99048 - Building Renovation

Learning outcomes

At the end of course the student will know the methods and criteria to analize the behavioral and architectural state in the existing built environment and will be able to design renovation, restoration and refurbishment solutions for the building heritage.

Course contents

The course is divided into learning modules that are interrelated and oriented to provide a knowledge base of the interventions on the built heritage, with an investigation of the technical and construction problems.

1. Knowledge of the built heritage

The basic contents regarding the construction techniques of existing masonry buildings are provided, as far as the construction elements are concerned, such as vertical structures, floors, foundations and roofs.
Contents are also provided on the construction techniques of buildings with a reinforced concrete frame structure in the Twentieth century.

2. Interventions on historic masonry constructions

Basic contents are provided regarding the theoretical approach and technical intervention solutions for the restoration and maintenance of the built heritage, especially regarding the topic of seismic prevention.
The learning module is divided into two parts. The first one focuses on the theoretical assumptions that guide subsequent technical intervention choices. The discussion starts from a detailed analysis of the criteria of the historic masonry concept.
The second part concerns the description of intervention methods for building restoration, following a theoretical and operational approach focused on the use of pre-modern seismic prevention techniques.

3. Interventions on existing reinforced concrete constructions

The basic notions regarding the theoretical approach and technical interventions for the restoration and maintenance of the historic built heritage in reinforced concrete are provided, especially regarding the topic of seismic prevention.
Also in this case, we start from the highlighting of the theoretical assumptions that guide the subsequent technical choices of intervention. Subsequently, intervention methods for building restoration are described.

Readings/Bibliography

Slides provided by the Professors on Virtuale

Historical building construction design, materials and technology Friedman Donald, Norton Company, 1995

Structures & construction in historic building conservation, edited by Michael Forsyth, Oxford, UK; Malden, MA; Blackwell, 2007

Understanding historic building conservation, edited by Michael Forsyth, Oxford, UK ; Malden, MA : Blackwell, 2007

Materials & skills for historic building conservation, edited by Michael Forsyth Oxford : Blackwell, 2008

Teaching methods

Classroom lessons on the course topics.

Classroom discussion of detailed aspects.

Assessment methods

Oral discussion on course topics and preparation of an essay as homework on topics assigned by the Professors.

Teaching tools

PPT slides on Virtuale

Office hours

See the website of Giorgia Predari

See the website of Marco Pasquini