objetivo es mantener el patrimonio de Le Corbusier en una intacta permanencia, reconociendo sus valores simbólicos y emblemáticos mucho más que los históricos y los de memoria. Consecuentemente, con el paso del tiempo, los historiadores se vuelven inconscientes del hecho de que reflexionan sobre obras arquitectónicas que están siendo completamente modificadas, transformadas y alteradas. De hecho, sus valoraciones críticas se basan en un patrimonio siempre cambiante, lo que influye en la construcción de la historia arquitectónica y en la transmisión de este patrimonio. Cincuenta años después de la muerte de Le Corbusier hay tiempo para los balances históricos, lo que implica una evaluación previa de lo que aún persiste de sus obras y la comprensión de cómo y por qué este patrimonio ha sido modificado, considerando cuidadosamente lo que todavía es materialmente "auténtico". Tal evaluación parece hoy esencial en vista de una verdadera conservación del patrimonio arquitectónico de Le Corbusier, y más allá

Issues of energy retrofitting of a modern public housing estates. The ‘Giorgio Morandi’ complex at Tor Sapienza, Rome, 1975-1979

Energy retrofitting of historical residential buildings represents today an interesting challenge of the building sector. This is true especially in Italy where great part of the national buildingstock dates back to pre-modern and modern times and, especially, to the decades between the 1960s and the 1980s. Most of these buildings, in fact, offerthermal performances that are inadequate to current requirements in terms of energy efficiency, human comfort as well as to seismic safety. This study focuses on the energy retrofitting of public housing estatessuch as the“Giorgio Morandi” complex at Tor Sapienza in Rome. The upgrading of this complex is outlined, taking into account issues of energy saving but, also, constraints related to the historical values of the buildings. Intervention options able to improve energy efficiency are therefore foreseeable only in strict observance of cultural heritage values, which entails a deep analysis and survey of the existence in order to identify respectful, correct and feasiblesolutions

Il restauro della ex Casa Gil di Trastevere in Roma, Luigi Moretti (1932-1937)

Il saggio illustra l'intervento di restauro della ex casa Gil di Trastevere a Roma, opera di Luigi Moretti. Affronta la storia dell'edificio, le trasformazioni e le modifiche subite nel secondo dopoguerra e lo stato di conservazione attuale dell'edificio. Propone, infine, una lettura critica dell'intervento di restauro, prevedendone gli sviluppi ulteriori

The School of Mathematics at Rome's university campus, Gio Ponti 1935

This publication contains the results and the final report of the research developed by a team of scholars of Sapienza University, dedicated to one of the most important of its campus in Rome. The research has been generously supported by The Getty Foundation of Los Angeles within the "Keeping It Modern" program and has taken place from 2019 to 2021

L’area archeologica di Bagan in Birmania. Origini e contraddizioni dei criteri per il riconoscimento dei siti ‘patrimonio dell’umanità

Il sito archeologico di Bagan, noto per le migliaia di pagode antichissime e ancora abitato dalla popolazione autoctona, ha stentato ad ottenere il riconoscimento di patrimonio dell’umanità nonostante l’innegabile valore culturale. Rifiutata nel 1996 perchè le costruzioni avevano perduto ‘integrità’ e ‘autenticità’ in seguito ad interventi di consolidamento e restauro considerati inappropriati, la nomina è stata accordata nel 2019, ma senza che fossero sopraggiunti cambiamenti sostanziali. Il caso di Bagan, per nulla isolato, spinge ad una riconsiderazione dei criteri che fondano l’attività del Comitato per il Patrimonio Mondiale e una sincera riflessione sulla matrice culturale che dovrebbe fondare i processi di riconoscimento di valore su scala globale

An architectural gem

The School of Mathematics is one of Gio Ponti's major achievements and certainly one of the highest expressions of Italian Modernism. This chapter explains the main architectural and urban features of the building and it's context within the university campus of Rome. To the well know exceptional library, a unique example in the history of architecture, the author has dedicated a brief description, highlighting the role of the stained glass window originally designed by Ponti for this room and for the main facade of the building. The chapter closes with a thorough telling of the life of the building, from construction to nowadays, describing the many extensions, alterations and modifications. which have blurred the original "crystal-like" shape designed by Gio Ponti