Restoration of rising damp in the Sassi of Matera through the use of innovative technologies
Abstract
The millennial bond between the city of Matera and its calcarenite rock is of fundamental importance to understanding the history of the city’s architectural heritage.
Calcarenite, a sedimentary limestone rock of biochemical origin, is easily workable but is characterized by low mechanical resistance and significant vulnerability to biological and physico-chemical degradation processes, especially those related to the presence of water.
Starting from the eighties of the last century, when a strategic plan for the recovery of the Sassi was launched, numerous restoration projects have been carried out. Furthermore, improper repair and rebuilding of masonries have profoundly altered the aesthetic and formal value of the buildings. Despite these challenges, Matera’s architectural heritage gained significant recognition in 2019 when the city was designated as the European Capital of Culture.
Configuring itself as a laboratory of experimental restoration practices, Matera is well suited for analysis aimed at identifying the best practices currently available in the field of architectural heritage conservation. Therefore the paper is focused on the critical analysis of interventions carried out on three emblematic cases of the city that have suffered significant surface deterioration due to environmental and construction factors, as well as the presence of rising damp in the walls: the Church of San Pietro Barisano, the Church of San Francesco D’Assisi and the Diocesan Museum.
From these studies it was possible to identify the general procedural aspects that lead towards the proposal of a protocol of best conservation practices, which pays attention to every phase of the design process.
Article Details
- How to Cite
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Bernardo, G., Rinaldi, C., & Guida, A. (2024). Restoration of rising damp in the Sassi of Matera through the use of innovative technologies. International Symposium on the Conservation of Monuments in the Mediterranean Basin, 313–318. https://doi.org/10.12681/monubasin.8185
- Section
- Part VII - Technologies for Damage Rehabilitation and Sustainable Preservation
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