Design Models for the Enhancement of Archaeological Fragile Sites

Abstract

The research defines new solutions for the valorisation of heritage, moving from an approach based mainly on conservation, to a more active one. In particular, the research answers two critical aspects related to the UNESCO orbit: firstly, the current tools for protection and management don’t include actual architectural projects on heritage, secondly, some sites can significantly suffer this absence of a design attitude. These sites are identified as the archeological areas located in fragile territories. With the intention to design solutions that understand the specificities of the sites, but which shall also be useful to many sites, the research identifies three profiles of fragile territorial contexts and archaeological areas. The final output, the Design Model, is obtained thanks to the in-depth study of each profile, which is conducted through a pair of UNESCO sites, one used as case study and the other as a sandbox.

Keywords: Architecture, Heritage, Design