Learning Pre-modern Architectural and Construction Arts at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Rome Three

Over a number of years, research released through a series of publications known as the Manuali del recupero (“Restoration Manuals”, for Rome 1989, 1997; Città di Castello 1990, 1992, Palermo 1997), together with other parallel initiatives, has presented an integrated vision of the arts of pre-modern construction. Just slightly more than 20 years ago, pre-modern building materials seemed untrustworthy to conservation and restoration professionals. The technology linked to these materials and the historic construction values themselves were perceived as a dying culture, unsuited not only to keeping pace with modern technological performance, but also inadvisable for conservation and restoration operations for historic built heritage. By bringing materials, techniques and composite models of pre-modern construction to the forefront, the Restoration Manuals offered architectural conservation practitioners and restoration planners new instruments of awareness and procedures, refreshing an otherwise stagnant situation. It is now true that the application of traditional worksite techniques, which only a few decades ago would have seemed a traditionalist utopia, is an expanding reality. Traditional techniques are not only applied by a few “enlightened” administrations, but are also rooted in the building industry, driven by a small but significant niche demand. A renaissance is under way in production and installation of pre-modern finishes and, unlike not long ago, it is now not difficult to organise a worksite that can furnish materials and produce decent work in stone, brick, plaster, wood and traditional finishes. It falls to the university system to take the guiding role in forming the next generation of professionals, soon to arrive on the market, by creating awareness of conservation and restoration planning models that respect pre-modern construction. The core of the problem is training those who contribute to the success of a restoration project and building site, a problem whose solution has been much discussed (and less implemented). As an illustration of student experience, we would like to present and highlight several bachelors’ theses dealing with segments of built heritage in the historic centre of the capital city and small towns in the Italian countryside. The building techniques applied are those taken from the City of Rome “Restoration Manual”.