The Rehabilitation of Built Heritage. Theory and Technique

Authors’ Comment

The volume synthesises the knowledge accrued by the author over the span of almost 30 years of teaching and personal research in the field of rehabilitation of built heritage. Generated by the author’s desire to disseminate this accumulated knowledge, the present volume is aimed at future architects, at educators training the next generations of architects, as well as at professionals involved in decision-making processes concerning existing buildings and rehabilitation projects.
In the same spirit as the author’s teaching activity, the volume seeks to first and foremost foster an attitude that favours the reuse of built heritage, as a rational alternative to demolition, in line with international practices. At the same time, the volume provides the theoretical and technical knowledge necessary for the specialized formation of professionals in the field of rehabilitation of built heritage. To this end, it focuses on the distinct challenges that, unlike the designing of new buildings from scratch, arise when engaging in the re-designing of existing buildings, and more so of the historical ones.
Therefore, the first part of the volume is dedicated to the theoretical aspects of rehabilitation, drawing upon the experiences of countries where such interventions have already become common practice, as well as on personal observations. The second part of the volume details the technical problems inherent to rehabilitation, focusing on buildings’ degradation and the treatment of some recurrent pathologies.