Alberto Arenghi | Brescia University (original) (raw)

Papers by Alberto Arenghi

How can the topic of accessibility enhance the value of cultural heritage? This book aims at over... more How can the topic of accessibility enhance the value of cultural heritage? This book aims at overcoming the traditional relationship between accessibility and disability. Pointing to the core of the que- stion, the volume represents a cultural and operative tool to expand human freedom and the opportunity for all, to give a direct and per- sonal contribution to the growth of society. The diverse geographical, social and cultural background of the contributors adds a broader insight into the topic. Different visions are brought together in order to raise the awareness of the impor- tance of accessibility as a key strategy for building a truly inclusive society. The texts address a large audience of professionals, scho- lars and students who are dealing with topics related to the design and management of accessible spaces, goods and services, with particular reference to those in the cultural heritage, museum and tourist sectors. Heritage is important for everybody. Therefore, it should not be denied to anyone

Techne Journal of Technology For Architecture and Environment, 2015

Multimedia Tools and Applications

L'integrazione scolastica e sociale, 2020

Il contributo ha la finalità di riportare il punto di vista degli studenti con disabilità e con d... more Il contributo ha la finalità di riportare il punto di vista degli studenti con disabilità e con disturbi specifici di apprendimento (DSA) in merito alla didattica a distanza universitaria (DaD) erogata nella fase di lockdown causato da Covid-19. In particolare, si presentano i risultati di interviste condotte agli studenti con Bisogni Formativi Speciali di tre Atenei e relativi ai 4 mesi di sospensione delle attività didattiche in presenza: Università «Ca’ Foscari» di Venezia, Università di Brescia, Università di Salerno.

Le risposte degli studenti intervistati restituiscono giudizi prevalentemente positivi sull’esperienza della DaD, ma evidenziano anche alcune difficoltà, tra cui quelle legate alla debolezza delle infrastrutture tecnologiche, ma anche ad aspetti sociali ed emotivi imputabili alla mancanza di relazioni faccia a faccia con i docenti e con i pari.

Gli autori riportano criticità e spunti utili a migliorare l’offerta formativa delle prossime fasi di formazione — che sarà nella maggior parte dei casi «mista» — con il proposito di mettere a fuoco le specificità locali delle tre università, ma anche gli aspetti trasversali che i risultati delle interviste evidenziano. Gli spunti di miglioramento sono ritenuti opportuni e con una ricaduta positiva immediata sia per gli studenti con disabilità e con DSA sia per tutta l’utenza studentesca universitaria.

Green Planning for Cities and Communities, 2020

ThereisafilrougeconnectingUniversalDesignandsustainabilitywhich within the Brundtland Report can ... more ThereisafilrougeconnectingUniversalDesignandsustainabilitywhich within the Brundtland Report can be recognized in the pillar of social sustainability. The demographic and epidemiological aspects that are affecting western countries, the definitions of health and healthy cities given by the World Health Organization and the international documents dealing with sustainable development oblige build- ing designers and urban planners to reconsider their social role and become “health operators”. The strict link between human beings and the built environment under- lined both by Universal Design and International Classification of Functioning is the reasons why our cities and settlements need high quality urban spaces in order to enhance everyday life social dimension. Three urban projects in Manhattan, Den Haag and Copenhagen will be presented to show how sustainable urban planning can promote social interaction and inclusion, cohesion of communities, human health and well-being, cultural expression and dialogue among a wide diversity of people and cultures.

Conservation/Consumption. Preserving the Tangible and Intangible Values, 2019

Sustainable Building, 2019

Straw is an organic material with hygroscopical properties. The high capacity it has of storing m... more Straw is an organic material with hygroscopical properties. The high capacity it has of storing moisture from the surroundings can furthermore influence the performance and lead to the possible degradation of the material thereof. The aim of this study was to assess the conductance C-value of a complex material such as straw. A climatic chamber was used to study a sample, which reproduces a traditional plastered straw bale wall. Tests were conducted under different boundary conditions, setting constant values for temperatures and relative humidity. The revision of the assessment's results allowed the calculation of conductance and conductivity values under different conditions. A numerical model was then designed starting from the laboratory data, which was used to characterize material properties. The match between software simulations and laboratory analyses will be a starting point for further tests. Determining the straw conductance C-value is a difficult task to achieve, due to the complexity and the unique properties of the material. In spite of all this, laboratory tests have shown encouraging results, which reflect the great potential of straw as a building material.

Murgul V., Pasetti M. (eds) International Scientific Conference Energy Management of Municipal Facilities and Sustainable Energy Technologies EMMFT-2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 982. Springer, Cham, 2009

The experimental assessment of building components represents a complex task, which involves the ... more The experimental assessment of building components represents a complex task, which involves the measurement and control of a wide number of physical phenomena. The use of the dynamic approach in outdoor real scale facilities provides a good representation of real operating systems, thanks to the inclusion of rather complex parameters, such as the occupants’ behaviour. However, the adoption of outdoor test solutions is usually characterized by a high uncertainty of the results, due to the complexity of the physical model and to the large variability of the input parameters. On the other hand, the use of indoor tests under controlled conditions has proved to be able to provide reliable results, thanks to the strict control of boundary conditions and of input parameters. The main drawback of this approach is represented by the scarce significance of the results, due to the rather simple modelling of the real behaviour of building physics. The aim of this paper is thus to present a test facility which represents a compromise between the dynamic control approach in real scale systems and the use of indoor tests under controlled conditions: the Building Envelopes ouTdoor Thermal Test (BEsT3) facility of the University of Brescia. Thanks to application of the dynamic behaviour of real environmental conditions to outdoor test cells with controlled indoor thermal parameters, the proposed system has proved to be able to provide reliable results, while also satisfactorily reproducing the conditions of real operating systems. Experimental studies have been conducted to assess three different window solutions under real dynamic conditions. Measured data have been used to create a correspondent numerical model designed in Energy Plus. The model has been validated with different dynamic simulations, in which the complexity of the parameters has been increased step by step. The numerical results provided by the model have shown a good correspondence with the real behaviour of the outdoor test cells.

International Conference on Smart Objects and Technologies for Social Good (Goodtechs ’18), November 28–30, 2018, Bologna, Italy., 2018

This paper presents the UniBS4All project, aimed at developing systems and practices for the crea... more This paper presents the UniBS4All project, aimed at developing
systems and practices for the creation of an accessible urban university
campus. UniBS4All is also the name of a mobile application
able to suggest personalized navigation paths towards and among
the buildings of the University of Brescia. In particular, on the basis
of the disabilities of the user (motor disability and/or visual impairment)
and on the chosen path type (pedestrian, driving or with
public transportation), the app proposes an accessible path, that
is, a path able to avoid architectural barriers. The app is based on
Google Maps API and exploits Google Directions API to compute
the paths tailored to the users’ characteristics and preferences.

ArcHistoR, 2018

Accessibility to a fortified structure is quite intriguing when considering that to some extent i... more Accessibility to a fortified structure is quite intriguing when considering that to some extent it is necessary to study an “attack strategy” to find “weak” points of a complex designed to be impregnable and therefore inaccessible from the outside.
The challenge of the accessibility of a castle often becomes thus its reachability, which today must be guaranteed to everyone
for a correct declination of the concept of enhancement. The accessibility of an ancient place refers to the possibility of having individual and collective, tangible and intangible "memory", which allows to pursue sustainable development according to what has been underlined by recent international documents. The high altitudes to be climbed, the tortuous paths which are often present, the spaces distributed in multiple buildings all pose no easy questions. There are scanty, consistent design answers available. However, perhaps the main issue remains,
as is the case for many other cultural assets – the intended use and management themes related to accessibility to fortified structures.
These considerations will be treated with particular reference to Colle Cidneo and its Castle in the historic centre of Brescia.

This paper describes a web-based system composed of an authoring tool and a cross-platform mobile... more This paper describes a web-based system composed of an authoring tool and a cross-platform mobile application, based on augmented reality and Bluetooth Low Energy technology, aimed at improving the visitor experience in a museum through tailored, accessible and engaging content and interaction. The system proposes itself as a low-cost solution for museum organizations, both in terms of required technical devices (visitors' smartphone is exploited for experiencing the augmented reality solution) and professional skills needed for long-term content maintenance. As to the latter, the authoring tool allows museum curators to create and manage all necessary contents that make up an app instance, including the structure of the museum, artwork descriptions and related materials (photos, videos and speeches) suitable for the different user profiles. A preliminary experimentation of the system demonstrates the feasibility of the proposal.

The landmark UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the first time explicitl... more The landmark UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the first time explicitly makes reference to the inclusion of the needs and capacities of all persons, on equal grounds, in the planning of our built environment and services (Goal 11) and in our quality educational systems (Goal 4). Accessibility and inclusion of all people in vulnerable situations, including people with disabilities, provides a strong benchmark for sustainability. Accessibility and Inclusion in higher education are the topic of an increasing number of studies, however, there is no existing common set of multidomain indicators for Inclusion available to the multiple stakeholders involved in higher education. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap. With a Universal Design approach and the common language of the ICF we aim to provide a multi-dimensional assessment and planning tool to quantitatively and qualitatively measure Inclusion of environments and services in Higher Education.

Improving the usability conditions for all is one of the basic concepts underlying the enhancemen... more Improving the usability conditions for all is one of the basic concepts underlying the enhancement of cultural heritage. Usability must be declined both in terms of physical accessibility and sensory-perceptive of the places of cultural interest, both as accessibility of contents of which they are witnesses. In this field, ICT technology can become very useful especially in terms of communication and thus effective before and during the visiting of a site. ICT technology is analyzed, also by examples, by identifying the limits, mainly due to the fact that in most cases the means are preferred rather than the goal, and the potential that is very promising if the same are designed to support undifferentiated users with the aim of transmitting cultural and not spectacular messages.

Il tema dell’aggiunta costituisce il principale terreno di confronto tra di- versi orientamenti n... more Il tema dell’aggiunta costituisce il principale terreno di confronto tra di- versi orientamenti nel restauro, che vedono da un lato la sua legittimità nelle for- me del linguaggio contemporaneo e, dall’altro, la sua negazione in favore di una più o meno consistente sottrazione di materia. Con riferimento all’accessibilità del patrimonio culturale, la strategia dell’aggiunta si rivela più consona, sia per le istanze di tutela che per quelle dell’accessibilità, proponendosi come nuovo strato tecnologico della contemporaneità, con ciò divenendo anche un atto di democrazia. Il contributo affronta, anche con alcuni esempi, il tema analizzando- lo sotto il profilo del restauro e della tecnologia intesi come un approccio unitario all’esistente, finalizzato alla conservazione e valorizzazione del patrimonio.

The topic of addition represents of the main cornerstones of the debate on conservation. It also represents the com- parison between different orientations, that see on the one hand its legitimacy with re- gards to the contemporary language and, on the other, its denial in favor of a more or less consistent material subtraction. With reference to the accessibility of cul- tural heritage, the strategy of the addition is more suited for both instances of protec- tion and accessibility by proposing a new technological layer of the contemporaneity thereby also becoming an act of democ- racy. The essay addresses, also through same examples, the issue by analyzing it under the profile of conservation and tech- nology intended as an united approach to the existence, aimed at the preservation and enhancement of heritage.

In 1998 Molly Follette Story, James Mueller and Roland Mace published the book The Universal Desi... more In 1998 Molly Follette Story, James Mueller and Roland Mace published the book The Universal Design File; that can be considered the result of a long way, started by Mace in 1985, towards a design approach based on the principles of Universal Design. In 2010 the Centre for Active Design publishes the Active Design Guidelines: Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design. Between these two milestones, this article offers some ideas about the evolution of the universal approach to design. Assuming that Universal Design approach can present limits, this article aims to reflect on the relationship between universal and particular in developing a theoretical approach to architecture and design, supporting the idea that the wide gray area of the population who need specific access solutions can find answers to their needs only through successive adjustments, time by time plugged on universal solutions. This implies a process of requirementbased retrofitting of existing spaces and goods, to get qualities or perfecting performances otherwise inadequate. From this perspective the project for accessibility should be seen as a never ending process, and not a fix and final product, and Universal Design should be considered as a methodological approach ideally tending towards accessibility as a goal. Having this in mind, the article explores the issues related to how to blend universal and particular in a human centred design strategy, how to combine design actions and awareness by the users to allow an effective mutual adaptation between people and their living environment. The article aims to be further food for thought regarding research to be implemented in future works.

Many and also different design approaches can be adopted to make cultural heritage accessible. Th... more Many and also different design approaches can be adopted to make cultural heritage accessible. These depend on the site being worked on, the solution being adopted and the functional result to be achieved. With the knowledge that there is not a standard solution, that a case by case basis evaluation is nec- essary and that it can always run into arbitrariness, in the present paper a ‘de alogue’ of design approaches, certain ones in opposition to one another, others similar to one each other albeit with different nuances, is proposed.
The aim is not to produce a mere list of approaches, and certainly not to say that those proposed are comprehensive, on the contrary it is meant to highlight the complexity that the adoption of certain design solutions in a historic building brings.
This complexity is linked both to the image, or to the aesthetic-compositional and perceptive aspects, as well as to the functionality related to its location and user-friendliness. However, the matter of the usability of cultural heritage, but in general of the built, is not only achievable, and however not completely satis- factory, with building interventions, but also through intangible equipment to facilitate the understanding (accessibility of the contents) of the property.
In this perspective the ‘decalogue’ offers some possible approaches, sometimes co-present in the same projects, also those in opposition to one another, and this is to demonstrate that precast fixed solutions do not exist and the issue of the accessibility to cultural heritage requires an attitude which, even for ‘small’ interventions, is able to glean from the designing skills becoming an architectural project.

The historical center of a city is the place where urban functions are mainly con- centrated and ... more The historical center of a city is the place where urban functions are mainly con- centrated and where architectural language plays a relevant role into setting the system of rela- tionships between public and private spaces. In this context, the system of pavements takes a relevant role, helping to shape the public spaces and their prevailing use. We cannot deny the role that a welcoming, accessible and easily walkable urban environment plays for the social in- clusion in the community. The issue of the pavement’s accessibility is important for the use of public spaces, influencing the opportunity to make them walkable, thus deeply affecting their full usability and safety in use. Working on pedestrian pathways in urban areas requires a cul- tural exchange among different disciplines, in order to identify strategies and methods of inter- vention to upgrade the practicability of the whole city.

Techne Journal of Technology For Architecture and Environment, 2015

Multimedia Tools and Applications

L'integrazione scolastica e sociale, 2020

Green Planning for Cities and Communities, 2020

Conservation/Consumption. Preserving the Tangible and Intangible Values, 2019

Sustainable Building, 2019

International Conference on Smart Objects and Technologies for Social Good (Goodtechs ’18), November 28–30, 2018, Bologna, Italy., 2018

ArcHistoR, 2018

L'accessibilità agli spazi, ai beni e ai servizi è tutt'ora vista come un tema di nicchia che rig... more L'accessibilità agli spazi, ai beni e ai servizi è tutt'ora vista come un tema di nicchia che riguarda una minoranza della società: le persone con disabilità. Tale sentir comune è anche dovuto al fatto che l'accessibilità sia vissuta soltanto come un costo. Il presente lavoro, al contrario, mostra che l'accessibilità può costituire un valore, in alcuni casi anche con contenuti econo-mici. In tale prospettiva il volume si articola in un'analisi prelimina-re del concetto di accessibilità e della relativa regolamentazio-ne nazionale e internazionale, per poi muovere sull'identifica-zione degli attori aziendali-in specie l'impresa e la pubblica amministrazione-prevalentemente coinvolti nel processo di miglioramento delle condizioni di accessibilità agli spazi, ai beni e ai servizi. Il prosieguo del volume si focalizza sull'indagine delle moda-lità e degli ambiti rilevanti ai fini dell'analisi del valore econo-mico riferibile alle scelte aziendali dirette a favorire la parteci-pazione di tutti gli individui alla vita sociale.

How can the topic of accessibility enhance the value of cultural heritage? This book aims at over... more How can the topic of accessibility enhance the value of cultural heritage? This book aims at overcoming the traditional relationship between accessibility and disability. Pointing to the core of the que- stion, the volume represents a cultural and operative tool to expand human freedom and the opportunity for all, to give a direct and per- sonal contribution to the growth of society.
The diverse geographical, social and cultural background of the contributors adds a broader insight into the topic. Different visions are brought together in order to raise the awareness of the impor- tance of accessibility as a key strategy for building a truly inclusive society. The texts address a large audience of professionals, scho- lars and students who are dealing with topics related to the design and management of accessible spaces, goods and services, with particular reference to those in the cultural heritage, museum and tourist sectors.
Heritage is important for everybody. Therefore, it should not be denied to anyone.

Applied Sciences, 2021

The use of vegetation for the energy efficiency of buildings is an increasingly widespread practi... more The use of vegetation for the energy efficiency of buildings is an increasingly widespread practice; therefore, the possibility of representing these systems correctly with the use of simulation software is essential. VGS performances have been widely studied, but currently, the lack of a unique simulation method to assess the efficiency of different types of VGS and the absence of studies evaluating the performances of all the systems available, proposing simulation models for each of them, leads to an incomplete energy representation. The aim of this study is to achieve a consistent and complete simulation method, comparing the different systems’ performances. The research is made up of five main steps. Firstly, a classification to group these systems into specific categories was proposed; secondly an in-depth analysis of existing literature was worked out to establish the methods used for different types of VGS. The study of plant physiology allowed the definition of an energy balance, which is valid for all vegetated surfaces; then, each category was associated to a mathematical formula and finally integrated into the EnergyPlus software. The results achieved for each model were compared evaluating two important parameters for the termohygrometric conditions control: outside walls face temperatures and operative temperatures.

This paper would like to discuss the design trade-offs that might emerge during the development o... more This paper would like to discuss the design trade-offs that might emerge during the development of technological solutions for promoting and enhancing the fruition of cultural heritage. To this aim, the paper briefly describes the UniBSArt4All project, which employs advanced interactive technologies, such as artwork recognition and wireless sensors, to obtain engaging and accessible visitor experiences customized to different users' profiles. By reflecting on the project development and its preliminary results, the paper finally proposes a meta-design approach to inclusive design in the CH domain.

A. ARENGHI, A. PANE, L’aggiunta nel progetto di restauro per l’accessibilità del pa-trimonio cult... more A. ARENGHI, A. PANE, L’aggiunta nel progetto di restauro per l’accessibilità del pa-trimonio culturale/ The addition in conservation project for the accessibility to cultural heritage, in «Techne. Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment», n. 12, 2016.

Transforming our World through Universal Design for Human Development - UD2022, 2022

This paper addresses the issue of balancing the two values underlying the accessibility and conse... more This paper addresses the issue of balancing the two values underlying the accessibility and conservation of cultural heritage: its use and its protection. These values are often, wrongly, regarded as opposites, or as incompatible. The reason for this contrast originates in the way of understanding ancient architecture and in the value of the relationship between architecture and people.
This issue is considered by presenting a recent case concerning the Museum of Santa Giulia in Brescia, a multi-layered complex that preserves evidence ranging from the prehistoric to the contemporary age, housed in a monastic complex of Longobard origin.
The recent failure to build some ramps proposed for increasing accessibility to the church of San Salvatore, an integral part of the museum’s itinerary, offers an opportunity to reflect on the need for better integration between different, and only apparently opposed, instances.
The topic is dealt with by referring to the most recent disciplinary reflections in the field of conservation carried out in Italy with respect to the issue of accessibility to the cultural heritage, without neglecting juridical-normative aspects and international documents, such as the Faro Convention.
This multidisciplinary reading aims to highlight the main significance of accessing cultural heritage, with reference also to the objectives of sustainable development and the human development of the individual and the reference community.

Universal Design 2021: From Special to Mainstream Solutions, 2021

We present a pilot study on three Italian Universities using a multi- domain set of indicators fo... more We present a pilot study on three Italian Universities using a multi- domain set of indicators for Inclusion. The indicators are expressed in the coding system of the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health – ICF – (World Health Organization, 2001).
We selected three medium-sized Italian Universities: Brescia, Trieste and Venice. We combined a student-centered Universal Design philosophy for the built environment and Universal Design for Learning for the instructional environment. We identified four ICF Environmental Chapters (E1, E3, E4 and E5) and made them specific to the Academic context. Within the four Environmental Chapters targeting the physical, instructional, cultural, communicative, social and recreational domains we developed a 35-item checklist to fill out. The indicators were qualitative, quantitative or a mixture of the two. The three Universities shared the same instruments. Our main finding is that, although accommodations for students with disabilities exist as mandated by Italian law, the prevailing implementation is an individual accommodation based approach, rather than a universal design approach for the benefit to the greatest extent of the student population.

Universal Design 2021: From Special to Mainstream Solutions, 2021

Certainly, the issue of accessibility has, in addition to a well-known social value, obvious econ... more Certainly, the issue of accessibility has, in addition to a well-known social value, obvious economic repercussions. However, these are not easily measurable, as they can be investigated only on the basis of indicators that are mainly qualitative and indirect. That said, this paper will highlight some aspects that can be considered a first approach, identifying the variables and key players in the economic field. The approach, according to the principles of Universal Design, already identifies economic implications related to the design of spaces, objects, and services. The socio-economic relevance has also been underlined within Sen’s economic theories based on the capability approach and is generally referable to the theme of corporate social responsibility. In recent years, all this has been finding a universalistic synthesis in the enunciation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The analysis is conducted according to an interdisciplinary qualitative approach from two main perspectives: the company and the public administration.
The study highlights how accessibility—understood according to a broad meaning that considers material and immaterial factors—assumes significant economic value with different specificities, depending on the reference actor (company/public administration).
In particular, it is evident that for the company, the issue of accessibility (both with regard to products and services and organizational profiles) is taking on an increasingly important dimension with reference to marketing and ratings.
The present work defines with clear evidence the main areas in which the economic value of accessibility appears, although a more in-depth study is needed to define metrics useful for quantifying the phenomenon. The study can be useful in various public and private sectors that involve policy-makers, designers, managers, and companies that produce goods and services.

L'ACCESSIBILITÀ NEL PATRIMONIO ARCHITETTONICO Approcci ed esperienze tra tecnologia e restauro ACCESSIBILITY IN ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE. Approaches and experiences between technology and restoration, 2021

The paper focuses on the musealisation of archaeological areas inserted within existing architect... more The paper focuses on the musealisation of archaeological areas inserted within existing architectural structures, from the point of view of physical and cultural accessibility, also with regard to memory and the relationship with the historical urban context. The hypothesis of musealisation of the Roman thermal site at the “Arnaldo” Liceo (secondary school) in Brescia (currently inaccessible and barred from use) would consent both its enhancement and an easier and more complete reading of the extension of Roman Brixia, today mainly located in the northern part of the city. In particular, by making the thermal site more user-friendly and manageable, the project aims to redefine its relationship with both the school building and the city.