Alessia Zampini | Università di Bologna (original) (raw)

Papers by Alessia Zampini

Giocando sui termini di know-how e show-how, il contributo approfondisce il ruolo della comunicaz... more Giocando sui termini di know-how e show-how, il contributo approfondisce il ruolo della comunicazione nell'intervento sulla preesistenza. L'analisi di alcuni noti restauri offre l'opportunità di riflettere su autorialità e anonimato del progetto, interrogandosi sulle conseguenze del processo di associazione autore-opera per la disseminazione della cultura del restauro. By playing on the terms of know-how and show-how, the paper reflects on the importance of communicating the intervention on historical pre-existence. The analysis of some well-known restoration works offers the opportunity to reflect upon the authorship and anonymity of the project, trying to underline the positive consequences of associating well-conduced intervention to specific names and technicians for the dissemination of the culture of restoration.

Mercato Saraceno, a small town in Romagna, lived a time of intense architectural activity during ... more Mercato Saraceno, a small town in Romagna, lived a time of intense architectural activity during the fascist era. Arnaldo Mussolini, the little brother of Benito and director of the most influential Italian newspaper at that time, chose to build a private studio in the place of origin of his wife, Augusta Bondanini. Here, he greeted politicians of that period and also a lot of intellectuals, raising Mercato Saraceno to the honours of the chronicle. In those years, many buildings of public utility were built with the purpose of constructing a new image of this little peripheral context. Interesting examples are the local Casa del Fascio designed by the architect Ugo Dolcini, the Casa del Balilla of the Roman Cesare Valle, the “Augusta Mussolini” Kindergarten by Pietro Reciputi from Cesena, as well as the “Sandro Italico Mussolini” Old Age Home of the same architect. A lot of interventions on the built heritage are also completed, one for all the enlargement of the local hospital, but also the restoration of the Palazzo Comunale, damaged by an earthquake at the end of the 1910s. Thus, the paper aim at focusing on the different way the reinforced concrete was used in some of these important works for Mercato Saraceno during the Fascist Era. The purpose is to verify how and how much the context influenced the technical choices.

M. PRETELLI, R. TAMBORRINO, I. TOLIC (a cura di), La città globale. La condizione urbana come fenomeno pervasivo, Aisu International, Torino 2020, pp. 78-89.

During the Fascist period, Romagna was a place of significant architectural and urban transformat... more During the Fascist period, Romagna was a place of significant architectural and urban transformations due to the bond between Mussolini’s family and its land. The paper deals with the topic of use with respect to some emblematic architectures in Forlì, Predappio and Mercato Saraceno. While recent interventions show a renewed attention to this heritage, it is the narrative of the history of these buildings that can generate virtuous urban practices useful for developing an entire territory.

G. BISCONTIN, G. DRIUSSI (a cura di), Il patrimonio culturale in mutamento. Le sfide dell'uso, Arcadia Ricerche, Marghera Venezia 2019, pp. 355-365.

Contrary to what might be expected, the themes of energy efficiency, accessibility, safety and st... more Contrary to what might be expected, the themes of energy efficiency, accessibility, safety and structural adjustment do not respond to linear chronological rules, according to which the further away in time the construction of a building is, the greater the gap from the current standards.
The above assertion is demonstrated by recent events, regarding the restoration of buildings built during the 1930s and characterised by the use of construction and plant technologies that were highly innovative, if not revolutionary, but requiring today a profound rethink.
The paper reviews some cases of restoration interventions – already carried out or at the stage of simple design – of rationalist buildings in Romagna, in which the needs imposed by the new uses (often very close to the “original” ones) have led to significant works of structural improvement, plant engineering and accessibility, sometimes with consequences harshly connected to the contemporary idea of “conservative restoration” (the only approach that is allowed in case of buildings subjected to a declaration of historical and architectural interest under the Legislative Decree 42/2004).
In particular, the most intricate nodes of the difficult and non-trivial relationship between conservation, compatibility and reuse will be identified and subjected to a critical examination, with a view to achieving the best objectives for the protection of this heritage.

"Heritage", vol. 2 (2), 2019, pp. 1460-1470.

The research here presented is a critical appraisal of some restoration works carried out between... more The research here presented is a critical appraisal of some restoration works carried out between the two World Wars in a particular geographic context, which is the Romagna district, in the Northeast of Italy. Starting from two case studies (the Casa del Fascio in Forlì and the Malatesta Library in Cesena) and thanks to the analysis of bibliographical sources, archival documents, and drawings, this research aims at understanding how broader and major theories about architectural restoration are articulated in peripheral background. What emerges are unexpected results: Late and deeply contextualized operations, strongly linked with the national panorama but at the same time chasing for the revival of their own history.

M. MENGOZZI, A. MORIGI (a cura di), Studi su Mercato Saraceno, Stilgraf, Cesena 2018, pp. 259-288.

Nella generale regola che vuole che i modelli culturali centrali raggiungano la periferia degli i... more Nella generale regola che vuole che i modelli culturali centrali raggiungano la periferia degli imperi con anni, talvolta decenni, di ritardo, si può affermare che l’esperienza del Ventennio fascista abbia rappresentato un’eccezione: probabilmente la prima per capacità di penetrazione, nonché per coerenza e diffusione degli obiettivi.
Le vicende di Mercato Saraceno, che qui si riassumono attraverso alcuni casi-simbolo, dimostrano ancora una volta la pervasività di quell’iniziativa; una pervasività che, in Romagna, terra natale di Benito Mussolini, raggiunge livelli talvolta parossistici.
Stupisce rilevare come, a pochi decenni di distanza da quegli eventi, anche in questa terra l’apporto del fascismo in tale settore sia stato a lungo dimenticato, talvolta negato; oggi, finalmente, attraverso studi e ricerche, stimolati anche da esperienze come quella di ATRIUM (Architecture of Totalitarian Regimes of the 20th Century in Europe’s Urban Memory), pare venuto il momento di ricondurre sotto l’ala della ricerca storica, rimosse le pregiudiziali ideologiche, anche quel significativo periodo e il patrimonio che in esso venne prodotto.

"The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences", vol. XLII-2/W11, 2019, pp. 503-509.

A partnership between the Department of Architecture of the University of Bologna and ATRIUM aime... more A partnership between the Department of Architecture of the University of Bologna and ATRIUM aimed at enhancing the knowledge and communication of the rationalist architecture, built in the city of Forlì during the Fascist regime. The importance of finding an interpretative key for this dissonant heritage, bearers of an “uncomfortable” memory but at the same time able to strongly characterize the architectural quality of cities, was a primary goal.
The cooperation started with the development of a pilot project regarding three architectures considered iconic for this context but also able to foster more complex urban policies. The first deliverable of the programme was the search, record, and management of the archival materials related to the whole history of these buildings. The enormous amount of data acquired revealed the importance of working on a dual track, aimed at both the stakeholders involved in the management process of this heritage and those who experience it.
For what concerns the “technical level” which is related to the knowledge field, the first challenge was to understand how to manage information boosting interoperability, guaranteeing easy access and above all making the research implementable. According to the “touristic level” instead, a further objective of the project was related to the communication of this heritage to a varied audience of visitors.

The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2019

The research here presented reflects on the potentials of enhancement, given by new Information a... more The research here presented reflects on the potentials of enhancement, given by new Information and Communication technologies, in the field of Culture Heritage. It describes an interpretation and communication project for a military landscape built during World War II by the German troops. Known as Galla Placidia Line, it was a network of heterogeneous fortifications like bunkers, defensive emplacements and dragon's teeth erected between Pesaro and Ravenna along the coasts of Emilia Romagna. The project bases its roots on the development of a rigorous census, thought as an implementation of the online open-source catalogue established by the entrusted Institutions. The direct and indirect surveys required in order to describe these structures according to a specific set of characteristics will increase their knowledge and relative awareness and it will constitute the starting point for developing new narrative contents. The communication and interpretation of these data will go through the use of locating intelligences-an integrated GPS and Beacon system-involved into a new application. A tool witch is meant to help and empower local communities and institutions not only in making this heritage known but also in its conservation policies.

"recupero&conservazione", 152, 2019

Nell’investigare nuovi significati del dualismo know-how/show-how, l’articolo riflette sul ruolo ... more Nell’investigare nuovi significati del dualismo know-how/show-how, l’articolo riflette sul ruolo e sull’importanza delle tecnologie di comunicazione per l’intervento sulla preesistenza storica. L’analisi di alcuni noti restauri e delle relative vicende mediatiche offre l’occasione per esaminare processi e strumenti informativi chiamati a veicolare i contenuti del progetto, interrogarsi sulla loro efficacia in relazione alle istanze della disciplina, nonché ricercare spazi e modi di divulgazione capaci di trasferire conoscenza e contribuire concretamente alla tutela del patrimonio.

The dualism know-how/show-how comprises different features and reading keys. This second article reflects on the role and importance of the "ICT" - Information and Communication Technologies for the intervention on historical pre-existence. The analysis of some well-known restoration works and the related media events offers the opportunity to examine processes and information tools for conveying the project contents, to question their effectiveness concerning the issues of the discipline, as well as to investigate ways of dissemination leading concretely to the transferability of knowledge and protection of Cultural Heritage.

"recupero&conservazione", 151, 2019

By playing on the terms of know-how and show-how, the paper reflects on the importance of communicating the intervention on historical pre-existence. The analysis of some well-known restoration works offers the opportunity to reflect upon the authorship and anonymity of the project, trying to underline the positive consequences of associating well-conduced intervention to specific names and technicians for the dissemination of the culture of restoration.

G. BISCONTIN, G. DRIUSSI (a cura di), Conservazione e valorizzazione dei siti archeologici. Approcci scientifici e problemi di metodo, Atti del XXIX Convegno internazionale Scienza e Beni Culturali (Bressanone, 9-12 luglio 2013), Arcadia Ricerche, Marghera Venezia 2013, 2013

The hypogeus settlements of Romagna, thanks to their complexity and diversity, define a real unde... more The hypogeus settlements of Romagna, thanks to their complexity and diversity, define a real underground world, still little known and investigated. The hypogeus architecture of the Santarcangelo medieval hamlet constitutes a complex system of artificial caves documented since the XV century: a real subterranean city, dug into the Jovis Hill. The molassic consistency of the ground has permitted the creation of about 150 caves, whose primitive function is till now uncertain: maybe born as sacred place, the only certainty was the up-to-date use as wine cellars and air-raid shelters.
Starting from the summary existing cataloguing of the whole underground system, with the forecast of new reliefs, the research aims at increasing the knowledge about the hypogea, monitoring and describing their state of deterioration. Also the main structural damages and the bio-deterioration of the surfaces are highlighted and from these criticalities an appropriate intervention strategy is developed toward an accurate conservation. Because of the testimonial and historical importance of the complex, the essay deals also with the problems connected to the fruition of the caves, already partly opened to the public. In the end, all the information would flow into some notes for a planned preventive maintenance regarding not only the whole hypogeus complex, but also its context. Therefore the very aim of this research project is to develop an ambitious project of valorisation.

S. DELLA TORRE (a cura di), Sguardi ed esperienze sulla conservazione del patrimonio storico architettonico, Proceedings of the International Conference Preventive and Planned Conservation (Monza-Mantua, 5-9 May 2014), Nardini Editore, Firenze 2014, 2014

The Campo di Fossoli tells us about some of the most emblematic stories of the Short Twenthieth C... more The Campo di Fossoli tells us about some of the most emblematic stories of the Short Twenthieth Century. Unforgettably marked by the events of the Second World War, it was built for the Allied prisoners and quite immediately turned into a dramatic place for Jewish persecution and opponents’ repression. Later a new redemption period interested the Camp as it was used to host the Nomadelfia Community and, then, the Istrian exiles, before the ultimate abandonment in the Seventies.
Just before the 2012 earthquake, a collaboration between Fondazione Ex Campo di Fossoli, Bologna University, and Ministry of National Heritage and Culture started, aiming at the protection and conservation of this fragile built Heritage, at pinpointing an immediate safeguard agenda and at defining a possible path to guide visitors through the different stories (i.e., periods of life) of the camp. It consequently identifies a strategy of intervention, based on subsequent and progressive steps to value the consistency and significance of this Monument. This planned maintenance program will be based on different levels of conservative actions, carried out by workers with different skills able to ensure the survival of the relics of the buildings and to help people to comprehend the remaining signs.
The paper presents the first results and, above all, the theoretical and methodological aspects of this work in progress, based on the integration between conservation and valorisation (exploitation, development) processes.

R. AMOÊDA, S. LIRA, C. PINHEIRO (ed.), REHAB 2017, Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Preservation, Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Historical Buildings and Structures (Braga, 14-16 June 2017), Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development, Barcelos 2017, 2017

Building bridges has always been one of the most inspiring technological and engineering challeng... more Building bridges has always been one of the most inspiring technological and engineering challenges for the constructors of our cities, but its role in connecting physically divided places has immediately become a metaphor for the building of deep relationships between different contexts or even cultures. Over the centuries, the opportunity to deny the passage to enemy troops has made the destruction of this element a “privileged” instrument of war, but the ability in creating a cultural caesura in communities has significantly increased its power. Therefore, the destruction of a bridge, especially if deliberate, does not represent a mere break, but it can be regarded as an inner wound that needs to be healed. It can turn out to be a symbol of rebirth, a strong possibility to re-establish the thread of continuity between different peoples and, broadly speaking, also between the past and the future.

"Costruire in Laterizio", 174, Mar 2018

Galli Theatre in Rimini was built in 1857 by the papal architect Luigi Poletti, upon the pre-exis... more Galli Theatre in Rimini was built in 1857 by the papal architect Luigi Poletti, upon the pre-existence of a seventeenth-century bakery. The theatre was partially destroyed during World War II, but in the aftermath the Minister of Public Works established that it was not a priority, hindering the reconstruction process. At first the citizens quietly accepted this decision because the theatre represented the bourgeois from which they wanted to distance themselves, but in recent times the building has assumed a different meaning in the construction of the new identity of the city. For this reason a group of intellectuals, supported by several citizens, has asked for a reconstruction “as it was, where it was”. Despite a design contest won by a contemporary project and the hypocrisy of the precept, the Public Administration has however decided to follow and accomplish the popular will and to develop a project aimed at this purpose.
The analysis of the brick masonries makes possible to retrace the complex phases of the theatre, starting form the pre-existence, till the last intervention. Here the structural idea is completely inverted: the bricks become a cladding applied on a reinforced concrete frame, innovative technologies and materials are diffusely used. The result is a very interesting high performance XXI-century building, but those who were hoping to revive the ancient theatre will discover how – inevitably – this will be only its representation.

"ArcHistoR", 9, 2018

After the armistice, the threat of an Allied landing on the Italian coasts of Romagna, north of t... more After the armistice, the threat of an Allied landing on the Italian coasts of Romagna, north of the Gothic Line, spread among the German Army. This danger led to a real arms race, as it would have offered free access to the heart of the Third Reich. What ensued was therefore the organization of a strong line of defence consisting of bunkers, defensive emplacements and structures like dragon’s teeth. The landing, however, never took place and it turned out to be part of a deception strategy.
At the end of the war the bunkers were largely destroyed, silted or covered by sand; since then only some of them have been reused as storages or warehouses. As rejected ruins they were never perceived as cultural heritage, but nowadays they offer the opportunity to reflect on their destiny.

R. AMOÊDA, S. LIRA, C. PINHEIRO, J.M.S. ZARAGOZA, J.C. SERRANO, F.G. CARRILLO (ed), HERITAGE 2018, Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Heritage and Sustainable Development (Granada, 12-15 June 2018), Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development, Barcelos 2018, 2018

In the contemporary society, not only the traditional fields, as for example history or art, are ... more In the contemporary society, not only the traditional fields, as for example history or art, are affirming theirselves as propulsive factors for cultural tourism, but also more popularly spread issues are revealing their force: myths, legends and above all cinema and TV shows. Therefore, it’s not coincidence that a lot of monuments and historical cities had suddenly become worldwide known and visited by the masses. It proves how these forces can hugely increase the tourist flows, modify the perception of these places and even influence the conservation strategies. Starting from the analysis of some case studies, the paper would like to reflect upon the dynamics generated by this kind of tourism, evaluating its limits, looking for good management policies and trying to understand how the restoration approach could or should not answer this kind of tourists’ expectation, in order to establish a balance between conservation and economic issues.

V.D. PORCARI (a cura di), La conservazione del patrimonio artistico, architettonico, archeologico e paesaggistico. Atti del XIV Congresso Internazionale di Riabilitazione del Patrimonio, Matera 18-20 giugno 2018, Luciano Editore, Napoli 2018, pp. 1394-1408.

Mercato Saraceno, a small town in Romagna, lived a time of intense architectural activity during ... more Mercato Saraceno, a small town in Romagna, lived a time of intense architectural activity during the fascist era. Arnaldo Mussolini, the little brother of Benito and director of the most influential Italian newspaper at that time, chose to build a private studio in the place of origin of his wife, Augusta Bondanini. Here, he greeted politicians of that period and also a lot of intellectuals, raising Mercato Saraceno to the honours of the chronicle.
In those years, many buildings of public utility were built with the purpose of constructing a new image of this little peripheral context. Interesting examples are the local Casa del Fascio designed by the architect Ugo Dolcini, the Casa del Balilla of the Roman Cesare Valle, the “Augusta Mussolini” Kindergarten by Pietro Reciputi from Cesena, as well as the “Sandro Italico Mussolini” Old Age Home of the same architect. A lot of interventions on the built heritage are also completed, one for all the enlargement of the local hospital, but also the restoration of the Palazzo Comunale, damaged by an earthquake at the end of the 1910s.
Thus, the paper aim at focusing on the different way the reinforced concrete was used in some of these important works for Mercato Saraceno during the Fascist Era. The purpose is to verify how and how much the context influenced the technical choices.

"Studi Romagnoli", n. LXVIII (2017), 2018, pp. 259-288.

M. PRETELLI, R. TAMBORRINO, I. TOLIC (a cura di), La città globale. La condizione urbana come fenomeno pervasivo, Aisu International, Torino 2020, pp. 78-89.

G. BISCONTIN, G. DRIUSSI (a cura di), Il patrimonio culturale in mutamento. Le sfide dell'uso, Arcadia Ricerche, Marghera Venezia 2019, pp. 355-365.

"Heritage", vol. 2 (2), 2019, pp. 1460-1470.

M. MENGOZZI, A. MORIGI (a cura di), Studi su Mercato Saraceno, Stilgraf, Cesena 2018, pp. 259-288.

"The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences", vol. XLII-2/W11, 2019, pp. 503-509.

The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2019

"recupero&conservazione", 152, 2019

"recupero&conservazione", 151, 2019

"Costruire in Laterizio", 174, Mar 2018

"ArcHistoR", 9, 2018

Mercato Saraceno, a small town in Romagna, lived a time of intense architectural activity during ... more Mercato Saraceno, a small town in Romagna, lived a time of intense architectural activity during the fascist era. Arnaldo Mussolini, the little brother of Benito and director of the most influential Italian newspaper at that time, chose to build a private studio in the place of origin of his wife, Augusta Bondanini. Here, he greeted politicians of that period and also a lot of intellectuals, raising Mercato Saraceno to the honours of the chronicle.
In those years, many buildings of public utility were built with the purpose of constructing a new image of this little peripheral context. Interesting examples are the local Casa del Fascio designed by the architect Ugo Dolcini, the Casa del Balilla of the Roman Cesare Valle, the “Augusta Mussolini” Kindergarten by Pietro Reciputi from Cesena, as well as the “Sandro Italico Mussolini” Old Age Home of the same architect. A lot of interventions on the built heritage are also completed, one for all the enlargement of the local hospital, but also the restoration of the Palazzo Comunale, damaged by an earthquake at the end of the 1910s.
Thus, the paper aim at focusing on the different way the reinforced concrete was used in some of these important works for Mercato Saraceno during the Fascist Era. The purpose is to verify how and how much the context influenced the technical choices.

"Studi Romagnoli", n. LXVIII (2017), 2018, pp. 259-288.

L’acciaio corten, moderna lega metallica di derivazione industriale, è da tempo diventato uno str... more L’acciaio corten, moderna lega metallica di derivazione industriale, è da tempo diventato uno strumento privilegiato nella ricerca artistica e architettonica. Grazie alla sua eccezionale capacità di resistenza alla corrosione, alla ridotta necessità di manutenzione e, soprattutto, a un valore estetico in grado di stabilire rapporti consonanti tra antico e nuovo, esso è uno dei materiali più diffusi nei progetti destinati a confrontarsi con contesti preesistenti. Il notevole successo riscosso e il frequente accostamento ad àmbiti segnati da grande fragilità suscitano peraltro una riflessione circa la sua conservazione nella longue durée e la sua effettiva compatibilità in relazione alla materia storica. Analizzando le specificità del materiale e la sua interazione con l’ambiente, approfondendo le soluzioni tecniche adottate e cogliendone le ragioni di fondo, il presente volume indaga le effettive potenzialità e i limiti intrinseci dell’acciaio corten, nella dimensione operativa di una serie di interventi emblematici.

A. UGOLINI, F. DELIZIA, Strappati all’oblio. Strategie per la conservazione di un luogo di memoria del secondo Novecento: l’ex Campo di Fossoli, Altralinea Edizioni, Firenze 2017, 2017

Il contributo contiene una selezione degli strumenti operativi (scheda anagrafica; scheda ispetti... more Il contributo contiene una selezione degli strumenti operativi (scheda anagrafica; scheda ispettiva; report) attraverso i quali gli autori si propongono di attuare strategie per la conservazione preventiva e programmata del Campo di Fossoli, nella sua duplice componente architettonica e vegetale. I materiali sono riferiteti alla baracca 4.1 del settore “politici”.

A. UGOLINI, F. DELIZIA, Strappati all’oblio. Strategie per la conservazione di un luogo di memoria del secondo Novecento: l’ex Campo di Fossoli, Altralinea Edizioni, Firenze 2017, 2017

TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ACTIVE PRESERVATION OF THE SITE. The essential condition for la... more TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ACTIVE PRESERVATION OF THE SITE. The essential condition for launching a constant and permanent process for preserving the buildings at the Fossoli camp is planning. Current regulations and field literature define planning as the combination of measures needed to prevent and/ or reverse the deterioration and neglect that endangers or could endanger existing assets. Planning is therefore responsible for clarifying the type of checks required (visual, empirical, instrument-based), the timescale (bimonthly, quarterly, biannual, annual), the priority of repairs (not urgent, slight urgency, moderate urgency, extreme urgency) and the technical/scientific responsibility for the project. This realistically ensures that conservation work will be arranged, whilst taking into account, above all, the economic and human resources available both in the long and short term. Based on the recommendations gathered during research carried out with the first safety improvements on the pilot worksite huts (8, 4.1 and 14.5), this study attempted to provide initial recommendations that were not designed to be obligatory regulations, but rather tools for orienting planning. They were established both as regards the buildings and the landscape elements. Listed according to the amount of work required, the latter provided interesting ground for comparison and experimentation, helping to develop an increasing awareness of the issue of preventative and planned conservation.
THE ACTIVE PRESERVATION OF THE BUILDINGS. Starting with the entries in the annotated chart of problems and dangerous conditions, an operational methodology was developed, aimed at maximising the preservation of what still survives of the old buildings, without denying the essential role that vegetation and ruins now play in defining the camp’s current image. In particular, the work to be carried out on the following elements was specified in detail: rubble, masonry structures, roofs, indoor partitions, cladding, flooring, paving, thresholds, pavements, plasterwork, the writings left behind by those who had been deported and fixtures and fittings.

A. UGOLINI, F. DELIZIA, Strappati all’oblio. Strategie per la conservazione di un luogo di memoria del secondo Novecento: l’ex Campo di Fossoli, Altralinea Edizioni, Firenze 2017, 2017

Players, tools and work phases. PLAYERS. The Conservation Plan combines the monitoring and assess... more Players, tools and work phases.
PLAYERS. The Conservation Plan combines the monitoring and assessment activities that are required, given the permanence of the technological elements that have survived in the Fossoli camp. The planning and coordination of these activities is entrusted to the Scientific Director, who is also responsible for supervising the selection and training of both the specialised and non-specialised workers involved in the entire process. A number of professionals have been called in on the basis of their skills to carry out inspection, monitoring and conservation work at regular intervals on both the buildings (an expert in restoration and structures [A_RS], an expert in construction practices [A_E] and a non specialised worker [A_NS]) and the landscape (an expert in plant diseases and insects [V_F], an expert botanist [V_B], an expert in pruning and garden maintenance [V_SP] and a non-specialised worker [V_NS]).
PHASES AND TOOLS. A) The preliminary worker training and study phase. The study and training phase is essential for establishing the approach to the inspection process. This involves: 1. Compiling a fact sheet. Drafted for each hut, this serves as its ‘identity card’. The fact sheet lists the details, both visual and text-based, regarding the building: name, location, history and evolution, layout features and construction technology. 2. The drafting of two charts designed to be work aids, used to list, in an organised and systematic way, the most important and widespread problems that are endangering, or could endanger, the camp’s buildings and landscape. More specifically, these are: – An annotated chart of problems and dangerous conditions, which identifies the most dangerous phenomena of deterioration and damage affecting each technological element of each hut: foundations [FN], masonry [MR], roofs [CP], floors [SL], outdoor paving [PE], indoor flooring [PI], external fixtures and fittings [FE], interior fixtures and fittings [FI], technological devices and systems [IM]; – A chart noting vegetation and building interaction, which focuses on the most dangerous situations from the point of view of conservation that have developed in ruined areas featuring the uncontrolled growth of plants: vegetation along the bottom of walls, visible roots, tree trunks pushing against masonry, tree crowns resting on masonry, tree trunks and branches holding up the structure, climbers, naturalisation. B) Worksite phases. The study and training phase is followed by the worksite phase. Conducted under the constant supervision of the Scientific Director, this envisages the compilation of an inspection sheet, drafted for each architectural and landscape component. Both begin by identifying the essential data needed to identify and catalogue these elements in future – inspection sheet number, inspection date, name of workers – and go on to describe inspection motives, conditions and methods. Once this preliminary information has been provided, the inspection sheet lists each individual problem with a clear reference to the phenomena listed in the charts, where the gravity, quantity, urgency and responsibility of workers are all estimated. The information included in the inspection sheet is illustrated in a visual attached to it. C) Data interpretation. Once worksite activities are completed, the data interpretation phase begins. This takes the data and uses it to draft a report, which also individually lists the camp’s architectural and landscape components. The analyses carried out in situ are organised and both the preventative work and recommended improvements are listed, as well as the experts involved and timescales. The report is drafted in such way that each entry is associated with a detailed visual that creates a true photographic archive, which is essential for the comparative interpretation of the inspections carried out over time.

A. UGOLINI, F. DELIZIA, Strappati all'oblio. Strategie per la conservazione di un luogo di memoria del secondo Novecento: l'ex Campo di Fossoli, Altralinea Edizioni, Firenze 2017, 2017

So as to understand the complexity of what remains. The Fossoli camp: construction, evolution, st... more So as to understand the complexity of what remains. The Fossoli camp: construction, evolution, status quo.
STRATIFIED MATTER.
1942-1943: building of the camp. In 1942, an area suitable for building POW camp no.73 (PG 73) is identified in Fossoli. Known from then on as Campo Vecchio (the ‘old camp’) or Camp no.1, the complex featured four sectors that contained 93 huts. The requirements of a quick and cheap construction phase resulted in simple buildings: rectangular, one-storey units with masonry walls and wooden trusses. However, the arrival of its prisoners before construction work had been completed imposed the creation of a second detention centre, which initially consisted of tents and only later was built in masonry. Known as Campo Nuovo (‘the new camp’) or Camp no.2, it was divided into three sectors, within which a whole series of buildings were constructed, only slightly different from those of the adjacent area.
1943-1945: the war years. From 1943 to 1945, the Polizei und Durchgangslager (Dulag 152), the General Bevollmachtigte Fur Den Arbeitseinsatz (or ‘Gathering and Sorting Centre for Forced Labour’), the Fascist concentration camp and the Foreign Refugee Centre were all based at the camp. The simplicity of the buildings and the alternating and dishonourable uses to which the camp was put made preservation of both complexes difficult. At the end of the war, the old camp was demolished (1945) and the new camp was abandoned (1946).
1947-1952: Nomadelfia. In 1947, thanks to the work of a parish priest, Fr. Zeno Saltini, the Opera Piccoli Apostoli di San Giacomo in Roncole was granted a transfer to Fossoli. The new settlement, known as the Community of Nomadelfia, inaugurated a profound rebirth: the symbols of oppression were removed and renovation work was carried out on both the buildings – roofs were repaired, walls were cut and replastered, windows and doors replaced, new fixtures and fittings added – and the open spaces, with the redesign of the outdoor layout and a planting programme. In 1952, the Nomadelfia period came to an end for a variety of reasons.
1954-1970: Villaggio San Marco. In 1954, the Julian-Dalmatian refugee assistance organisation of Rome transferred a hundred or so families from Istria to the camp at Fossoli: this marked the beginning of Villaggio San Marco. This new purpose required the creation of new divisions and new decor – mostly stencilled – inside dwellings and the conversion of hut no.9 into a church. In 1970, the camp was almost entirely abandoned.
1970-2004: Dereliction. Many decades followed, during which the precarious state of the buildings rendered them unable to resist the signs of neglect.
WORN-OUT MATTER.
In the years that followed the Villaggio San Marco period, the camp rapidly became derelict. The commendable work of the Fondazione ex Campo di Fossoli (the Fossoli Foundation), founded in 1996, only managed to halt part of the deterioration and collapse, which worsened in 2012 due to earthquakes and heavy snowfall. To date, apart from hut 14.1, which was reconstructed in keeping with its original state in 2004, the camp can be grouped according to three different states of conservation: one where huts still have a proportion of their walls and limited sections of roof, a similar group with remains of roofs and a third group with only fragments of wall. The analysis and comprehension of the surviving remains is the conditio sine qua non for their hoped-for survival.

M. LUPPI, P. TAMASSIA (a cura di), Il Museo Monumento al Deportato politico e razziale di Carpi e l’ex Campo di Fossoli, Bononia University Press, Bologna 2016, 2016

L'ex campo di Fossoli, che i più inevitabilmente legano alla fase di prigionia e deportazione, è ... more L'ex campo di Fossoli, che i più inevitabilmente legano alla fase di prigionia e deportazione, è in realtà un complesso microcosmo di storie che spesso si intrecciano e si confondono. Il contributo, grazie ad alcune schede di approfondimento relative alle baracche più significative ricostruisce un excursus delle principali trasformazioni subite nel tempo e costituisce uno strumento di lettura e interpretazione di quei segni del tempo che ancora oggi la fragile materia conserva.

A. UGOLINI (a cura di), Rocche e castelli tra Romagna e Montefeltro. Progetti ed interventi di restauro, Alinea, Firenze 2012, 2012

In 1923 a Regional fascist Committee decided to offer the Rocca of Caminate to a rising Benito Mu... more In 1923 a Regional fascist Committee decided to offer the Rocca of Caminate to a rising Benito Mussolini. According to this propaganda drive, the ancient ruins of the fortress was revived as the Dux’s castle, giving life to a new symbol of the great leader’s origin. Being an eminent chief, involved coming from a land of strength and honour, for this reason coming up to the press and critic expectations was, for the project, absolutely required. The superintendent Luigi Corsini, charged with all the phases of the restoration (relief, design, supervision), achieved an interesting and complex project, thanks to his education, to the historical setting and to his contemporary cultural debate. The project proceeded from both the philological and stylistic restoration theories, and reached a brought back image of a medieval crenellated fortress. An accurate acknowledgement, the direct understanding of the monument, and the possibility to recognize what was added from what was there before, perfectly fitted with filological restoration theories. To set value on the technical elements, to look for similar buildings to use as model and, above all, to choose “a priori” a style for the completions are typical approaches of the stylistic restoration. After all, Corsini had a heterogeneous background. Works started on September 1924 and he decided to complete the ruins of the surrounding walls and the still standing portion of the central tower with Guelph battlements, while a new summer residence was rebuilt, rising from the castellan’s house foundations. At the end a lighthouse was placed on the top of the central tower: its light was celebrated everywhere as a sign of the Mussolini’s power, spread on his homeland.

DELIZIA, C. DI FRANCESCO, S. DI RESTA, M. PRETELLI (a cura di), La Casa del Fascio di Predappio nel panorama del restauro dell’architettura contemporanea. Contributi per aiutare a scegliere, Bononia University Press, Bologna 2015, 2015

Il restauro dell’architettura fonda la sua ragione di validità nell’approfondita conoscenza della... more Il restauro dell’architettura fonda la sua ragione di validità nell’approfondita conoscenza della fabbrica, conoscenza che non può escludere i delicati aspetti impiantistici.
La Casa del Fascio di Predappio, non solo rappresenta uno dei luoghi più significativi per la storia degli edifici di regime, ma segna un importante capitolo del graduale processo di integrazione tra architettura e impianti, destinato a tradurre in forma costruita l’idea di “macchina per abitare”. Il saggio, a partire dall’analisi dei diversi sistemi impiantistici ancora leggibili, si interroga sulle loro possibilità di conservazione e sul potenziale ritorno all’uso. Consapevole del ruolo distruttivo della componente impiantistica nell’intervento sull’esistente, la riflessione propone la ricerca di un nuovo benessere che può dirsi non solo fisico ma culturale.

Il saggio analizza il rapporto tra forme e materia esplicitato nella Casa del Fascio di Predappio... more Il saggio analizza il rapporto tra forme e materia esplicitato nella Casa del Fascio di Predappio.
Il processo di innovazione che segnò la produzione architettonica del XX secolo trova qui, infatti, un'interessante declinazione: seppur ancora fortemente caratterizzato da una gestione del cantiere e da una concezione costruttiva tradizionale, il progetto non rinuncia a sperimentare materiali e tecniche della modernità. Ciò che ne scaturisce è un linguaggio non del tutto maturo, ma testimone di un’epoca di transizione.