• Blended Learning & Flipped Classroom

The Historical Building Preservation Studio aims to train the student in the reading and analysis of the built heritage, offering tools and methods for learning the correct path for the preliminary inquiry to the restoration project, which each section interprets on different scales (urban, architectural, detail). The course extends conservation issues and the multidisciplinary reading of the built heritage; from the geometric survey to the knowledge of building materials, the recognition of the materials forms of aging and decay and the techniques for preserving the materials themselves. The course analyzes the building features of historical buildings (masonries, floors, vaults, roofs, etc.), materials and construction techniques of the historical buildings in general and in relation to the specific characteristics of the building examined for the exercise. This course offers the effective basis to develop the design topics (reuse, strengthening, etc.).

The flipped classroom “Cultural heritage and current events” (1 cfu) aims to sensitize students to current topics related to the cultural heritage through some speeches given by officials of the Ministery of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, of Cultural Associations and International Organizations, and by professionals.

By the end of the studio the students will be able to make analytical assessments of existing buildings, related to building materials and alteration and decay forms, describing the building features through drawings and written texts that accurately render the quality of the building and provide guidelines for the conservation project.

The students will be able to design a knowledge path (materials, construction techniques, decay, …) and give guidelines for the conservation project of a case study chosen by the teachers.

The flipped classroom “Cultural heritage and current events” will offer the students the chance to analyze and communicate some specific topics related to the cultural heritage, through a class discussion and conceptual maps.

PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSERVATION PROJECT OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGS - Alessandra Kluze

The course will provide an introduction on conservation topics and on multidisciplinary analysis of the built heritage.

The main topics will be:

-  the knowledge of the building features of historical buildings (the main traditional building materials and their use in building techniques) and of the preindustrial and modern site;

-  the methods and tools for the analysis of the building features and of the conservation conditions;

- how preliminary studies, surveys and analysis can guide us in planning the conservation intervention, especially through meaningful case studies.

A fundamental part of the didactic course is the workshop, organized in two parts:

1. "Getting to know" and understanding an existing building: this part of the workshop will be held in situ, working – in groups of 4/5 students, on an historical building in the city centre of Milan. The specific aim of this part of the workshop is to let the students appreciate the uniqueness of each single existing building (its “identity”), through the progressive knowledge of its history and present features/conditions: a knowledge that brings about awareness, and founds the proper basis for the conservation and the reuse project. The students will learn to observe and describe the main features of the building: its architectonical features, the building materials and techniques, the forms of alteration and decay.

2. Building preservation in your own country: each student will report on the attitude towards building preservation in his own country.The work will be done in groups of students coming from the same country. A given outline of the topics will be followed, answering a list of questions. Each group will choose a meaningful case study of building preservation in his own country. There will be a final confrontation/debate on the topic of buildings preservation referring to the different case studies.

MATERIALS OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGS - Sara Goidanich

The introductive part of the program will be dealing with the general classes of building materials in historic architecture. The most important materials properties will be discussed with respect to application, compatibility and durability issues.

The traditional building materials will be examined considering the specific characteristics, production processes, and use through relevant case studies in historic architecture. Natural stones, aerial and hydraulic binders, mortars and plasters for different applications, ceramics and bricks will be presented.

The final part of the course will focus on the main natural and anthropogenic deterioration mechanisms in outdoor environments and on their effects on historic materials. A critical overview of Italian and International standards and glossaries used in conservation practice for the evaluation and survey of the state of conservation of the materials will also be provided.

The knowledge acquired on the characteristics and specific deterioration issues of traditional materials will support the students during the workshop activity.

The INNOVATIVE TEACHING “Built Heritage and Current Events” (1 cfu) deals with topics related to “Built Heritage and Seism” and “Built Heritage and Tourism”. Through the listening of speeches (flipped classroom) and suggested readings, the students will be able to develop autonomously critical assessments that will be discussed in class with the help of concept maps and iconographic apparatus.

During the educational path the sequence of the courses and the order of registration of the related exam must follow the priority specified in the study programme regulation.

The evaluation of the students achievements will be focused on both the topics of the lessons and on the work done for the workshop. The check on the achievement of the training aims will be done through graphic (sketches and drawings) and written documents, and an oral exam in order to evaluate the students ability to design a knowledge path (through the description of materials, construction features, alteration and decay etc.), referring to the specific case study, as a fundamental aspect of the conservation project.