Abstract:

The seismic events which stroke the Italian territory over the last few years have enlightened relevant critical issues about the historical built environment in terms of damages, yet caused by earthquakes of modest extent.

Starting from the studies developed around the project PRE.CU.R.S.OR. (Prevention of Seismic Risk at Cascina Cuccagna, within an important Architectural-Historical Context), Cariplo Foundation’s tender notice “Art and Culture – Heritage at Risk”, the paper presents an experience halfway between didactic and research, focused on the definition of the vulnerability elements for the historical buildings and characterized by a multi-criteria approach.

The work has been developed as part of the Preservation and Reuse Design courses (continuing education programme “P.R.D.”) – Dept. of Environmental and Civil Engineering (D.I.C.A.) – in cooperation with the Mitigation and Risk Design courses (workshop “Mi.Ri.De.”), promoted by the School of Architecture, Urban Studies and Building Engineering (A.U.I.C.) of the Politecnico di Milano.

The paper is arranged in four chapters:
• Theoretical and Phenomenological phase: an introduction of the theme of the common built environment vulnerabilities, throughout theoretical explorations and didactical researches, starting from the damages observed after seismic events, in order to compose a list of recurrent situations.
• Experience-based phase: an analysis of relevant experiences about the correlation between damage and architectural/executive aspect of buildings, in order to select methodological approaches and “best practices”.
• Implementation phase: the survey of the data, the systematisation of the data-base and the geographic information system-based modelling, in order to understand the role of technical and technological tools and the way they can support a multi-level analysis through the usage of open-source software.
• Meta-design phase: the case study of Cascina Cuccagna, in which the knowledge and the competence acquired all along the educational-training process are applied, in order to identify the causes for the vulnerability of the building.

For each of the phases, the paper synthetically presents the processing made by the attendants to the courses, aiming to highlight the relationship between the educational path and the technical outcomes.

Particular attention has been given to the implementation of the competences: learning skills, knowledge and understanding, applying knowledge, making judgements, communication skills, specified to the extent of the activities planned for the four phases that characterize this experience.

Keywords:

Geographic Information System, Vulnerability, historical architecture.